Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
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Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.
Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member's first statement, in that we know that the USMCA is creating and securing good jobs for Canadians right across this country. However, if she does not believe me, allow me to read a quote from the NDP member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie. To the Canadian negotiators, he said I just want to congratulate everybody in this room for the fantastic job that you did. Then he said that the USMCA is the best deal possible and protect workers all around this country.We agree with the member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister told Canadians that he would take $10 in carbon taxes from them for every $9 in rebates he returned and make them somehow better off, they were understandably suspicious. Now they are learning that this original $10 in upfront taxes might not include the HST on the tax. That is a tax on the taxes. The finance minister refused to confirm whether that was the case. Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work to protect coastal communities like his own. Today, we are proud to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, which includes over $138 million for Newfoundland and Labrador. We are establishing 24/7 capacity in the Coast Guard's three regional operation centres, in Victoria, Montreal and St. John's, to ensure our waterways and Canadians remain safe. We will continue to invest, protect and support Canadians living in coastal communities from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our focus in the national poverty reduction strategy is actually about clarifying the data and really being able to go after the problem that is facing so many Canadians. Thanks to investments in programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty, however it is defined. With Canada's first national poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily. The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.
Mr. Speaker, again, we see the lengths to which the Conservatives will go to try and distract from the fact that they do not have a plan to fight climate change. On this side of the House and indeed Canadians across the country recognize that climate change is the greatest global threat facing us all. We need a concrete plan to act against climate change. We have done exactly that by putting a price on pollution, by moving forward on investments and innovation and creating the clean economy, while at the same time supporting Canadian families through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. What is theirs?
Mr. Speaker, I really hope the Prime Minister would tell that to the 27 million Canadians whose information a credit bureau was compelled to provide to Statistics Canada without any consent from them, contrary to what he said. The Liberals do not seem to understand that the personal information of Canadians does not belong to the government. They believe they have the right to know what everyone is doing with their finances all the time. On this side of the House, we believe that access to that kind of information requires consent. No consent, no data. Why is the Prime Minister still refusing to listen to Canadians who want this program cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. Climate change represents perhaps the greatest global threat we are facing as a species. We have a plan to address the impacts of climate change both by growing our economy and protecting our families and the environment. The Conservatives have no plan and will try all sorts of different ways to distract from the fact they have no plan. We will fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, once again, these are the same arguments they made about Statistics Canada's compelling people to fill out the long-form census. In the 2015 election, Canadians spoke loudly and clearly, rejecting the Conservative vision of policies based on ideology rather than evidence and data. We will not engage in the kind of fearmongering they are trying to use around Canadians and their data, because we can state unequivocally to Canadians that we continue to protect their data. We continue to understand how important it is to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that happens.
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, we are the first generation to see the solution to this problem of climate change and the last generation to actually be able to act on it. On this side of the House, we have put forward a concrete plan that puts a price on pollution. There is too much pollution and if we put a price on it, we will reduce the amount of pollution. It is something that Canadians understand. At the same time, we will be supporting them to be able to succeed through this transition to a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have no plan. They will not talk about that.
Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.We will follow up on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not have an environment plan. They have a plan to raise taxes. They already said that they are going to collect more in tax revenue than they are going to give back in rebates. However, now we are learning that this upfront tax might actually be taxed again through the HST, a tax on a tax. None of their documents reveal whether in fact that is true. None of their ministers have admitted the truth on the question. The Prime Minister can tell us now. Will the HST apply on the carbon tax, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.
Mr. Speaker, if the member remembers well, in the years leading up to the 2015 election we heard Conservatives making these arguments left, right and centre about the need to protect Canadians from the intrusiveness of Statistics Canada. Canadians rejected that approach of the Conservatives.There were celebrations across the country when the very first thing we did was to restore the long-form census at Statistics Canada, so that decisions could be based on evidence and data and not ideology.We will always protect Canadians' privacy and do it
Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservatives would prefer to play rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they do not think climate change is a real crisis to our country or our communities, this despite the wildfires, the floods, the droughts and the hurricanes on our neighbours to the south. These are challenges that we all know are real and they are playing rhetorical games to try to distract from the fact that they have no plan to fight climate change.
Mr. Speaker, the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans are our main priority.We are providing $10 billion in new funding for our veterans, mainly to keep our promise to provide a pension for life option. Since more veterans will be opting for the maximum non-taxable amount of $1,150 a month for life instead of a single lump sum payment, the cost will be spread over a longer period. We continue to make investments in order to better support our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, our approach on growing the economy and protecting the environment together is something Canadians understand right across the country. As we move forward with a concrete plan to fight climate change, while making sure we are investing in the kinds of infrastructures and opportunities to get our resources to new markets other than the United States, we are doing what Canadians expect. We will continue to focus on both growing the economy and protecting Canadians' future generations in our environmental protections, but also with good jobs for the long term.
Mr. Speaker, we are growing the middle class by helping those who are working hard to join it. With programs like the Canada child benefit, the national housing strategy, enhanced seniors benefits, and the Canada workers benefit, we are on track to lift 650,000 Canadians out of poverty.With Canada's first poverty reduction strategy and our poverty reduction act, we have a plan to ensure that every Canadian has a real and fair chance to succeed.There is still a lot to be done, but we are on the right track.
Mr. Speaker, you will not surprised to know that, like your constituents, Canadians in St. John's East depend on the health and safety of our oceans. Oceans are at the core of who we are as Newfoundlanders. Canadians across the country are so proud that our government is investing in the health of our oceans with the $1.5 billion oceans protection plan. Today is a big day.On the two-year anniversary of the oceans protection plan, could the Prime Minister share some of the accomplishments that have been made possible by this $1.5 billion investment?
Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but we want to see them backed by actions.Today, more than 400 prominent figures co-signed the Quebec pact for a green transition. Civil society is pledging to take meaningful action to combat climate warming. An emergency debate on the alarming IPCC report was recently held in the House. In spite of all this, the Liberal government continues to believe that words outweigh action.Will the Prime Minister listen to Quebeckers' pleas and finally implement concrete policies for fighting climate change?
Actually, Mr. Speaker, what they put at the forefront is money intended to settle lawsuits because of data breaches.When it comes to the carbon tax, there are reports that the current government intends to charge HST and GST on top of the carbon tax. Can the Prime Minister confirm today, yes or no, if HST and GST will be applied to the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.
Mr. Speaker, I have quick question for the pipeline-owning Prime Minister. How is that sale going on the $4.5 billion gem of an oil pipeline he picked up? What, no buyers? Is that why he is rushing the sale, to sell off an asset that Canadians spent $500 million in 2018 to build? Well, it is good the government is offering 5% to local first nations.Two critical questions remain. Given what just happened to Rona workers, will the Prime Minister guarantee that not a single worker will lose their job at Ridley Terminals? Will he also promise that no foreign government will be allowed to buy this strategic asset?
Mr. Speaker, I will get to climate change in a second, but I cannot let that lie, because we have been taking concrete action in standing up for our veterans, whether it is $10 billion for veterans programs and services, whether it is raising financial supports for veterans and their caregivers, whether it is investing in the continuum of mental health services or expanding a range of services available to the families of medically released veterans, or reopening the nine shuttered offices. We have done nothing but act for our veterans. We are also taking concrete action on fighting climate change, thanks to a plan that puts a price on pollution and that will show the world that Canada is a leader in addressing climate change while creating good jobs and economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen over the past weeks is the Conservatives continue to try and find new angles to muddy the waters on a basic fact. We are choosing to put a price on pollution because we think there is too much pollution and by putting a price on it there will be less of it. That is our plan. We are happy to defend our plan.What is interesting is the Conservatives refuse to put forward their plan or they simply have no intention of putting forward a plan to fight climate change. What Canadians want to know is this. Where is their plan?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is the first person to raise taxes and the last person to tell the truth about it. Let us give him another opportunity to do so. He admits that he is going to collect more in taxes than he gives back in rebates. Now we are hearing that the Liberals might actually charge HST on the tax, a tax on the tax.Yes or no, will the HST apply on the carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets. However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.
Mr. Speaker, our government is, and continues to be, committed to supporting and honouring Canada's veterans and their families. Unlike the previous government, we ensure that the necessary funding is made available to veterans when and where they need it. That is why we were happy to support the NDP's motion yesterday. What the Conservatives did in office was to cut services for veterans, including service offices, to create a fake balanced budget for the election. In three years, we have increased financial supports by over $10 billion, putting more money in veterans' pockets and increasing mental health supports, and we are delivering on the promises we made to veterans and their families.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder BayRainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.
Once again, Mr. Speaker, we see a situation in which the NDP says one thing in the House, but another behind closed doors.The member for RosemontLa Petite-Patrie called the USMCA the best deal possible. He acknowledged that it is going to protect workers across the country. We know that we are always going to protect workers. That is what we told steel and aluminum workers, and that is what we told dairy sector workers. That is what we are telling everyone across the country, and we are going to do what we say.
Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?
Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Prime Minister claimed that there was absolutely nothing he could do about Tori Stafford's killer being placed in a healing lodge. He actually instructed his entire caucus to vote against a Conservative motion that spelled out the exact steps that he could take. Now that he has finally acted on this, will he do the right thing and apologize to the Stafford family for politicizing this issue, and will he apologize
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just clearly said that it is their number one priority to protect Canadians' data. Perhaps he would like to explain to us today why Canada Post allowed a breach of the private data and credit card numbers of 4,400 cannabis purchasers in Ontario, That was just hacked within the government that he says protects Canadians' privacy. Would he like to explain to us exactly how that happened?
Mr. Speaker, our plan to fight climate change includes phasing out coal power plants by 2030. We know that is an essential part of it. I want to highlight again the fact that we are able to move forward to reach our targets partially because Alberta has chosen to put an absolute cap on its oil sands emissions. We are moving forward with a comprehensive responsible plan to fight climate change while we create jobs and grow the economy. Of course, the NDP does not think we are going far enough. The Conservatives cannot believe we are actually doing something, because they do not think we should do anything to fight climate change. We are doing the things that Canadians expect, growing the economy and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to wake up and understand that Canadians reject the government's support of Statistics Canada's harvest of deeply personal financial data without asking for permission. Canadians realize that Europeans this year have new privacy laws that prohibit this sort of privacy exposure without the specific consent of clients.Why will the Prime Minister not accept that Canadians own all of their personal information, financial or otherwise, and that they should decide whether that data is shared or not?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed. I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her long-time advocacy toward environmental causes in Canada. We are the first generation to feel the impacts of climate change and the last generation to be able to stop it. We are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, and we know there will be more work to do after that. We are leading the Powering Past Coal Alliance with the United Kingdom. We have been a leader at COP since 2015. We will continue to play a leadership role in tackling climate change internationally.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would believe that a simple yes or no question could be muddying the waters.The HST and GST will either be collected on the carbon tax or it will not. The Prime Minister can tell Canadians right now if he will be applying HST and GST on his carbon tax. Yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the government is going to save a lot of money at our veterans' expense with their new pension plan.Mr. Bruyea, a very respected veteran who was humiliated by the government, was right when he said that veterans will end up with less money in their pockets despite the government's claims that the plan is going to cost billions and that services have increased.When will the Prime Minister tell them the truth?
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has chosen its method for measuring poverty. With that calculation, poverty among seniors on paper moves from 14.2% down to 4.9%. With the cost of medication, housing and medical supplies, this calculation has not made life one cent more affordable for them. The government's poverty reduction plan is a document with no action. Now, thousands of seniors living in poverty may be excluded from the very definition. Why is the government trying to manipulate numbers to hide the actual poverty rate in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, they are only doing this because they got caught. Stats Canada was not consulting with the Privacy Commissioner for the 15 years that they were raiding Canadians' private financial data. That is what Canadians are concerned about. The Prime Minister is not protecting their rights, he is violating them. Will he do the right thing and stop this practice?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?
Mr. Speaker, is anyone surprised that the Liberals do not want to talk about workers who are losing their jobs. Dairy farmers are not happy. Medication prices are going to explode. Steel and aluminum workers cannot believe the government signed a deal that will continue to put their jobs at risk. Aluminum workers from Unifor are here today on the Hill to ask the Prime Minister not to sign the USMCA until tariffs are off the table.What is the Prime Minister going to tell those workers right here, right now?
Mr. Speaker, like I said, our government takes very seriously the protection of Canadians' information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification, transmittal or disposal. Security measures are in place and compliance is ensured through routine inspection of sites and systems where sensitive information and assets are processed or stored. On the issue that came up between the Ontario Cannabis Store and Canada Post, it was flagged, was fixed and Canadians can be sure that will not happen moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman. That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?
Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted. Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians. We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons on how we treat our veterans from the Conservative government that nickel-and-dimed them every step of the way, while wrapping themselves in the flag and at the same time shutting down the very service centres that served our veterans in their times of need.Since 2016, we have invested $10 billion for veterans programs and services. We have raised financial supports for veterans and caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We have expanded the range of services available to the families of medically-released veterans. We have increased, by $42.8 million, the service
Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' proposed poverty reduction bill was the perfect opportunity to create a universal daycare system; create a universal pharmacare and dental program; create housing for everyone right now; improve income support programs; and ensure that EI is accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, the bill will not stop anyone who is poor now from still being poor in 2020.When will the Liberals implement these measures to truly reduce poverty?
Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, we campaigned on a promise to restore the long form census. The arguments the Conservative Party made in the years up to the cancellation of the long form census are exactly the same arguments they are making today about Statistics Canada, trumped up arguments about protection of privacy, when they know, and indeed all Canadians should know, that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner, and respects and protects the privacy of Canadians. We will continue to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are circling around the issue of whether or not there is a crisis that we have to deal with. For 10 years, the previous Conservative government, of which that member was a key member, refused to actually take any action on fighting climate change. We know the time to act is now, and that is exactly what we are doing. We are putting a price on pollution while we are helping families through this transition toward a cleaner economy. That is our plan. The Conservatives have none.
Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister fails to understand is that these are not arguments put forward by the Conservative Party, these are the concerns of Canadians who do not want their financial information raided by the current government.Here is what the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association had to say, It is untenable to give absolute trust and authority to a government agency in today's technological landscape.We are not talking about a census, we are talking about the government getting line-by-line financial data. Does the Prime Minister believe that is okay?
Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?
Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions. Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister actually went to great lengths to demonize anyone who had a problem with this, resorting to nasty name-calling and divisive language. Will he do the right thing and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we see how short the Conservatives' memories are. The issue they had was that the long-form census was mandatory, not voluntary. That is why they eliminated the long-form census and why we campaigned on a promise to respect Statistics Canada, to ensure that we protected Canadians' privacy every step of the way, while also ensuring that data would be the foundation of evidence-based policy, working in a way that would protect Canadians and deliver to them the services they need, as opposed to what the Conservatives wanted to do, eliminate the long-form census and Statistics Canada.
Mr. Speaker, apropos that last exchange, it is a shame Maclean's magazine did not have a hypocrite of the year award for parliamentarians.
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.
Mr. Speaker, allow me to speak directly to Canadians to reassure them that we are protecting the privacy of their data. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner, whose job it is to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected. We understand the need for reliable data, unlike the members opposite, but we also always put at the forefront the protection of Canadians' privacy. That is why this data that Statistics Canada collects is anonymized, is subject to stringent controls. Indeed, this is the pilot project it is working on now, which has not even rolled out yet.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the last time the Prime Minister spoke directly to a veteran was when he told him that they were asking for more than he could give.The Liberals have been claiming that they have been spending more money on veterans, and we know that is not true. In fact, the Prime Minister is cutting $500 million worth of benefits from our veterans.Canadian veterans, like Sean Bruyea, have been calling the Liberal pension scheme a shell game ever since they discovered the details. Worse yet, to shut him up, the Liberals are taking this veteran to court for simply exposing the truth. Why?
Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company. How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?
Mr. Speaker, I apologize unreservedly, and to the hon. Leader of the Opposition as well.I would like to proceed to my question, if that is allowed.When the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report came out, it said that we had nothing that would block us from protecting life on earth by achieving 1.5° Celsius. The only missing ingredient is political will. My question to the Prime Minister is this. Can Canada show that political will and go to COP24 committing that Canada will follow the pathway set out by the IPCC?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are shocked that the government secretly started collecting their personal financial information without their consent. The government never disclosed these practices to Canadians, who found out about them in the media. That, more than anything, shows how much faith the Prime Minister has in this policy.The only thing Canadians want to hear from the Prime Minister is that he is cancelling the project.When will he do that?
Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks. Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?
Mr. Speaker, circling around? Well, he is actually circling around the taxpayer. He reaches into one pocket and then he circles around the other side to reach into the other pocket. The Liberals are going to raise taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and other essentials Canadians require to survive. However, now we are hearing they might actually charge the HST on the tax itself. Imagine that, a tax on the tax.If he cannot admit, will he deny that he is going to put a tax on this tax?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the lost angel. The Minister of Public Safety asked the Commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and their policies on offender transfers. Following that review, he has provided direction to improve transfer policies on medium-security women offenders to facilities without a directly controlled perimeter. These changes will help ensure guilty parties are held accountable, while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims and, ultimately, safer communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister sounds like a broken record, but here is what Canadians really think.Aline is wondering what the government is up to and whether it knows the meaning of personal and confidential. Marcel thinks it is sad the way we are being led the by Prime Minister's government. Catherine says that it is totally unacceptable and she is against this approach. She thinks this is very risky and intrusive.We get hundreds and hundreds of messages like that.For the umpteenth time in two weeks, I ask: will the Prime Minister end this unacceptable situation immediately?
Mr. Speaker, that pre-written apology the Prime Minister just gave in response will be cold comfort to any Canadian whose private financial data could be hacked in the future. The government cannot protect the privacy of data. When the Prime Minister indicates that the long-form census is the reason Canadians are in favour of the removal of their data from their banks, the reality is that there is a big difference. In the long-form census they voluntarily gave their information, whereas Stats Can is ripping it out of their bank accounts. Will the Prime Minister stop this action?
Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?
Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed. Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?
Mr. Speaker, I remember the previous Conservative government that for five years was unable to give a yes or no answer. The current Liberal government, though, is disappointing one community after another, and this time it is veterans. The government has let a total of $1,037 million promised for the pension programs of our veterans to simply lapse.Yesterday, the House unanimously approved the motion by my esteemed colleague for CourtenayAlberni to reallocate the entirety of the funds to veterans programs, but the Liberals are refusing to do just that.Is the Prime Minister ready to implement the motion of the NDP and finally spend the entirety of the budget promised to our veterans?
Mr. Speaker, obviously as a government we take Canadians' privacy very seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada contacted the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project. We all understand the importance of having reliable data for Canadians. That is why we trust Statistics Canada to collect the necessary data while working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that the privacy of Canadians is always protected.
Mr. Speaker, speaking about being serious about addressing climate change, the Liberals promised to remove perverse fossil fuel subsidies. They claimed their carbon tax would drive the shift to cleaner energy sources and promised to shut down coal power, yet they propose to subsidize coal by virtually exempting it from the carbon tax. This will delay coal plant retirements, disincentive any shift to renewables, even cleaner gas, and allow harmful pollutants impacting health. Why is the government undermining the efforts by provinces like Alberta that have shown leadership in earlier shut down of coal power?
Mr. Speaker, allow me to reassure those Canadians directly.Contrary to what the Conservatives are telling them to scare them, we will always protect Canadians' privacy. We are working with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that all this data remains anonymous, that it is subject to stringent controls, and that there is no risk of this information being shared. Canadians can rest assured that this government will always protect their privacy.
Mr. Speaker, for the past two weeks, the Prime Minister has been stubbornly defending access to the personal and confidential data of 500,000 Canadians without their consent.The situation is so disturbing that the Privacy Commissioner has launched an investigation. A petition was started just six days ago calling on the government to put a stop to this, and 19,000 people have signed it already.Will the Prime Minister finally listen to Canadians and put an immediate stop to this serious invasion of people's privacy?
Mr. Speaker, we have been laying out the details of our approach on pricing pollution not just for the past few weeks that we have announced the details of it, but over the past
Mr. Speaker, we take the protection of Canadians' privacy seriously, as does Statistics Canada.Statistics Canada has been in contact with the Privacy Commissioner about this pilot project, which has not yet been launched. We will keep working to ensure that protecting privacy remains a priority for Statistics Canada and our government.I do want to point out that the Conservatives are using the same arguments for this issue as they did to justify getting rid of the long form census. Canadians were disappointed in that decision and
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even seem to care about signing away Canadian jobs by signing onto the USMCA. The government has failed to ensure that aluminum and steel tariffs are lifted, risking the loss of at least 6,000 jobs, the jobs of people who are here on Parliament Hill today. Aluminum workers from Kitimat to Saguenay are desperately trying to defend their jobs, families and communities. Why will the Liberals not listen to the workers' call and tell the U.S. administration that Canada will not ratify the USMCA until Trump drops his illegal tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.