2018-11-08

Mr. Speaker, Tori Stafford's killer is finally back behind bars, where she belongs. Canadians were outraged that a child killer more than a decade away from parole eligibility was moved to a fenceless healing lodge. Each and every one of these Liberals voted against our motion that would have forced Tori's killer back behind bars, saying they did not have the power to do the right thing. Will the Prime Minister apologize to Tori Stafford's family for forcing them to fight against him and his government to put Tori's killer back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, that is still just 2% of the naval strategy, or peanuts.We know that the Conservatives and the Liberals are one and the same. They are Irving's minions and lackeys. Only Irving is paid to protect its forests against the spruce budworm. Irving is pushing to revive energy east, to profit while polluting. Irving has been awarded so many federal contracts that it is falling behind.When will the government stop feeding these corporate leeches and finally give Davie some real contracts?

Mr. Speaker, if they believe in the bargaining process, they should not be threatening back-to-work legislation. They should not be targeting sick and vulnerable workers.We know the minister has the ability to call up Canada Post and tell it to stop. We are about to go home to our constituencies for a week. When we come back, it will have been a month that these workers have gone without pay. Will the minister pick up the phone today and do something about it or resign and make way for somebody who has the compassion and the backbone to do it?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just admitted he had the power from day one to do the right thing and put Tori Stafford's killer behind bars. Instead, he hid behind bureaucrats. He hid behind the Minister of Public Safety, when all along, he had the power. He forced Tori Stafford's family to fight against the government to get justice for their murdered daughter.Will the Prime Minister apologize to them for making them come to Ottawa to fight against the government to do the right thing?

Mr. Speaker, the tactics Canada Post is using in its negotiations with employees are shameful. The corporation is attacking the most vulnerable and cutting short- and long-term disability and maternity leave benefits. Despite these attacks on workers' rights, the Liberals continue to trust Canada Post. Worse still, the Prime Minister just said that if the situation is not resolved soon, all options are on the table.Does that mean back-to-work legislation?What new line will the Liberals hand us to justify the fact that they are abandoning workers?

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of problems with employment insurance: the spring gap, 15 weeks of disability benefits, and the list goes on. Add to that the fact that the EI eligibility criteria are sexist.We know a lot of women are in precarious jobs, which means they do not qualify for employment insurance. Only one-third of unemployed women are eligible compared to half of unemployed men. How can that be right?This government calls itself feminist. When will it open its eyes and reform this outdated, discriminatory, sexist employment insurance system?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to amend the bankruptcy act and workers continue to be left with nothing but crumbs.Sears Canada employees spent their lives working and paying into their pensions. Sears shareholders got $509 million, and what did the workers get? Nothing. Once again, the most vulnerable are footing the bill.When will the government change the law to put an end to pension theft?

Mr. Speaker, the current government gave $10 million to a convicted terrorist who built bombs in Afghanistan, but the veterans who were blown up in bomb attacks are denied the critical injury benefit. The government promised that it would stop taking veterans to court, but it is still doing it. It promised to bring back the pension for life and it broke that promise too. The consequences of these failures is a three-tiered care system for veterans. Why is the government treating our veterans this way?

Mr. Speaker, Irving seems to be suffering from an obsessive jealousy problem. As soon as Ottawa starts eyeing up another shipyard, Irving throws a hissy fit. By way of apology, the government offers Irving gifts. It just awarded Irving another $800-million contract for a useless slush breaker, just so that Irving would not have any gaps in its order book. Meanwhile, there are only 60 workers left at Davie, and the federal government has nothing but peanuts to offer them between now and 2021.When will Davie get the contract for the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservative Party strategy seems to be to mislead Canadians on the cost to families.We know that when we move forward to protect the environment by putting a price on pollution, we are actually going to leave middle-class families better off at the end of the year.I look forward with great anticipation to the next campaign, when the Conservatives campaign on a commitment to take money from their constituents so they can make pollution free again.

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of weeks I have watched the hon. member spin tales. He has suggested that large polluters are exempt. He has suggested that small businesses will be stuck with the bill. He has suggested that families will be worse off. These are all falsehoods. We are moving forward with a plan that is going to make big polluters pay. We are going to give small businesses the tools they need to succeed, and we are going to make life more affordable for Canadians.If the hon. member has the courage to ask one more question based on facts instead of falsehoods, I would be pleased to give him an honest answer. If he comes back again with these falsehoods and underlying assumptions that cannot be proven, I would be pleased to dress him down one more time.

Mr. Speaker, the Privacy Commissioner said today at the Senate committee that he was awestruck by the revelation of the number of Canadians who will be under surveillance. It is ridiculous for the Liberals to say they are working with the Privacy Commissioner. We also learned yesterday that despite promises to anonymize the data, Liberals will actually keep all the private information and have the ability to access it at any time. The government will be able to check every transaction and tie it to every individual. Now that the scope has increased and the Liberals' plans to anonymize the data are gone, will the government finally put Canadians first and stop tracking their finances without their knowledge or consent?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister decided he will not take part in the signing of the USMCA alongside Donald Trump if tariffs are still in place. How exactly is this defending Canadian jobs? Is the Prime Minister so vain that he thinks depriving the U.S. of his presence in a photo-op is the best trade strategy to get rid of the tariffs? Make no mistake, we are still signing it. He just does not want his picture doing it. Who can blame him? I would not want my picture taken signing it either. These tariffs are killing jobs. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and not sign the agreement until the tariffs are removed?

Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but he should have thought of that two years ago when he loaned Bombardier $375 million of taxpayers' money.Meanwhile the soap opera starring the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel is an absolute farce. In the latest episode, we just learned that he is finally going to step down on January 22, that is, exactly nine months less a day before the federal election. What does that mean? No byelection. What does that mean? The people of his riding will have no representation in the House of Commons until the general election.Why is the Prime Minister playing games with democracy?

Mr. Speaker, in light of the minister's comments, it might be time to pull the plug on this project. Canadians are very worried. They are worried about having the government digging around in their private financial information without their consent. This is an intrusion—an intrusion into their private lives.When will the government, which claims to be in touch with Canadians, do right by them and permanently shut down this project?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to toy with democracy. Some 300,000 Canadians do not have a representative in the House because the Prime Minister refuses to hold a by-election. He made a sweetheart deal to ensure that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel does not run in the next election.What the Prime Minister failed to say is that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel said that the Prime Minister tasked him with a special assignment. Could the Prime Minister tell Canadians why this member had a special assignment that kept him away from the House?

Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons claims to recognize the Quebec nation, but when push comes to shove, Ottawa says no: no to advancing French in Quebec, no to our environmental sovereignty, and no to allowing us to decide how we want to live together in society.Will the Prime Minister admit that the recognition of Quebec as a nation means nothing at all to his party? It is nothing but a sham.

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about pension theft, not about CPP.Today, we learned that the owners of Sears Canada are being sued in the hopes of recovering millions of dollars paid to investors while the company was in financial ruin. This is the same kind of corporate theft I was asking the Minister of Seniors about last week, when she accused me of providing misinformation. The minister said consultations have and will continue to take place, yet we have not heard anything about these promised consultations. Who is misleading whom? Will the minister release a list today of all the people she has consulted, and a schedule for the formal consultations promised in the budget?

Mr. Speaker, again, this is over-the-top rhetoric. Using the term “surveillance scheme” is completely inappropriate and unacceptable. When it comes to Statistics Canada, the chief statistician has been very clear. He will only proceed if he gets assurances and the support of the Privacy Commissioner, whom he proactively engaged to deal with the issues around privacy and data protection. The members opposite have been fearmongering with over-the-top rhetoric to mislead Canadians. Enough is enough. Let us support Statistics Canada, and let us support good-quality, reliable data.

Mr. Speaker, let us stick to the facts, because one falsehood after another falsehood is misleading Canadians. That is what the member opposite is doing. No personal data will be disclosed. All of that will be removed. All personal information that the members are talking about will be disclosed by the banks to their clients. No breaches of the Statistics Canada server have occurred. Statistics Canada is proactively engaged with the Privacy Commissioner. As I mentioned, under subsection 17(1), no government, Conservative, Liberal or of any other party, can compel Statistics Canada.

Mr. Speaker, farmers across southern Ontario are facing high levels of vomitoxin in this year's corn crop, making it unusable as livestock feed or for ethanol. This means contracts risk being unfilled, increased costs and delays for testing, and significant cost flow issues caused by lack of storage for crops and lack of alternative markets for this corn.Why has the Minister of Agriculture failed to address the concerns of Canadian farmers?

Mr. Speaker, this week the Prime Minister stood his ground and told Donald Trump that he will not be attending the signing ceremony of the new NAFTA because steel and aluminum tariffs are still in place. We know how difficult it can be for the Prime Minister to miss a photo-op. Acting like a tough guy now is too little, too late for the steel and aluminum workers who cannot make ends meet on the Prime Minister's empty gestures.Why did the Prime Minister not show some backbone when it actually mattered?

Mr. Speaker, the government's plan to collect personal, private financial information from Canadians gets more disturbing every day. Yesterday we learned that despite previous statements, the number of affected Canadians every year will not be 500,000 but will easily be a million or more. They just will not say. At this rate, it will not be long before every single Canadian is tracked. Now that we know that the true scope of this project is much larger, will the Liberals finally end this surveillance scheme?

Mr. Speaker, I suggest the member for Essex pay attention to the region of Windsor, which is overwhelmingly happy that we have secured access to the United States for the coming years. As I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plants, this government has their backs. Canadian countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair tariffs on steel and aluminum are removed.

Mr. Speaker, we learned today that the Liberals not only misled this House but misled the Privacy Commissioner to believe that the deepest personal financial information of only 500,000 Canadians would be seized, without consent, by Statistics Canada. We know now that it is 500,000 households, that almost 1.5 million Canadians' data will be captured. Did the Liberals try to hide the true scope of this project because they knew Canadians would be, quite rightly, appalled?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether my colleague from Canadian Heritage is concerned about the fact that La Presse cut 37 jobs, that Le Droit will likely close up shop if nothing changes, that Postmedia is on the verge of bankruptcy and that Capital Media is in one hell of a mess—

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals boasted about invading the privacy of more than one million Canadians by obtaining their personal financial data without their consent. It got to the point that the Privacy Commissioner launched an investigation.This is like me going to someone's home, breaking down the door and once in the living room, asking permission to enter. That is exactly what they are doing.In just one week, 20,000 Canadians have already signed a petition and shown that they are clearly against this invasion of their privacy.What is the government waiting for to put a stop to this practice?

Mr. Speaker, it is not just a matter of investments. This goes beyond the government's broken promises to veterans. We are talking about red tape and a lack of respect within Veterans Affairs Canada itself for the calls it receives from our brave men and women in uniform. I have heard stories from people who, every year anew, have to provide proof of having lost their arm in Afghanistan.Does the government think it is right or fair to do that to our dedicated soldiers who often continue to serve here or abroad?The Prime Minister needs to understand and commit today to reduce the department's red tape and burdensome rules.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims to be a feminist, yet female veterans will receive less each month in pain and suffering payments than males because sex is a factor of life expectancy. The Veterans Affairs mandate is to compensate all members of our Canadian Forces equally. The minister is discriminating against women who have served this country. Did the Prime Minister instruct the minister to complete a gender-based analysis on the new pension scheme?

Mr. Speaker, the chief statistician has been absolutely transparent and clear with Canadians. When this question was posed, the chief statistician made it very clear that this information was part of a pilot project, and he was very forthcoming with his answers. Again, I want to highlight that no personal information will be disclosed. All that will be removed.The members opposite have a fundamental problem with Statistics Canada, and the chief statistician is disappointed to see that they have not learned the lessons from 2015.

Mr. Speaker, I report as well that the president has tweeted out a point of order that you will have to mull on after question period.Going back to the issue of the HST, the government will collect $720 million of HST on the carbon tax, according to a basic calculation of that tax to the planned price on carbon use by Canadians.My question is very simple. Were those numbers included in the calculation of the cost to the average family of this tax?

Mr. Speaker, this morning Bombardier announced that it is cutting 2,500 jobs in Quebec, and the company's executives gave us the same old line: it is a cost-cutting measure.However, in 2017, the company's six executives got a 50% pay raise, for a total of $42 million. They got hundreds of millions of dollars in public money, lined their pockets with it, then fired thousands of workers. That is unacceptable.How much longer will the government keep letting those executives fatten their bank accounts instead of standing up for workers?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister refused to tell us whether the GST and HST would apply on the carbon tax. I dug up documents directly from the Canada Revenue Agency that indicate that consideration payable for the supply of the gasoline upon which the supplier will calculate the HST does include the carbon tax.Now we know there will be a tax on a tax. Based on these calculations of 13% in the province of Ontario, how much will Ontario taxpayers spend in a tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, through you, directly to President Donald Trump, I say, “This government may have backed down to you on buy American, on softwood lumber and on so much more, but I will have you know that if you do not back down on your steel tariffs, this Prime Minister will deny you a photo op.”My question for the government is, will the Prime Minister go further and say he will not appear on the cover of a U.S. magazine until these tariffs are gone?

Mr. Speaker, thousands of jobs in the steel and aluminum sector are on the line because of Donald Trump's tariffs, but there is no need to panic because the Prime Minister has a strategy. He is going to go off into a corner and sulk.He is going to refuse to have his picture taken while signing the free trade agreement and he is going to tell Mr. Trump that, if he is not nice, there will be no photo op. Mr. Trump must be quaking in his boots.Seriously, does he think that he will be able to save the jobs of the aluminum workers who are here today by merely refusing to have his picture taken? Is that his strategy?

Mr. Speaker, Ann Cavoukian, the former Ontario privacy commissioner, says it is time Statistics Canada realized it is no longer the same world as when the Statistics Act was first enacted. Dr. Cavoukian says, When our sensitive financial data is disclosed by our banks to the govt. without our consent, and then housed at “Shared Services Canada”, you can bet we have something to worry about! Why will the Liberals not listen when a privacy expert like Ann Cavoukian says, “Stop this totally unacceptable practice”?

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly his policy.The government is proposing to take money away from all of our constituents when they commit the crime of filling up their gas tank to drive to work or heating their home in temperatures of -40°, while making pollution absolutely free to large industrial corporations that emit more than 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.At the same time, the government then claims it can take $10 in taxes for every $9 in rebates, and that somehow taxpayers will be better off. Will the government drop the phony math and tell us how much the average family will spend paying the tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening, the House voted against the principle that Quebec should choose its own integration model.The three non-negotiable principles underpinning the Quebec nation are gender equality, separation of church and state, and French as the common tongue. None of those principles appear in the multiculturalism policy.Why is the government not letting Quebec make its own choices about how its people want to live together in society?

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they endured.The Minister of Public Safety asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and its 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 that guilty parties are held accountable while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims, and ultimately, safer communities.

Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding have identified gun and gang violence as a significant public safety issue that must be urgently addressed. Last November, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced funding that would help support a variety of initiatives to reduce gun crime and criminal gang activities.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction kindly update this House on our government's efforts to reduce gun and organized crime across the country?

Mr. Speaker, we have clear laws in place when it comes to protecting the privacy and data of Canadians. Subsection 17(1) of the Statistics Act is very clear. No policing service, RCMP, CRA, government agency, the court, or even the Prime Minister can compel Statistics Canada for any personal information. There are provisions in place to protect privacy and data. The members opposite should read the law.

Mr. Speaker, they are proud of that deal, but the Prime Minister will not attend the signing ceremony and will not have his picture taken with Mr. Trump. The reality is that the Liberals' secret weapon for protecting Canadian steel and aluminum workers is the Prime Minister declining to take part in a photo op.Why is the Prime Minister so afraid of standing next to Donald Trump in a photo?Why will he not stand up to Donald Trump and defend our steel and aluminum workers?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, 3,000 Canadians woke up to very bad news: Bombardier is going to cut 3,000 jobs, with 2,500 of them in Quebec. Our thoughts are with these people.Members will recall that the Liberal government decided to lend $375 million to Bombardier two years ago. Bombardier has 30 years to repay this loan, but unfortunately it was never required to preserve jobs. Today, 3,000 workers are losing their jobs. Can the Prime Minister tell us why, when he decided to lend taxpayers' money to Bombardier, he did not attach a guarantee—

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that there is a labour shortage and that we must act quickly. I have made several attempts to advance the file of a group of business people who are ready to take action and make investments to resolve the labour shortage problem. The matter has stalled at the Department of Employment and Social Development.We must support our regions and our business people so they can remain competitive. I am urging the Prime Minister to instruct the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour to authorize the pilot project.When are the Liberals going to do something about this?

Mr. Speaker, the best illustration of how the Conservatives and the Liberals are not one and the same is that Davie had no contracts with the Conservatives and large contracts with the Liberals.

Mr. Speaker, given the significant increase in rail accidents in Canada, you will surely find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House calls for the Transportation Safety Board to reverse its decision and keep the rail transportation of flammable liquids, like the crude oil that caused the Lac-Mégantic disaster, on its watch list as requested by the Fédération québécoise des municipalités.

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in decades, life expectancy in Canada could decrease because of the ongoing opioid crisis. Canada is the second-largest user of opioids behind the U.S. Purdue Pharma was found guilty of misleading the public and downplaying the risk of addiction, and was forced to pay $830 million. It is time for the Prime Minister to stand up to big pharma and seek justice for families. Will he launch a criminal investigation into opioid manufacturers and seek compensation for the costs of addressing the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, the opioid abuse problem is so severe that life expectancy in Canada could drop for the first time in decades. Even President Trump has declared the opioid epidemic to be a national crisis in the United States. The longer the Liberals wait to take action, the worse the situation in Canada gets.When is the Prime Minister going to implement a national strategy to address the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to improve on service delays. Since our government came to power, we have hired more than 460 front-line workers. We have also reopened 11 clinics that were shut down by the Conservatives. We have also hired a lot of mental health clinicians and have continued to work with more than 4,000 professionals.There is still work to be done, but we will do it.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure our colleagues were looking forward to the chance when I could answer the Thursday question again. It is good news as I am about to do so.This afternoon, we will continue with the report stage debate on Bill C-75 on the modernization of the criminal justice system.Tomorrow, pursuant to an order made on September 21, the House will be adjourned to allow members to return to their ridings for Remembrance Day.As my colleague indicated, next week will be dedicated to working on behalf of our constituents.On Monday, November 19, we shall have an allotted day.On Tuesday, we will resume debate at report stage of Bill C-75, the justice modernization bill.Finally, I know all Canadians are looking forward to Wednesday, because the Minister of Finance will deliver his fall economic statement.While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, 2018, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to revert back to "Statements by Ministers" to permit the Minister of Finance to make a statement; after the statement, a member from each recognized opposition party, a member of the Bloc Québécois, and the member for Saanich-Gulf Islands may reply; after each member has replied, or when no member rises to speak, whichever comes first, the House shall proceed to the taking of any recorded divisions deferred to the end of government orders or to immediately before the time provided for private members' business and then proceed to the consideration of private members' business. I think that was quite clear. If necessary, I can repeat the whole thing again.

Mr. Speaker, the department of public prosecutions is in charge of the prosecution in this case. The defence has obviously a very eminent defence counsel. I have not seen any indication anywhere where the hon. gentleman opposite has been engaged to represent the parties in a legal dispute before the courts. The courts are seized of this matter. The representations will be made in court. An independent judge will make the decision.

Mr. Speaker, during negotiations, our purpose has always remained to create the conditions to grow a stronger middle class and improve opportunities for Canadians. We will not stop working until these unfair tariffs are gone. It is what Canadian workers and their families expect, and it is what we will do.

Happily, Mr. Speaker, the NDP has never been afforded the opportunity to manage vast sectors of our economy. We understand the effect that the work disruption is having on employees and their families. That is why our government has been encouraging both parties to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible.Unfortunately when a strike occurs, the expiry of collective agreements affects some of the supplemental benefits available to employees through Canada Post. Rest assured, employees maintain full access to employment insurance and other important benefits, including maternity and parental benefits.Canada Post management is accepting requests—

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the facts. Personal information will be removed. Canadians can rest assured that their banking information remains protected and private.Statistics Canada can absolutely not share this information with anyone—not with any agency or government, and not with the Prime Minister. Canadians' privacy will be protected.

Mr. Speaker, we have added $2 billion to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers. We are also providing targeted tax relief to Canadian manufacturers dealing with exceptional circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with my colleague because our government takes Canadians' privacy very seriously.Let us be clear. This is a pilot project still in the design stage. No data has been collected to date. No data has been collected.The chief statistician clearly indicated that the project will move forward only once Canadians' concerns have been addressed.

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is once again trying to sow division and rehash old squabbles. I find that surprising because I thought that party recognized the importance of unity considering that its members got back together.Quebeckers are proud Canadians who share common values with the rest of the country. We will take no lessons from the Bloc Québécois. We will work together for all Quebeckers and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the health and well-being of all veterans without exception. No veteran, male or female, will receive less under our new pension for life. A male veteran and a female veteran with the same level of disability who submit a claim on April 1, 2019, will receive exactly the same pain and suffering compensation. We will always be there to support women.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure members that EI reform is an ongoing process with this government. We have made EI more accessible and working while on benefit more easy. We have also sped up the way in which claims are processed, and therefore the dollars are arriving at family's homes much quicker. EI reform is fundamental to making sure that workers get the support they need as they transition in a very volatile economy. The best news is the 700,000 jobs we have created, which makes EI less and less important. On the issue that she raised, that is an important issue, and we are seized of it. We will be reporting back to the House with developments as soon as we can.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Mississauga—Streetsville for his tireless advocacy on this issue. The safety and security of Canadians are top priorities for our government, and today we announced an investment of $86 million to help stem the flow of illegal firearms into Canada and provide necessary equipment and technology to both the CBSA and the RCMP.We are listening to the concerns of Canadians, while the Conservatives want to weaken firearms laws without consultation. Canadians can continue to have tremendous confidence in the work carried out by these agencies, and we will continue to work with them to bolster prevention and enforcement programming.

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing my condolences to the hon. member for being left off yesterday's cover of Maclean's magazine alongside his colleagues.With his question, the hon. member is trying to trick Canadians into believing that life will be made more expensive under our plan. That is simply not true. We are moving forward with putting a price on pollution that is actually going to make life more affordable for Canadians.That collection of miscellaneous Conservative politicians was labelled “The resistance” on the cover of that magazine yesterday. From where I sit, all they seem to be resisting is progress on social and environmental issues.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member in question has publicly indicated his intention to step down from his duties in January. He has also shared the issues he will be working on until then on behalf of his community. We expect all members to work in the best interest of their constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot even say how much our hearts go out to Tori Stafford's family. We understand. We hear their anguish. That is why the Minister of Public Safety asked Corrections Canada to review their policies and to ensure that they are changed going forward. That is exactly what happened.

Mr. Speaker, those who served our country deserve our utmost respect, gratitude and support. However, complaint after complaint rolls in about the Liberal government's neglect of veterans and their needs. My constituent writes, “I am a military veteran...In mid April 2018 Veterans Affairs Canada received all my documents for a reassessment for my disability. And yet, almost 6 months later I still await a decision.... I have no way of knowing whether a decision is 2 months away or a year.”Why the wait? Why does the government continue to fail our veterans?

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right. We have one of the fastest growing economies in the G7, the lowest rate of unemployment since the seventies, and this brings new challenges.Certain regions across the country are struggling with finding good, talented people. As I said before, we are working extremely hard to make sure that every Canadian has the skills needed to take advantage of these job opportunities. I continue to hear from employers across the country, however, including Quebec, that a robust immigration system is key to solving some of these problems.We are going to continue to invest in skills and training programs and ensure that every Canadian—

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.Our government is taking historic measures to attract francophone newcomers. Yesterday, I was pleased to announce $11 million to help francophone immigrants prepare for their new life in Canada. There will be a new service at Pearson airport to help newcomers. We will also make the French test more accessible and more affordable. We understand the importance of francophone immigration.

Mr. Speaker, we are facing a tragic opioid crisis. We have lost thousands of Canadians over the past few years. It is a real tragedy.Our government continues to work with the provinces and territories. In budget 2018, we proposed an investment of $230 million to, first, increase services on the ground, and second, launch a public education campaign to address the stigma.We recognize that, in many cases, Canadians do not receive the services they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, we understand how difficult this is for the workers at Sears and the pensioners. Our government has been very clear about supporting pensioners. We brought in the wage earner protection program. We have also strengthened the Canada pension plan. In the last budget, we indicated the desire to use a whole-of-government approach to make sure we provide additional security measures for pensioners. With respect to the particular issue the member opposite has raised, the CCAA process has made it very clear that there are some issues. The fact that it is addressing the issues the monitor has put forward indicates that the process is working.

Mr. Speaker, we are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid situation, and we are deeply troubled by the loss of life that we have seen. In budget 2018, I am pleased to say that we invested over $230 million, $150 million of which is to provide emergency treatment for people on the ground. We have also made investments to put in place an anti-stigma campaign, as we recognize that many individuals do not receive the treatment they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office has revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets about the decision to delay the shipbuilding contract awarded to Davie.We know that several Liberal ministers and MPs had the appearance of or a real conflict of interest in this matter.Once again, the Prime Minister has decided to withhold the information.Who are the 73 people who were also in the know? At the very least, we want to know which Liberal members were among them.

Mr. Speaker, we have been negotiating with the U.S. for 13 months. With this agreement, we have secured our trade with the United States. What is more, the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie told negotiators that he simply wanted to congratulate everyone in the room for the fantastic work they accomplished. He then added that the USMCA was the best possible agreement and that it would protect workers across the country.We will continue to defend steel and aluminum workers and all workers across the country.

Mr. Speaker, we have programs to meet the needs of farmers in the west and across Canada. We will work with our provincial counterparts to solve the problem.

Mr. Speaker, let me make it very clear that consultations have been taking place. That is a commitment we made in our 2018 budget, and it has been reaffirmed by the Prime Minister in his mandate letter to me. The consultations are taking place because this is a very difficult issue and we want an evidence-based solution. This is why these consultations are necessary.We have the interests of pensioners at heart, and we are going to work hard to find the solution that is right for pensioners and that does not have unintended consequences for them. We are going to work hard to get the right solution.

Mr. Speaker, the member in question released a statement in which he mentions the files he is working on and how he will continue to serve his community until January.

Mr. Speaker, our priority is the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans. We have invested $10 billion of new money in our veterans. We are not saving money at the expense of veterans. More veterans are expected to choose the tax-free monthly payment for life over the lump sum payment. This means that the cost is spread out over a longer period of time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the hon. member that we have added 700,000 jobs to the economy since 2015.Vis-à-vis steel and aluminum, we are taking action and we have taken action to prevent the diversion and dumping of unfairly priced foreign steel. We have added $2 billion to help workers in the factories affected. We have consulted widely on possible trade remedies and measures. We have heard from interested stakeholders and shareholders and we are considering options as we move ahead.USMCA is a good deal for Canada and we are proud that we achieved it.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and small businesses rely on Canada Post, especially at this time of year. We have been working with the parties, we respect and have faith in the bargaining process, and we urge parties to work together to get a good deal. If the parties are unable to achieve a negotiated deal together, very soon we will use all options to find a solution to reduce impacts to Canadians, businesses, Canada Post and its workers.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I can top that, but let us listen to a Conservative who actually knows what he is talking about when it comes to trade. I quote former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who said: This agreement is a highly significant achievement for Canada...Canada appears to have achieved most if not all of its important objectives in this lengthy and challenging set of negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, could the government tell us what business is planned for the week following our constituency week?

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about possible job losses.Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the Canadian aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the workers, their families and the communities impacted by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about any possible job losses. Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the aerospace industry across Canada to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement.We are always concerned any time we hear about potential job losses. Our government is committed to ensuring the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with our aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of Canada's most innovative and export-oriented industries.

Mr. Speaker, it is by investing money that we can solve the problems that our veterans are having with their disability pensions and pensions for life. With the new pension for life, veterans themselves asked for a monthly payment instead of a lump sum payment. The pension for life is a complete package that provides pain and suffering compensation and income replacement benefits. There has been a significant increase in the workload. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to keep our promises.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to make sure that everyone understands that we have created more than 700,000 good jobs since 2015.We are working very hard and quite successfully to protect Canada's steel and aluminum industries—

Mr. Speaker, immigration has always played an important role in the Canadian economy and contributed to Canada's success.We believe that a fair and simple immigration system is key to attracting the best and the brightest talent from around the world, which is followed by investment. We will not opine, of course, on specific proposals in the context of an election, but at the same time, we will continue to work with the Province of Quebec to build on the great record of collaboration we have had with the Government of Quebec. In fact, I met just this week with my new counterpart from Quebec and we had a great meeting. We committed to work to—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that diversity is our strength and that Canada's linguistic duality is at the heart of our identity.Canada's francophone and Acadian communities are facing demographic challenges and we know that immigration plays an essential role in developing their vitality, as it does in my riding, Ottawa—Vanier.We have set an ambitious target for francophone immigration outside Quebec of 4.4% by 2023 and we are working hard to meet that target.Could the minister give us an update?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has always provided opportunities for the Davie shipyard in its shipbuilding strategy. Of course we value the expertise of Davie workers. This summer I personally went to Davie to announce a $610-milllion contract for the purchase of three icebreakers and the conversion of a first vessel. On November 1 of this year, we announced our plans to award $7 billion in maintenance contracts for 12 Halifax-class frigates to three shipyards, including Davie.

Mr. Speaker, this morning, 3,000 Canadians woke up to very bad news: Bombardier is going to cut 3,000 jobs, with 2,500 of them in Quebec. Our thoughts are with these people.Members will recall that the Liberal government decided to lend $375 million to Bombardier two years ago. Bombardier has 30 years to repay this loan, but unfortunately it was never required to preserve jobs. Today, 3,000 workers are losing their jobs. Can the Prime Minister tell us why, when he decided to lend taxpayers' money to Bombardier, he did not attach a guarantee—

Mr. Speaker, if they believe in the bargaining process, they should not be threatening back-to-work legislation. They should not be targeting sick and vulnerable workers.We know the minister has the ability to call up Canada Post and tell it to stop. We are about to go home to our constituencies for a week. When we come back, it will have been a month that these workers have gone without pay. Will the minister pick up the phone today and do something about it or resign and make way for somebody who has the compassion and the backbone to do it?

Mr. Speaker, during negotiations, our purpose has always remained to create the conditions to grow a stronger middle class and improve opportunities for Canadians. We will not stop working until these unfair tariffs are gone. It is what Canadian workers and their families expect, and it is what we will do.

Mr. Speaker, those who served our country deserve our utmost respect, gratitude and support. However, complaint after complaint rolls in about the Liberal government's neglect of veterans and their needs. My constituent writes, “I am a military veteran...In mid April 2018 Veterans Affairs Canada received all my documents for a reassessment for my disability. And yet, almost 6 months later I still await a decision.... I have no way of knowing whether a decision is 2 months away or a year.”Why the wait? Why does the government continue to fail our veterans?

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in decades, life expectancy in Canada could decrease because of the ongoing opioid crisis. Canada is the second-largest user of opioids behind the U.S. Purdue Pharma was found guilty of misleading the public and downplaying the risk of addiction, and was forced to pay $830 million. It is time for the Prime Minister to stand up to big pharma and seek justice for families. Will he launch a criminal investigation into opioid manufacturers and seek compensation for the costs of addressing the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, the tactics Canada Post is using in its negotiations with employees are shameful. The corporation is attacking the most vulnerable and cutting short- and long-term disability and maternity leave benefits. Despite these attacks on workers' rights, the Liberals continue to trust Canada Post. Worse still, the Prime Minister just said that if the situation is not resolved soon, all options are on the table.Does that mean back-to-work legislation?What new line will the Liberals hand us to justify the fact that they are abandoning workers?

Mr. Speaker, this week the Prime Minister stood his ground and told Donald Trump that he will not be attending the signing ceremony of the new NAFTA because steel and aluminum tariffs are still in place. We know how difficult it can be for the Prime Minister to miss a photo-op. Acting like a tough guy now is too little, too late for the steel and aluminum workers who cannot make ends meet on the Prime Minister's empty gestures.Why did the Prime Minister not show some backbone when it actually mattered?

Mr. Speaker, Tori Stafford's killer is finally back behind bars, where she belongs. Canadians were outraged that a child killer more than a decade away from parole eligibility was moved to a fenceless healing lodge. Each and every one of these Liberals voted against our motion that would have forced Tori's killer back behind bars, saying they did not have the power to do the right thing. Will the Prime Minister apologize to Tori Stafford's family for forcing them to fight against him and his government to put Tori's killer back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of problems with employment insurance: the spring gap, 15 weeks of disability benefits, and the list goes on. Add to that the fact that the EI eligibility criteria are sexist.We know a lot of women are in precarious jobs, which means they do not qualify for employment insurance. Only one-third of unemployed women are eligible compared to half of unemployed men. How can that be right?This government calls itself feminist. When will it open its eyes and reform this outdated, discriminatory, sexist employment insurance system?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just admitted he had the power from day one to do the right thing and put Tori Stafford's killer behind bars. Instead, he hid behind bureaucrats. He hid behind the Minister of Public Safety, when all along, he had the power. He forced Tori Stafford's family to fight against the government to get justice for their murdered daughter.Will the Prime Minister apologize to them for making them come to Ottawa to fight against the government to do the right thing?

Mr. Speaker, again, this is over-the-top rhetoric. Using the term “surveillance scheme” is completely inappropriate and unacceptable. When it comes to Statistics Canada, the chief statistician has been very clear. He will only proceed if he gets assurances and the support of the Privacy Commissioner, whom he proactively engaged to deal with the issues around privacy and data protection. The members opposite have been fearmongering with over-the-top rhetoric to mislead Canadians. Enough is enough. Let us support Statistics Canada, and let us support good-quality, reliable data.

Mr. Speaker, let me make it very clear that consultations have been taking place. That is a commitment we made in our 2018 budget, and it has been reaffirmed by the Prime Minister in his mandate letter to me. The consultations are taking place because this is a very difficult issue and we want an evidence-based solution. This is why these consultations are necessary.We have the interests of pensioners at heart, and we are going to work hard to find the solution that is right for pensioners and that does not have unintended consequences for them. We are going to work hard to get the right solution.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they endured.The Minister of Public Safety asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and its 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 that guilty parties are held accountable while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims, and ultimately, safer communities.

Mr. Speaker, we learned today that the Liberals not only misled this House but misled the Privacy Commissioner to believe that the deepest personal financial information of only 500,000 Canadians would be seized, without consent, by Statistics Canada. We know now that it is 500,000 households, that almost 1.5 million Canadians' data will be captured. Did the Liberals try to hide the true scope of this project because they knew Canadians would be, quite rightly, appalled?

Mr. Speaker, this morning Bombardier announced that it is cutting 2,500 jobs in Quebec, and the company's executives gave us the same old line: it is a cost-cutting measure.However, in 2017, the company's six executives got a 50% pay raise, for a total of $42 million. They got hundreds of millions of dollars in public money, lined their pockets with it, then fired thousands of workers. That is unacceptable.How much longer will the government keep letting those executives fatten their bank accounts instead of standing up for workers?

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the facts. Personal information will be removed. Canadians can rest assured that their banking information remains protected and private.Statistics Canada can absolutely not share this information with anyone—not with any agency or government, and not with the Prime Minister. Canadians' privacy will be protected.

Mr. Speaker, they are proud of that deal, but the Prime Minister will not attend the signing ceremony and will not have his picture taken with Mr. Trump. The reality is that the Liberals' secret weapon for protecting Canadian steel and aluminum workers is the Prime Minister declining to take part in a photo op.Why is the Prime Minister so afraid of standing next to Donald Trump in a photo?Why will he not stand up to Donald Trump and defend our steel and aluminum workers?

Mr. Speaker, I report as well that the president has tweeted out a point of order that you will have to mull on after question period.Going back to the issue of the HST, the government will collect $720 million of HST on the carbon tax, according to a basic calculation of that tax to the planned price on carbon use by Canadians.My question is very simple. Were those numbers included in the calculation of the cost to the average family of this tax?

Mr. Speaker, let us stick to the facts, because one falsehood after another falsehood is misleading Canadians. That is what the member opposite is doing. No personal data will be disclosed. All of that will be removed. All personal information that the members are talking about will be disclosed by the banks to their clients. No breaches of the Statistics Canada server have occurred. Statistics Canada is proactively engaged with the Privacy Commissioner. As I mentioned, under subsection 17(1), no government, Conservative, Liberal or of any other party, can compel Statistics Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we are facing a tragic opioid crisis. We have lost thousands of Canadians over the past few years. It is a real tragedy.Our government continues to work with the provinces and territories. In budget 2018, we proposed an investment of $230 million to, first, increase services on the ground, and second, launch a public education campaign to address the stigma.We recognize that, in many cases, Canadians do not receive the services they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to amend the bankruptcy act and workers continue to be left with nothing but crumbs.Sears Canada employees spent their lives working and paying into their pensions. Sears shareholders got $509 million, and what did the workers get? Nothing. Once again, the most vulnerable are footing the bill.When will the government change the law to put an end to pension theft?

Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons claims to recognize the Quebec nation, but when push comes to shove, Ottawa says no: no to advancing French in Quebec, no to our environmental sovereignty, and no to allowing us to decide how we want to live together in society.Will the Prime Minister admit that the recognition of Quebec as a nation means nothing at all to his party? It is nothing but a sham.

Mr. Speaker, the chief statistician has been absolutely transparent and clear with Canadians. When this question was posed, the chief statistician made it very clear that this information was part of a pilot project, and he was very forthcoming with his answers. Again, I want to highlight that no personal information will be disclosed. All that will be removed.The members opposite have a fundamental problem with Statistics Canada, and the chief statistician is disappointed to see that they have not learned the lessons from 2015.

Mr. Speaker, the opioid abuse problem is so severe that life expectancy in Canada could drop for the first time in decades. Even President Trump has declared the opioid epidemic to be a national crisis in the United States. The longer the Liberals wait to take action, the worse the situation in Canada gets.When is the Prime Minister going to implement a national strategy to address the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, the member in question released a statement in which he mentions the files he is working on and how he will continue to serve his community until January.

Mr. Speaker, the current government gave $10 million to a convicted terrorist who built bombs in Afghanistan, but the veterans who were blown up in bomb attacks are denied the critical injury benefit. The government promised that it would stop taking veterans to court, but it is still doing it. It promised to bring back the pension for life and it broke that promise too. The consequences of these failures is a three-tiered care system for veterans. Why is the government treating our veterans this way?

Mr. Speaker, we have programs to meet the needs of farmers in the west and across Canada. We will work with our provincial counterparts to solve the problem.

Mr. Speaker, Irving seems to be suffering from an obsessive jealousy problem. As soon as Ottawa starts eyeing up another shipyard, Irving throws a hissy fit. By way of apology, the government offers Irving gifts. It just awarded Irving another $800-million contract for a useless slush breaker, just so that Irving would not have any gaps in its order book. Meanwhile, there are only 60 workers left at Davie, and the federal government has nothing but peanuts to offer them between now and 2021.When will Davie get the contract for the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether my colleague from Canadian Heritage is concerned about the fact that La Presse cut 37 jobs, that Le Droit will likely close up shop if nothing changes, that Postmedia is on the verge of bankruptcy and that Capital Media is in one hell of a mess—

Mr. Speaker, could the government tell us what business is planned for the week following our constituency week?

Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but he should have thought of that two years ago when he loaned Bombardier $375 million of taxpayers' money.Meanwhile the soap opera starring the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel is an absolute farce. In the latest episode, we just learned that he is finally going to step down on January 22, that is, exactly nine months less a day before the federal election. What does that mean? No byelection. What does that mean? The people of his riding will have no representation in the House of Commons until the general election.Why is the Prime Minister playing games with democracy?

Mr. Speaker, farmers across southern Ontario are facing high levels of vomitoxin in this year's corn crop, making it unusable as livestock feed or for ethanol. This means contracts risk being unfilled, increased costs and delays for testing, and significant cost flow issues caused by lack of storage for crops and lack of alternative markets for this corn.Why has the Minister of Agriculture failed to address the concerns of Canadian farmers?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that diversity is our strength and that Canada's linguistic duality is at the heart of our identity.Canada's francophone and Acadian communities are facing demographic challenges and we know that immigration plays an essential role in developing their vitality, as it does in my riding, Ottawa—Vanier.We have set an ambitious target for francophone immigration outside Quebec of 4.4% by 2023 and we are working hard to meet that target.Could the minister give us an update?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims to be a feminist, yet female veterans will receive less each month in pain and suffering payments than males because sex is a factor of life expectancy. The Veterans Affairs mandate is to compensate all members of our Canadian Forces equally. The minister is discriminating against women who have served this country. Did the Prime Minister instruct the minister to complete a gender-based analysis on the new pension scheme?

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office has revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets about the decision to delay the shipbuilding contract awarded to Davie.We know that several Liberal ministers and MPs had the appearance of or a real conflict of interest in this matter.Once again, the Prime Minister has decided to withhold the information.Who are the 73 people who were also in the know? At the very least, we want to know which Liberal members were among them.

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the health and well-being of all veterans without exception. No veteran, male or female, will receive less under our new pension for life. A male veteran and a female veteran with the same level of disability who submit a claim on April 1, 2019, will receive exactly the same pain and suffering compensation. We will always be there to support women.

Mr. Speaker, thousands of jobs in the steel and aluminum sector are on the line because of Donald Trump's tariffs, but there is no need to panic because the Prime Minister has a strategy. He is going to go off into a corner and sulk.He is going to refuse to have his picture taken while signing the free trade agreement and he is going to tell Mr. Trump that, if he is not nice, there will be no photo op. Mr. Trump must be quaking in his boots.Seriously, does he think that he will be able to save the jobs of the aluminum workers who are here today by merely refusing to have his picture taken? Is that his strategy?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and small businesses rely on Canada Post, especially at this time of year. We have been working with the parties, we respect and have faith in the bargaining process, and we urge parties to work together to get a good deal. If the parties are unable to achieve a negotiated deal together, very soon we will use all options to find a solution to reduce impacts to Canadians, businesses, Canada Post and its workers.

Mr. Speaker, through you, directly to President Donald Trump, I say, “This government may have backed down to you on buy American, on softwood lumber and on so much more, but I will have you know that if you do not back down on your steel tariffs, this Prime Minister will deny you a photo op.”My question for the government is, will the Prime Minister go further and say he will not appear on the cover of a U.S. magazine until these tariffs are gone?

Mr. Speaker, given the significant increase in rail accidents in Canada, you will surely find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House calls for the Transportation Safety Board to reverse its decision and keep the rail transportation of flammable liquids, like the crude oil that caused the Lac-Mégantic disaster, on its watch list as requested by the Fédération québécoise des municipalités.

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing my condolences to the hon. member for being left off yesterday's cover of Maclean's magazine alongside his colleagues.With his question, the hon. member is trying to trick Canadians into believing that life will be made more expensive under our plan. That is simply not true. We are moving forward with putting a price on pollution that is actually going to make life more affordable for Canadians.That collection of miscellaneous Conservative politicians was labelled “The resistance” on the cover of that magazine yesterday. From where I sit, all they seem to be resisting is progress on social and environmental issues.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to toy with democracy. Some 300,000 Canadians do not have a representative in the House because the Prime Minister refuses to hold a by-election. He made a sweetheart deal to ensure that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel does not run in the next election.What the Prime Minister failed to say is that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel said that the Prime Minister tasked him with a special assignment. Could the Prime Minister tell Canadians why this member had a special assignment that kept him away from the House?

Mr. Speaker, we have clear laws in place when it comes to protecting the privacy and data of Canadians. Subsection 17(1) of the Statistics Act is very clear. No policing service, RCMP, CRA, government agency, the court, or even the Prime Minister can compel Statistics Canada for any personal information. There are provisions in place to protect privacy and data. The members opposite should read the law.

Mr. Speaker, Ann Cavoukian, the former Ontario privacy commissioner, says it is time Statistics Canada realized it is no longer the same world as when the Statistics Act was first enacted. Dr. Cavoukian says, When our sensitive financial data is disclosed by our banks to the govt. without our consent, and then housed at “Shared Services Canada”, you can bet we have something to worry about! Why will the Liberals not listen when a privacy expert like Ann Cavoukian says, “Stop this totally unacceptable practice”?

Mr. Speaker, the Privacy Commissioner said today at the Senate committee that he was awestruck by the revelation of the number of Canadians who will be under surveillance. It is ridiculous for the Liberals to say they are working with the Privacy Commissioner. We also learned yesterday that despite promises to anonymize the data, Liberals will actually keep all the private information and have the ability to access it at any time. The government will be able to check every transaction and tie it to every individual. Now that the scope has increased and the Liberals' plans to anonymize the data are gone, will the government finally put Canadians first and stop tracking their finances without their knowledge or consent?

Mr. Speaker, the government's plan to collect personal, private financial information from Canadians gets more disturbing every day. Yesterday we learned that despite previous statements, the number of affected Canadians every year will not be 500,000 but will easily be a million or more. They just will not say. At this rate, it will not be long before every single Canadian is tracked. Now that we know that the true scope of this project is much larger, will the Liberals finally end this surveillance scheme?

Mr. Speaker, the department of public prosecutions is in charge of the prosecution in this case. The defence has obviously a very eminent defence counsel. I have not seen any indication anywhere where the hon. gentleman opposite has been engaged to represent the parties in a legal dispute before the courts. The courts are seized of this matter. The representations will be made in court. An independent judge will make the decision.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Mississauga—Streetsville for his tireless advocacy on this issue. The safety and security of Canadians are top priorities for our government, and today we announced an investment of $86 million to help stem the flow of illegal firearms into Canada and provide necessary equipment and technology to both the CBSA and the RCMP.We are listening to the concerns of Canadians, while the Conservatives want to weaken firearms laws without consultation. Canadians can continue to have tremendous confidence in the work carried out by these agencies, and we will continue to work with them to bolster prevention and enforcement programming.

Mr. Speaker, we understand how difficult this is for the workers at Sears and the pensioners. Our government has been very clear about supporting pensioners. We brought in the wage earner protection program. We have also strengthened the Canada pension plan. In the last budget, we indicated the desire to use a whole-of-government approach to make sure we provide additional security measures for pensioners. With respect to the particular issue the member opposite has raised, the CCAA process has made it very clear that there are some issues. The fact that it is addressing the issues the monitor has put forward indicates that the process is working.

Mr. Speaker, I am sure our colleagues were looking forward to the chance when I could answer the Thursday question again. It is good news as I am about to do so.This afternoon, we will continue with the report stage debate on Bill C-75 on the modernization of the criminal justice system.Tomorrow, pursuant to an order made on September 21, the House will be adjourned to allow members to return to their ridings for Remembrance Day.As my colleague indicated, next week will be dedicated to working on behalf of our constituents.On Monday, November 19, we shall have an allotted day.On Tuesday, we will resume debate at report stage of Bill C-75, the justice modernization bill.Finally, I know all Canadians are looking forward to Wednesday, because the Minister of Finance will deliver his fall economic statement.While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, 2018, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to revert back to "Statements by Ministers" to permit the Minister of Finance to make a statement; after the statement, a member from each recognized opposition party, a member of the Bloc Québécois, and the member for Saanich-Gulf Islands may reply; after each member has replied, or when no member rises to speak, whichever comes first, the House shall proceed to the taking of any recorded divisions deferred to the end of government orders or to immediately before the time provided for private members' business and then proceed to the consideration of private members' business. I think that was quite clear. If necessary, I can repeat the whole thing again.

Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding have identified gun and gang violence as a significant public safety issue that must be urgently addressed. Last November, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced funding that would help support a variety of initiatives to reduce gun crime and criminal gang activities.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction kindly update this House on our government's efforts to reduce gun and organized crime across the country?

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with my colleague because our government takes Canadians' privacy very seriously.Let us be clear. This is a pilot project still in the design stage. No data has been collected to date. No data has been collected.The chief statistician clearly indicated that the project will move forward only once Canadians' concerns have been addressed.

Mr. Speaker, in light of the minister's comments, it might be time to pull the plug on this project. Canadians are very worried. They are worried about having the government digging around in their private financial information without their consent. This is an intrusion—an intrusion into their private lives.When will the government, which claims to be in touch with Canadians, do right by them and permanently shut down this project?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals boasted about invading the privacy of more than one million Canadians by obtaining their personal financial data without their consent. It got to the point that the Privacy Commissioner launched an investigation.This is like me going to someone's home, breaking down the door and once in the living room, asking permission to enter. That is exactly what they are doing.In just one week, 20,000 Canadians have already signed a petition and shown that they are clearly against this invasion of their privacy.What is the government waiting for to put a stop to this practice?

Mr. Speaker, that is still just 2% of the naval strategy, or peanuts.We know that the Conservatives and the Liberals are one and the same. They are Irving's minions and lackeys. Only Irving is paid to protect its forests against the spruce budworm. Irving is pushing to revive energy east, to profit while polluting. Irving has been awarded so many federal contracts that it is falling behind.When will the government stop feeding these corporate leeches and finally give Davie some real contracts?

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about pension theft, not about CPP.Today, we learned that the owners of Sears Canada are being sued in the hopes of recovering millions of dollars paid to investors while the company was in financial ruin. This is the same kind of corporate theft I was asking the Minister of Seniors about last week, when she accused me of providing misinformation. The minister said consultations have and will continue to take place, yet we have not heard anything about these promised consultations. Who is misleading whom? Will the minister release a list today of all the people she has consulted, and a schedule for the formal consultations promised in the budget?

Mr. Speaker, we are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid situation, and we are deeply troubled by the loss of life that we have seen. In budget 2018, I am pleased to say that we invested over $230 million, $150 million of which is to provide emergency treatment for people on the ground. We have also made investments to put in place an anti-stigma campaign, as we recognize that many individuals do not receive the treatment they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has always provided opportunities for the Davie shipyard in its shipbuilding strategy. Of course we value the expertise of Davie workers. This summer I personally went to Davie to announce a $610-milllion contract for the purchase of three icebreakers and the conversion of a first vessel. On November 1 of this year, we announced our plans to award $7 billion in maintenance contracts for 12 Halifax-class frigates to three shipyards, including Davie.

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that there is a labour shortage and that we must act quickly. I have made several attempts to advance the file of a group of business people who are ready to take action and make investments to resolve the labour shortage problem. The matter has stalled at the Department of Employment and Social Development.We must support our regions and our business people so they can remain competitive. I am urging the Prime Minister to instruct the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour to authorize the pilot project.When are the Liberals going to do something about this?

Mr. Speaker, our priority is the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans. We have invested $10 billion of new money in our veterans. We are not saving money at the expense of veterans. More veterans are expected to choose the tax-free monthly payment for life over the lump sum payment. This means that the cost is spread out over a longer period of time.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot even say how much our hearts go out to Tori Stafford's family. We understand. We hear their anguish. That is why the Minister of Public Safety asked Corrections Canada to review their policies and to ensure that they are changed going forward. That is exactly what happened.

Mr. Speaker, I suggest the member for Essex pay attention to the region of Windsor, which is overwhelmingly happy that we have secured access to the United States for the coming years. As I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plants, this government has their backs. Canadian countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair tariffs on steel and aluminum are removed.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister refused to tell us whether the GST and HST would apply on the carbon tax. I dug up documents directly from the Canada Revenue Agency that indicate that consideration payable for the supply of the gasoline upon which the supplier will calculate the HST does include the carbon tax.Now we know there will be a tax on a tax. Based on these calculations of 13% in the province of Ontario, how much will Ontario taxpayers spend in a tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of weeks I have watched the hon. member spin tales. He has suggested that large polluters are exempt. He has suggested that small businesses will be stuck with the bill. He has suggested that families will be worse off. These are all falsehoods. We are moving forward with a plan that is going to make big polluters pay. We are going to give small businesses the tools they need to succeed, and we are going to make life more affordable for Canadians.If the hon. member has the courage to ask one more question based on facts instead of falsehoods, I would be pleased to give him an honest answer. If he comes back again with these falsehoods and underlying assumptions that cannot be proven, I would be pleased to dress him down one more time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the hon. member that we have added 700,000 jobs to the economy since 2015.Vis-à-vis steel and aluminum, we are taking action and we have taken action to prevent the diversion and dumping of unfairly priced foreign steel. We have added $2 billion to help workers in the factories affected. We have consulted widely on possible trade remedies and measures. We have heard from interested stakeholders and shareholders and we are considering options as we move ahead.USMCA is a good deal for Canada and we are proud that we achieved it.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to improve on service delays. Since our government came to power, we have hired more than 460 front-line workers. We have also reopened 11 clinics that were shut down by the Conservatives. We have also hired a lot of mental health clinicians and have continued to work with more than 4,000 professionals.There is still work to be done, but we will do it.

Mr. Speaker, it is by investing money that we can solve the problems that our veterans are having with their disability pensions and pensions for life. With the new pension for life, veterans themselves asked for a monthly payment instead of a lump sum payment. The pension for life is a complete package that provides pain and suffering compensation and income replacement benefits. There has been a significant increase in the workload. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to keep our promises.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening, the House voted against the principle that Quebec should choose its own integration model.The three non-negotiable principles underpinning the Quebec nation are gender equality, separation of church and state, and French as the common tongue. None of those principles appear in the multiculturalism policy.Why is the government not letting Quebec make its own choices about how its people want to live together in society?

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is once again trying to sow division and rehash old squabbles. I find that surprising because I thought that party recognized the importance of unity considering that its members got back together.Quebeckers are proud Canadians who share common values with the rest of the country. We will take no lessons from the Bloc Québécois. We will work together for all Quebeckers and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, it is not just a matter of investments. This goes beyond the government's broken promises to veterans. We are talking about red tape and a lack of respect within Veterans Affairs Canada itself for the calls it receives from our brave men and women in uniform. I have heard stories from people who, every year anew, have to provide proof of having lost their arm in Afghanistan.Does the government think it is right or fair to do that to our dedicated soldiers who often continue to serve here or abroad?The Prime Minister needs to understand and commit today to reduce the department's red tape and burdensome rules.

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly his policy.The government is proposing to take money away from all of our constituents when they commit the crime of filling up their gas tank to drive to work or heating their home in temperatures of -40°, while making pollution absolutely free to large industrial corporations that emit more than 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.At the same time, the government then claims it can take $10 in taxes for every $9 in rebates, and that somehow taxpayers will be better off. Will the government drop the phony math and tell us how much the average family will spend paying the tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I can top that, but let us listen to a Conservative who actually knows what he is talking about when it comes to trade. I quote former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who said: This agreement is a highly significant achievement for Canada...Canada appears to have achieved most if not all of its important objectives in this lengthy and challenging set of negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right. We have one of the fastest growing economies in the G7, the lowest rate of unemployment since the seventies, and this brings new challenges.Certain regions across the country are struggling with finding good, talented people. As I said before, we are working extremely hard to make sure that every Canadian has the skills needed to take advantage of these job opportunities. I continue to hear from employers across the country, however, including Quebec, that a robust immigration system is key to solving some of these problems.We are going to continue to invest in skills and training programs and ensure that every Canadian—

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement.We are always concerned any time we hear about potential job losses. Our government is committed to ensuring the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with our aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of Canada's most innovative and export-oriented industries.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about possible job losses.Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the Canadian aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the workers, their families and the communities impacted by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about any possible job losses. Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the aerospace industry across Canada to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.Our government is taking historic measures to attract francophone newcomers. Yesterday, I was pleased to announce $11 million to help francophone immigrants prepare for their new life in Canada. There will be a new service at Pearson airport to help newcomers. We will also make the French test more accessible and more affordable. We understand the importance of francophone immigration.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member in question has publicly indicated his intention to step down from his duties in January. He has also shared the issues he will be working on until then on behalf of his community. We expect all members to work in the best interest of their constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure members that EI reform is an ongoing process with this government. We have made EI more accessible and working while on benefit more easy. We have also sped up the way in which claims are processed, and therefore the dollars are arriving at family's homes much quicker. EI reform is fundamental to making sure that workers get the support they need as they transition in a very volatile economy. The best news is the 700,000 jobs we have created, which makes EI less and less important. On the issue that she raised, that is an important issue, and we are seized of it. We will be reporting back to the House with developments as soon as we can.

Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservative Party strategy seems to be to mislead Canadians on the cost to families.We know that when we move forward to protect the environment by putting a price on pollution, we are actually going to leave middle-class families better off at the end of the year.I look forward with great anticipation to the next campaign, when the Conservatives campaign on a commitment to take money from their constituents so they can make pollution free again.

Mr. Speaker, we have been negotiating with the U.S. for 13 months. With this agreement, we have secured our trade with the United States. What is more, the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie told negotiators that he simply wanted to congratulate everyone in the room for the fantastic work they accomplished. He then added that the USMCA was the best possible agreement and that it would protect workers across the country.We will continue to defend steel and aluminum workers and all workers across the country.

Happily, Mr. Speaker, the NDP has never been afforded the opportunity to manage vast sectors of our economy. We understand the effect that the work disruption is having on employees and their families. That is why our government has been encouraging both parties to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible.Unfortunately when a strike occurs, the expiry of collective agreements affects some of the supplemental benefits available to employees through Canada Post. Rest assured, employees maintain full access to employment insurance and other important benefits, including maternity and parental benefits.Canada Post management is accepting requests—

Mr. Speaker, immigration has always played an important role in the Canadian economy and contributed to Canada's success.We believe that a fair and simple immigration system is key to attracting the best and the brightest talent from around the world, which is followed by investment. We will not opine, of course, on specific proposals in the context of an election, but at the same time, we will continue to work with the Province of Quebec to build on the great record of collaboration we have had with the Government of Quebec. In fact, I met just this week with my new counterpart from Quebec and we had a great meeting. We committed to work to—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister decided he will not take part in the signing of the USMCA alongside Donald Trump if tariffs are still in place. How exactly is this defending Canadian jobs? Is the Prime Minister so vain that he thinks depriving the U.S. of his presence in a photo-op is the best trade strategy to get rid of the tariffs? Make no mistake, we are still signing it. He just does not want his picture doing it. Who can blame him? I would not want my picture taken signing it either. These tariffs are killing jobs. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and not sign the agreement until the tariffs are removed?

Mr. Speaker, I first want to make sure that everyone understands that we have created more than 700,000 good jobs since 2015.We are working very hard and quite successfully to protect Canada's steel and aluminum industries—

Mr. Speaker, the best illustration of how the Conservatives and the Liberals are not one and the same is that Davie had no contracts with the Conservatives and large contracts with the Liberals.

Mr. Speaker, we have added $2 billion to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers. We are also providing targeted tax relief to Canadian manufacturers dealing with exceptional circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, we have added $2 billion to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers. We are also providing targeted tax relief to Canadian manufacturers dealing with exceptional circumstances.

Mr. Speaker, the best illustration of how the Conservatives and the Liberals are not one and the same is that Davie had no contracts with the Conservatives and large contracts with the Liberals.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to make sure that everyone understands that we have created more than 700,000 good jobs since 2015.We are working very hard and quite successfully to protect Canada's steel and aluminum industries—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister decided he will not take part in the signing of the USMCA alongside Donald Trump if tariffs are still in place. How exactly is this defending Canadian jobs? Is the Prime Minister so vain that he thinks depriving the U.S. of his presence in a photo-op is the best trade strategy to get rid of the tariffs? Make no mistake, we are still signing it. He just does not want his picture doing it. Who can blame him? I would not want my picture taken signing it either. These tariffs are killing jobs. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and not sign the agreement until the tariffs are removed?

Mr. Speaker, immigration has always played an important role in the Canadian economy and contributed to Canada's success.We believe that a fair and simple immigration system is key to attracting the best and the brightest talent from around the world, which is followed by investment. We will not opine, of course, on specific proposals in the context of an election, but at the same time, we will continue to work with the Province of Quebec to build on the great record of collaboration we have had with the Government of Quebec. In fact, I met just this week with my new counterpart from Quebec and we had a great meeting. We committed to work to—

Happily, Mr. Speaker, the NDP has never been afforded the opportunity to manage vast sectors of our economy. We understand the effect that the work disruption is having on employees and their families. That is why our government has been encouraging both parties to reach a fair agreement as soon as possible.Unfortunately when a strike occurs, the expiry of collective agreements affects some of the supplemental benefits available to employees through Canada Post. Rest assured, employees maintain full access to employment insurance and other important benefits, including maternity and parental benefits.Canada Post management is accepting requests—

Mr. Speaker, we have been negotiating with the U.S. for 13 months. With this agreement, we have secured our trade with the United States. What is more, the member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie told negotiators that he simply wanted to congratulate everyone in the room for the fantastic work they accomplished. He then added that the USMCA was the best possible agreement and that it would protect workers across the country.We will continue to defend steel and aluminum workers and all workers across the country.

Mr. Speaker, again, the Conservative Party strategy seems to be to mislead Canadians on the cost to families.We know that when we move forward to protect the environment by putting a price on pollution, we are actually going to leave middle-class families better off at the end of the year.I look forward with great anticipation to the next campaign, when the Conservatives campaign on a commitment to take money from their constituents so they can make pollution free again.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure members that EI reform is an ongoing process with this government. We have made EI more accessible and working while on benefit more easy. We have also sped up the way in which claims are processed, and therefore the dollars are arriving at family's homes much quicker. EI reform is fundamental to making sure that workers get the support they need as they transition in a very volatile economy. The best news is the 700,000 jobs we have created, which makes EI less and less important. On the issue that she raised, that is an important issue, and we are seized of it. We will be reporting back to the House with developments as soon as we can.

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member in question has publicly indicated his intention to step down from his duties in January. He has also shared the issues he will be working on until then on behalf of his community. We expect all members to work in the best interest of their constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question.Our government is taking historic measures to attract francophone newcomers. Yesterday, I was pleased to announce $11 million to help francophone immigrants prepare for their new life in Canada. There will be a new service at Pearson airport to help newcomers. We will also make the French test more accessible and more affordable. We understand the importance of francophone immigration.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement.We are always concerned any time we hear about potential job losses. Our government is committed to ensuring the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with our aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of Canada's most innovative and export-oriented industries.

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the workers, families and communities affected by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about possible job losses.Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the Canadian aerospace industry to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the workers, their families and the communities impacted by this morning's announcement. We are always concerned to learn about any possible job losses. Our government is committed to the long-term viability and success of the Canadian aerospace sector. We will work with the aerospace industry across Canada to improve access to global markets and supply chains for one of the most innovative and export-driven industries in the country.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right. We have one of the fastest growing economies in the G7, the lowest rate of unemployment since the seventies, and this brings new challenges.Certain regions across the country are struggling with finding good, talented people. As I said before, we are working extremely hard to make sure that every Canadian has the skills needed to take advantage of these job opportunities. I continue to hear from employers across the country, however, including Quebec, that a robust immigration system is key to solving some of these problems.We are going to continue to invest in skills and training programs and ensure that every Canadian—

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I can top that, but let us listen to a Conservative who actually knows what he is talking about when it comes to trade. I quote former prime minister Brian Mulroney, who said: This agreement is a highly significant achievement for Canada...Canada appears to have achieved most if not all of its important objectives in this lengthy and challenging set of negotiations.

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly his policy.The government is proposing to take money away from all of our constituents when they commit the crime of filling up their gas tank to drive to work or heating their home in temperatures of -40°, while making pollution absolutely free to large industrial corporations that emit more than 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases.At the same time, the government then claims it can take $10 in taxes for every $9 in rebates, and that somehow taxpayers will be better off. Will the government drop the phony math and tell us how much the average family will spend paying the tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, it is not just a matter of investments. This goes beyond the government's broken promises to veterans. We are talking about red tape and a lack of respect within Veterans Affairs Canada itself for the calls it receives from our brave men and women in uniform. I have heard stories from people who, every year anew, have to provide proof of having lost their arm in Afghanistan.Does the government think it is right or fair to do that to our dedicated soldiers who often continue to serve here or abroad?The Prime Minister needs to understand and commit today to reduce the department's red tape and burdensome rules.

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois is once again trying to sow division and rehash old squabbles. I find that surprising because I thought that party recognized the importance of unity considering that its members got back together.Quebeckers are proud Canadians who share common values with the rest of the country. We will take no lessons from the Bloc Québécois. We will work together for all Quebeckers and all Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening, the House voted against the principle that Quebec should choose its own integration model.The three non-negotiable principles underpinning the Quebec nation are gender equality, separation of church and state, and French as the common tongue. None of those principles appear in the multiculturalism policy.Why is the government not letting Quebec make its own choices about how its people want to live together in society?

Mr. Speaker, it is by investing money that we can solve the problems that our veterans are having with their disability pensions and pensions for life. With the new pension for life, veterans themselves asked for a monthly payment instead of a lump sum payment. The pension for life is a complete package that provides pain and suffering compensation and income replacement benefits. There has been a significant increase in the workload. We have a lot of work to do, but we are going to keep our promises.

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to improve on service delays. Since our government came to power, we have hired more than 460 front-line workers. We have also reopened 11 clinics that were shut down by the Conservatives. We have also hired a lot of mental health clinicians and have continued to work with more than 4,000 professionals.There is still work to be done, but we will do it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out to the hon. member that we have added 700,000 jobs to the economy since 2015.Vis-à-vis steel and aluminum, we are taking action and we have taken action to prevent the diversion and dumping of unfairly priced foreign steel. We have added $2 billion to help workers in the factories affected. We have consulted widely on possible trade remedies and measures. We have heard from interested stakeholders and shareholders and we are considering options as we move ahead.USMCA is a good deal for Canada and we are proud that we achieved it.

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of weeks I have watched the hon. member spin tales. He has suggested that large polluters are exempt. He has suggested that small businesses will be stuck with the bill. He has suggested that families will be worse off. These are all falsehoods. We are moving forward with a plan that is going to make big polluters pay. We are going to give small businesses the tools they need to succeed, and we are going to make life more affordable for Canadians.If the hon. member has the courage to ask one more question based on facts instead of falsehoods, I would be pleased to give him an honest answer. If he comes back again with these falsehoods and underlying assumptions that cannot be proven, I would be pleased to dress him down one more time.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot even say how much our hearts go out to Tori Stafford's family. We understand. We hear their anguish. That is why the Minister of Public Safety asked Corrections Canada to review their policies and to ensure that they are changed going forward. That is exactly what happened.

Mr. Speaker, I suggest the member for Essex pay attention to the region of Windsor, which is overwhelmingly happy that we have secured access to the United States for the coming years. As I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plants, this government has their backs. Canadian countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair tariffs on steel and aluminum are removed.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister refused to tell us whether the GST and HST would apply on the carbon tax. I dug up documents directly from the Canada Revenue Agency that indicate that consideration payable for the supply of the gasoline upon which the supplier will calculate the HST does include the carbon tax.Now we know there will be a tax on a tax. Based on these calculations of 13% in the province of Ontario, how much will Ontario taxpayers spend in a tax on the tax?

Mr. Speaker, our priority is the well-being and financial security of Canadian veterans. We have invested $10 billion of new money in our veterans. We are not saving money at the expense of veterans. More veterans are expected to choose the tax-free monthly payment for life over the lump sum payment. This means that the cost is spread out over a longer period of time.

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that there is a labour shortage and that we must act quickly. I have made several attempts to advance the file of a group of business people who are ready to take action and make investments to resolve the labour shortage problem. The matter has stalled at the Department of Employment and Social Development.We must support our regions and our business people so they can remain competitive. I am urging the Prime Minister to instruct the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour to authorize the pilot project.When are the Liberals going to do something about this?

Mr. Speaker, we are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid situation, and we are deeply troubled by the loss of life that we have seen. In budget 2018, I am pleased to say that we invested over $230 million, $150 million of which is to provide emergency treatment for people on the ground. We have also made investments to put in place an anti-stigma campaign, as we recognize that many individuals do not receive the treatment they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has always provided opportunities for the Davie shipyard in its shipbuilding strategy. Of course we value the expertise of Davie workers. This summer I personally went to Davie to announce a $610-milllion contract for the purchase of three icebreakers and the conversion of a first vessel. On November 1 of this year, we announced our plans to award $7 billion in maintenance contracts for 12 Halifax-class frigates to three shipyards, including Davie.

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about pension theft, not about CPP.Today, we learned that the owners of Sears Canada are being sued in the hopes of recovering millions of dollars paid to investors while the company was in financial ruin. This is the same kind of corporate theft I was asking the Minister of Seniors about last week, when she accused me of providing misinformation. The minister said consultations have and will continue to take place, yet we have not heard anything about these promised consultations. Who is misleading whom? Will the minister release a list today of all the people she has consulted, and a schedule for the formal consultations promised in the budget?

Mr. Speaker, that is still just 2% of the naval strategy, or peanuts.We know that the Conservatives and the Liberals are one and the same. They are Irving's minions and lackeys. Only Irving is paid to protect its forests against the spruce budworm. Irving is pushing to revive energy east, to profit while polluting. Irving has been awarded so many federal contracts that it is falling behind.When will the government stop feeding these corporate leeches and finally give Davie some real contracts?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals boasted about invading the privacy of more than one million Canadians by obtaining their personal financial data without their consent. It got to the point that the Privacy Commissioner launched an investigation.This is like me going to someone's home, breaking down the door and once in the living room, asking permission to enter. That is exactly what they are doing.In just one week, 20,000 Canadians have already signed a petition and shown that they are clearly against this invasion of their privacy.What is the government waiting for to put a stop to this practice?

Mr. Speaker, in light of the minister's comments, it might be time to pull the plug on this project. Canadians are very worried. They are worried about having the government digging around in their private financial information without their consent. This is an intrusion—an intrusion into their private lives.When will the government, which claims to be in touch with Canadians, do right by them and permanently shut down this project?

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with my colleague because our government takes Canadians' privacy very seriously.Let us be clear. This is a pilot project still in the design stage. No data has been collected to date. No data has been collected.The chief statistician clearly indicated that the project will move forward only once Canadians' concerns have been addressed.

Mr. Speaker, constituents in my riding have identified gun and gang violence as a significant public safety issue that must be urgently addressed. Last November, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced funding that would help support a variety of initiatives to reduce gun crime and criminal gang activities.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction kindly update this House on our government's efforts to reduce gun and organized crime across the country?

Mr. Speaker, I am sure our colleagues were looking forward to the chance when I could answer the Thursday question again. It is good news as I am about to do so.This afternoon, we will continue with the report stage debate on Bill C-75 on the modernization of the criminal justice system.Tomorrow, pursuant to an order made on September 21, the House will be adjourned to allow members to return to their ridings for Remembrance Day.As my colleague indicated, next week will be dedicated to working on behalf of our constituents.On Monday, November 19, we shall have an allotted day.On Tuesday, we will resume debate at report stage of Bill C-75, the justice modernization bill.Finally, I know all Canadians are looking forward to Wednesday, because the Minister of Finance will deliver his fall economic statement.While I am on my feet, Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice of the House, at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21, 2018, the Speaker shall interrupt the proceedings to revert back to "Statements by Ministers" to permit the Minister of Finance to make a statement; after the statement, a member from each recognized opposition party, a member of the Bloc Québécois, and the member for Saanich-Gulf Islands may reply; after each member has replied, or when no member rises to speak, whichever comes first, the House shall proceed to the taking of any recorded divisions deferred to the end of government orders or to immediately before the time provided for private members' business and then proceed to the consideration of private members' business. I think that was quite clear. If necessary, I can repeat the whole thing again.

Mr. Speaker, we understand how difficult this is for the workers at Sears and the pensioners. Our government has been very clear about supporting pensioners. We brought in the wage earner protection program. We have also strengthened the Canada pension plan. In the last budget, we indicated the desire to use a whole-of-government approach to make sure we provide additional security measures for pensioners. With respect to the particular issue the member opposite has raised, the CCAA process has made it very clear that there are some issues. The fact that it is addressing the issues the monitor has put forward indicates that the process is working.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Mississauga—Streetsville for his tireless advocacy on this issue. The safety and security of Canadians are top priorities for our government, and today we announced an investment of $86 million to help stem the flow of illegal firearms into Canada and provide necessary equipment and technology to both the CBSA and the RCMP.We are listening to the concerns of Canadians, while the Conservatives want to weaken firearms laws without consultation. Canadians can continue to have tremendous confidence in the work carried out by these agencies, and we will continue to work with them to bolster prevention and enforcement programming.

Mr. Speaker, the department of public prosecutions is in charge of the prosecution in this case. The defence has obviously a very eminent defence counsel. I have not seen any indication anywhere where the hon. gentleman opposite has been engaged to represent the parties in a legal dispute before the courts. The courts are seized of this matter. The representations will be made in court. An independent judge will make the decision.

Mr. Speaker, the government's plan to collect personal, private financial information from Canadians gets more disturbing every day. Yesterday we learned that despite previous statements, the number of affected Canadians every year will not be 500,000 but will easily be a million or more. They just will not say. At this rate, it will not be long before every single Canadian is tracked. Now that we know that the true scope of this project is much larger, will the Liberals finally end this surveillance scheme?

Mr. Speaker, the Privacy Commissioner said today at the Senate committee that he was awestruck by the revelation of the number of Canadians who will be under surveillance. It is ridiculous for the Liberals to say they are working with the Privacy Commissioner. We also learned yesterday that despite promises to anonymize the data, Liberals will actually keep all the private information and have the ability to access it at any time. The government will be able to check every transaction and tie it to every individual. Now that the scope has increased and the Liberals' plans to anonymize the data are gone, will the government finally put Canadians first and stop tracking their finances without their knowledge or consent?

Mr. Speaker, Ann Cavoukian, the former Ontario privacy commissioner, says it is time Statistics Canada realized it is no longer the same world as when the Statistics Act was first enacted. Dr. Cavoukian says, When our sensitive financial data is disclosed by our banks to the govt. without our consent, and then housed at “Shared Services Canada”, you can bet we have something to worry about! Why will the Liberals not listen when a privacy expert like Ann Cavoukian says, “Stop this totally unacceptable practice”?

Mr. Speaker, we have clear laws in place when it comes to protecting the privacy and data of Canadians. Subsection 17(1) of the Statistics Act is very clear. No policing service, RCMP, CRA, government agency, the court, or even the Prime Minister can compel Statistics Canada for any personal information. There are provisions in place to protect privacy and data. The members opposite should read the law.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to toy with democracy. Some 300,000 Canadians do not have a representative in the House because the Prime Minister refuses to hold a by-election. He made a sweetheart deal to ensure that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel does not run in the next election.What the Prime Minister failed to say is that the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel said that the Prime Minister tasked him with a special assignment. Could the Prime Minister tell Canadians why this member had a special assignment that kept him away from the House?

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by expressing my condolences to the hon. member for being left off yesterday's cover of Maclean's magazine alongside his colleagues.With his question, the hon. member is trying to trick Canadians into believing that life will be made more expensive under our plan. That is simply not true. We are moving forward with putting a price on pollution that is actually going to make life more affordable for Canadians.That collection of miscellaneous Conservative politicians was labelled “The resistance” on the cover of that magazine yesterday. From where I sit, all they seem to be resisting is progress on social and environmental issues.

Mr. Speaker, given the significant increase in rail accidents in Canada, you will surely find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House calls for the Transportation Safety Board to reverse its decision and keep the rail transportation of flammable liquids, like the crude oil that caused the Lac-Mégantic disaster, on its watch list as requested by the Fédération québécoise des municipalités.

Mr. Speaker, through you, directly to President Donald Trump, I say, “This government may have backed down to you on buy American, on softwood lumber and on so much more, but I will have you know that if you do not back down on your steel tariffs, this Prime Minister will deny you a photo op.”My question for the government is, will the Prime Minister go further and say he will not appear on the cover of a U.S. magazine until these tariffs are gone?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and small businesses rely on Canada Post, especially at this time of year. We have been working with the parties, we respect and have faith in the bargaining process, and we urge parties to work together to get a good deal. If the parties are unable to achieve a negotiated deal together, very soon we will use all options to find a solution to reduce impacts to Canadians, businesses, Canada Post and its workers.

Mr. Speaker, thousands of jobs in the steel and aluminum sector are on the line because of Donald Trump's tariffs, but there is no need to panic because the Prime Minister has a strategy. He is going to go off into a corner and sulk.He is going to refuse to have his picture taken while signing the free trade agreement and he is going to tell Mr. Trump that, if he is not nice, there will be no photo op. Mr. Trump must be quaking in his boots.Seriously, does he think that he will be able to save the jobs of the aluminum workers who are here today by merely refusing to have his picture taken? Is that his strategy?

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to the health and well-being of all veterans without exception. No veteran, male or female, will receive less under our new pension for life. A male veteran and a female veteran with the same level of disability who submit a claim on April 1, 2019, will receive exactly the same pain and suffering compensation. We will always be there to support women.

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office has revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets about the decision to delay the shipbuilding contract awarded to Davie.We know that several Liberal ministers and MPs had the appearance of or a real conflict of interest in this matter.Once again, the Prime Minister has decided to withhold the information.Who are the 73 people who were also in the know? At the very least, we want to know which Liberal members were among them.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims to be a feminist, yet female veterans will receive less each month in pain and suffering payments than males because sex is a factor of life expectancy. The Veterans Affairs mandate is to compensate all members of our Canadian Forces equally. The minister is discriminating against women who have served this country. Did the Prime Minister instruct the minister to complete a gender-based analysis on the new pension scheme?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that diversity is our strength and that Canada's linguistic duality is at the heart of our identity.Canada's francophone and Acadian communities are facing demographic challenges and we know that immigration plays an essential role in developing their vitality, as it does in my riding, Ottawa—Vanier.We have set an ambitious target for francophone immigration outside Quebec of 4.4% by 2023 and we are working hard to meet that target.Could the minister give us an update?

Mr. Speaker, farmers across southern Ontario are facing high levels of vomitoxin in this year's corn crop, making it unusable as livestock feed or for ethanol. This means contracts risk being unfilled, increased costs and delays for testing, and significant cost flow issues caused by lack of storage for crops and lack of alternative markets for this corn.Why has the Minister of Agriculture failed to address the concerns of Canadian farmers?

Mr. Speaker, those are fine words, but he should have thought of that two years ago when he loaned Bombardier $375 million of taxpayers' money.Meanwhile the soap opera starring the member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel is an absolute farce. In the latest episode, we just learned that he is finally going to step down on January 22, that is, exactly nine months less a day before the federal election. What does that mean? No byelection. What does that mean? The people of his riding will have no representation in the House of Commons until the general election.Why is the Prime Minister playing games with democracy?

Mr. Speaker, the member in question released a statement in which he mentions the files he is working on and how he will continue to serve his community until January.

Mr. Speaker, the current government gave $10 million to a convicted terrorist who built bombs in Afghanistan, but the veterans who were blown up in bomb attacks are denied the critical injury benefit. The government promised that it would stop taking veterans to court, but it is still doing it. It promised to bring back the pension for life and it broke that promise too. The consequences of these failures is a three-tiered care system for veterans. Why is the government treating our veterans this way?

Mr. Speaker, we have programs to meet the needs of farmers in the west and across Canada. We will work with our provincial counterparts to solve the problem.

Mr. Speaker, Irving seems to be suffering from an obsessive jealousy problem. As soon as Ottawa starts eyeing up another shipyard, Irving throws a hissy fit. By way of apology, the government offers Irving gifts. It just awarded Irving another $800-million contract for a useless slush breaker, just so that Irving would not have any gaps in its order book. Meanwhile, there are only 60 workers left at Davie, and the federal government has nothing but peanuts to offer them between now and 2021.When will Davie get the contract for the Obelix?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether my colleague from Canadian Heritage is concerned about the fact that La Presse cut 37 jobs, that Le Droit will likely close up shop if nothing changes, that Postmedia is on the verge of bankruptcy and that Capital Media is in one hell of a mess—

Mr. Speaker, could the government tell us what business is planned for the week following our constituency week?

Mr. Speaker, the opioid abuse problem is so severe that life expectancy in Canada could drop for the first time in decades. Even President Trump has declared the opioid epidemic to be a national crisis in the United States. The longer the Liberals wait to take action, the worse the situation in Canada gets.When is the Prime Minister going to implement a national strategy to address the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, the chief statistician has been absolutely transparent and clear with Canadians. When this question was posed, the chief statistician made it very clear that this information was part of a pilot project, and he was very forthcoming with his answers. Again, I want to highlight that no personal information will be disclosed. All that will be removed.The members opposite have a fundamental problem with Statistics Canada, and the chief statistician is disappointed to see that they have not learned the lessons from 2015.

Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons claims to recognize the Quebec nation, but when push comes to shove, Ottawa says no: no to advancing French in Quebec, no to our environmental sovereignty, and no to allowing us to decide how we want to live together in society.Will the Prime Minister admit that the recognition of Quebec as a nation means nothing at all to his party? It is nothing but a sham.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refuse to amend the bankruptcy act and workers continue to be left with nothing but crumbs.Sears Canada employees spent their lives working and paying into their pensions. Sears shareholders got $509 million, and what did the workers get? Nothing. Once again, the most vulnerable are footing the bill.When will the government change the law to put an end to pension theft?

Mr. Speaker, let us stick to the facts, because one falsehood after another falsehood is misleading Canadians. That is what the member opposite is doing. No personal data will be disclosed. All of that will be removed. All personal information that the members are talking about will be disclosed by the banks to their clients. No breaches of the Statistics Canada server have occurred. Statistics Canada is proactively engaged with the Privacy Commissioner. As I mentioned, under subsection 17(1), no government, Conservative, Liberal or of any other party, can compel Statistics Canada.

Mr. Speaker, we are facing a tragic opioid crisis. We have lost thousands of Canadians over the past few years. It is a real tragedy.Our government continues to work with the provinces and territories. In budget 2018, we proposed an investment of $230 million to, first, increase services on the ground, and second, launch a public education campaign to address the stigma.We recognize that, in many cases, Canadians do not receive the services they need because of the stigma that exists.

Mr. Speaker, I report as well that the president has tweeted out a point of order that you will have to mull on after question period.Going back to the issue of the HST, the government will collect $720 million of HST on the carbon tax, according to a basic calculation of that tax to the planned price on carbon use by Canadians.My question is very simple. Were those numbers included in the calculation of the cost to the average family of this tax?

Mr. Speaker, this morning Bombardier announced that it is cutting 2,500 jobs in Quebec, and the company's executives gave us the same old line: it is a cost-cutting measure.However, in 2017, the company's six executives got a 50% pay raise, for a total of $42 million. They got hundreds of millions of dollars in public money, lined their pockets with it, then fired thousands of workers. That is unacceptable.How much longer will the government keep letting those executives fatten their bank accounts instead of standing up for workers?

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the facts. Personal information will be removed. Canadians can rest assured that their banking information remains protected and private.Statistics Canada can absolutely not share this information with anyone—not with any agency or government, and not with the Prime Minister. Canadians' privacy will be protected.

Mr. Speaker, they are proud of that deal, but the Prime Minister will not attend the signing ceremony and will not have his picture taken with Mr. Trump. The reality is that the Liberals' secret weapon for protecting Canadian steel and aluminum workers is the Prime Minister declining to take part in a photo op.Why is the Prime Minister so afraid of standing next to Donald Trump in a photo?Why will he not stand up to Donald Trump and defend our steel and aluminum workers?

Mr. Speaker, we learned today that the Liberals not only misled this House but misled the Privacy Commissioner to believe that the deepest personal financial information of only 500,000 Canadians would be seized, without consent, by Statistics Canada. We know now that it is 500,000 households, that almost 1.5 million Canadians' data will be captured. Did the Liberals try to hide the true scope of this project because they knew Canadians would be, quite rightly, appalled?

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they endured.The Minister of Public Safety asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review the transfer decision in question and its 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 that guilty parties are held accountable while fostering rehabilitation so we can have fewer repeat offenders, fewer victims, and ultimately, safer communities.

Mr. Speaker, let me make it very clear that consultations have been taking place. That is a commitment we made in our 2018 budget, and it has been reaffirmed by the Prime Minister in his mandate letter to me. The consultations are taking place because this is a very difficult issue and we want an evidence-based solution. This is why these consultations are necessary.We have the interests of pensioners at heart, and we are going to work hard to find the solution that is right for pensioners and that does not have unintended consequences for them. We are going to work hard to get the right solution.

Mr. Speaker, again, this is over-the-top rhetoric. Using the term “surveillance scheme” is completely inappropriate and unacceptable. When it comes to Statistics Canada, the chief statistician has been very clear. He will only proceed if he gets assurances and the support of the Privacy Commissioner, whom he proactively engaged to deal with the issues around privacy and data protection. The members opposite have been fearmongering with over-the-top rhetoric to mislead Canadians. Enough is enough. Let us support Statistics Canada, and let us support good-quality, reliable data.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just admitted he had the power from day one to do the right thing and put Tori Stafford's killer behind bars. Instead, he hid behind bureaucrats. He hid behind the Minister of Public Safety, when all along, he had the power. He forced Tori Stafford's family to fight against the government to get justice for their murdered daughter.Will the Prime Minister apologize to them for making them come to Ottawa to fight against the government to do the right thing?

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of problems with employment insurance: the spring gap, 15 weeks of disability benefits, and the list goes on. Add to that the fact that the EI eligibility criteria are sexist.We know a lot of women are in precarious jobs, which means they do not qualify for employment insurance. Only one-third of unemployed women are eligible compared to half of unemployed men. How can that be right?This government calls itself feminist. When will it open its eyes and reform this outdated, discriminatory, sexist employment insurance system?

Mr. Speaker, Tori Stafford's killer is finally back behind bars, where she belongs. Canadians were outraged that a child killer more than a decade away from parole eligibility was moved to a fenceless healing lodge. Each and every one of these Liberals voted against our motion that would have forced Tori's killer back behind bars, saying they did not have the power to do the right thing. Will the Prime Minister apologize to Tori Stafford's family for forcing them to fight against him and his government to put Tori's killer back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, this week the Prime Minister stood his ground and told Donald Trump that he will not be attending the signing ceremony of the new NAFTA because steel and aluminum tariffs are still in place. We know how difficult it can be for the Prime Minister to miss a photo-op. Acting like a tough guy now is too little, too late for the steel and aluminum workers who cannot make ends meet on the Prime Minister's empty gestures.Why did the Prime Minister not show some backbone when it actually mattered?

Mr. Speaker, the tactics Canada Post is using in its negotiations with employees are shameful. The corporation is attacking the most vulnerable and cutting short- and long-term disability and maternity leave benefits. Despite these attacks on workers' rights, the Liberals continue to trust Canada Post. Worse still, the Prime Minister just said that if the situation is not resolved soon, all options are on the table.Does that mean back-to-work legislation?What new line will the Liberals hand us to justify the fact that they are abandoning workers?

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in decades, life expectancy in Canada could decrease because of the ongoing opioid crisis. Canada is the second-largest user of opioids behind the U.S. Purdue Pharma was found guilty of misleading the public and downplaying the risk of addiction, and was forced to pay $830 million. It is time for the Prime Minister to stand up to big pharma and seek justice for families. Will he launch a criminal investigation into opioid manufacturers and seek compensation for the costs of addressing the opioid crisis?

Mr. Speaker, those who served our country deserve our utmost respect, gratitude and support. However, complaint after complaint rolls in about the Liberal government's neglect of veterans and their needs. My constituent writes, “I am a military veteran...In mid April 2018 Veterans Affairs Canada received all my documents for a reassessment for my disability. And yet, almost 6 months later I still await a decision.... I have no way of knowing whether a decision is 2 months away or a year.”Why the wait? Why does the government continue to fail our veterans?

Mr. Speaker, during negotiations, our purpose has always remained to create the conditions to grow a stronger middle class and improve opportunities for Canadians. We will not stop working until these unfair tariffs are gone. It is what Canadian workers and their families expect, and it is what we will do.

Mr. Speaker, if they believe in the bargaining process, they should not be threatening back-to-work legislation. They should not be targeting sick and vulnerable workers.We know the minister has the ability to call up Canada Post and tell it to stop. We are about to go home to our constituencies for a week. When we come back, it will have been a month that these workers have gone without pay. Will the minister pick up the phone today and do something about it or resign and make way for somebody who has the compassion and the backbone to do it?

Mr. Speaker, this morning, 3,000 Canadians woke up to very bad news: Bombardier is going to cut 3,000 jobs, with 2,500 of them in Quebec. Our thoughts are with these people.Members will recall that the Liberal government decided to lend $375 million to Bombardier two years ago. Bombardier has 30 years to repay this loan, but unfortunately it was never required to preserve jobs. Today, 3,000 workers are losing their jobs. Can the Prime Minister tell us why, when he decided to lend taxpayers' money to Bombardier, he did not attach a guarantee—