Most toxic speeches
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Most negative speeches
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
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Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order
Madam Speaker, in spite of their fine words four years ago, the Liberals' inaction and mismanagement have deprived too many families, businesses and communities of the high-speed, wireless Internet access they need. In my own riding, which is just 25 minutes from Montreal, there are still some municipalities that do not have high-speed Internet.For years now, we have been calling for a Canada-wide strategy to improve Internet access in our communities. The Liberal government needs to show leadership on this issue and listen to these municipalities.When will the Liberals truly support high-speed Internet access in our regions?
Madam Speaker, that member and the Conservatives will talk about hypotheticals. We will talk about the facts. We will talk about the fact that with our plan, 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty. We will talk about the fact that over 800,000 Canadians are better off today than they were under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We will talk about the fact that Canadians have created over 900,000 jobs. We will talk about the fact that more Canadians are working today than have in my lifetime. The Conservatives will continue to talk about hypotethicals. They will continue to play and do their shenanigans, because they have no plan and no concern for Canadians.
Madam Speaker, we are proud that we got the ship built. The Harper government certainly never managed as much during the decade it spent chipping away at our armed forces.We are proud of the Davie shipyard workers who put their collective shoulder to the wheel to provide the Royal Canadian Navy with a supply ship that is doing Canada proud around the world.We are proud of the Davie shipyard and we are proud to have given it the contract.
Madam Speaker, I have to say that I am quite confident being able to share the information and share the facts. The information is all public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. To ensure that people could share their stories, that they were able to appear, is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver.The member might be concerned about my having to answer questions. I have the confidence and the ability to do so. I am okay.
Madam Speaker, we agree that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why the Prime Minister provided an unprecedented waiver. He waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence to satisfy the parameters that the justice committee put forward.We recognize that it is important that the justice committee and all committees be able to do their important work, and that is why the members that represent the government on those committees make their own decisions. That is obviously not the approach of the Conservatives.
Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the member opposite.What I can do is share what the two witnesses said about this at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.It is the fact that we have institutions, that the prosecution is unfolding as it should. The member for Vancouver Granville went to great lengths to underscore that in this case and in all cases, the institutions are doing what they should and the rule of law remains intact.
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that question.The state of the salmon stocks in British Columbia is of great concern to this government. That is why we created the B.C. salmon fund that was recently announced. That fund will allow us to work with stakeholders, to work with harvesters and to work with environmental groups to find innovative solutions. That is but one example of the many steps that are being taken, all based on science, all based on consultation with indigenous partners and with stakeholders in the community.
Madam Speaker, our government's mandate is about growing the economy, growing the middle class and helping more Canadians join the middle class, and that comes with important actions and investments in housing to make sure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home. In fact, we have launched the first-ever national housing strategy, a new era for partnership and leadership in Canada, and that comes with the right of every Canadian to be housed decently and appropriately.
Madam Speaker, unfortunately my colleague did not listen to my question, which had nothing to do with Vice-Admiral Norman.In 2015, the Royal Canadian Navy needed a supply ship and the Davie shipyard had the perfect solution. The Conservative Party approved construction of the Asterix. Right after the election, however, the Prime Minister and his people did their level best to cancel the project. When we found out that the Liberals were scheming to halt construction of the Asterix, we leaned on them and they were forced to sign the contract on November 20, at 5 p.m. Now they want to punish the person who blew the whistle on their scheme. Why?
Madam Speaker, we have invested in budget 2019 to make sure that we connect every Canadian in this country, as well as businesses, by the year 2030.We are looking at making sure that connectivity is available in all rural communities. We know how important it is for people to grow businesses and access education and health care. We know that Internet is a critical part of the rural Canadian piece, and we are making sure that we deliver on that promise.
Madam Speaker, we underscore that Canadians should have complete confidence in the administration of justice and complete confidence in the selection process used for Supreme Court justices. It is merit-based and it considers Canada's finest jurors for the short list. We have taken great pains to ensure that the hon. Kim Campbell leads up that selection process. We have ensured the bilingualism of Canadian judges. What we will always do is defend that institution and its important role in our democracy and in upholding the rule of law.
Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about the release of details pertaining to the most recent Supreme Court of Canada justice selection process.The appointment process is sound. It is merit-based and guarantees that our most eminent jurists are included on the short list. Let me reiterate that Canadians should have full confidence in the administration of justice.
Madam Speaker, sport is fundamental to bringing together a community. All across Canada, we have children involved in recreational sports and every one of them should always feel free to play, coach or participate freely in sport, safely. From her very first day, the Minister of Science and Sport committed to ending abuse, harassment and discrimination at all levels and for all ages in sport. Can the minister please update the House on the historic measures that she announced last week?
Madam Speaker, yesterday the member for MarkhamStouffville reminded us of a very important fact. Despite what the Liberals claim, the independence of the judicial system is at the heart of the scandal involving the Prime Minister's Office.She said, and I quote, I chose the truth. I chose to act on principles that are so important to the future of our country. That's more important than my political career.Can the Minister of Justice assure us that there will be no political interference in this decision and that he will not reverse the decision made by the director of public prosecutions in favour of a wealthy, well-connected corporation?
Madam Speaker, I remember at the start of the SNC-Lavalin scandal when the Prime Minister had his press conference and said that, no, there is nothing more to see, it is all good. Then we had all this testimony where all the evidence started to come out, and we have the same situation here. We have the government House leader doing his beck and call, standing up and saying that, no, there is nothing to see here, yet the former attorney general is still under a gag order, and they are still blocking the ethics committee from doing its work. Why?
Madam Speaker, 338 young women representing the diversity of this country, representing a diverse range of perspectives, took their seats in the House of Commons because our government invested in a partnership to bring them to this place because they belong here, because our country will be stronger when we create spaces for perspectives.We are proud of their courage and their determination. They spoke about issues like climate change. They spoke about the need to advance gender equality. They want to make sure that they can get paid equally for work of equal value. Everything that we have been doing since day one has been to ensure that they are equal in every way.
Madam Speaker, there is a redundancy to the questions, as with the information being provided.It is important to note why that information is being made public. That information is being made public because the Prime Minister acknowledges and recognizes that Canadians should get to hear the truth for themselves. That is exactly why he waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence: so that when witnesses appeared at the justice committee, they would be able to answer and provide the truth to Canadians for Canadians to hear.
Madam Speaker, what is important to note is why this information that the member is referring to is in public. It is because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege, as well as cabinet confidence.We recognize that Canadians should be able to hear the truth for themselves, and that is why justice committee meetings took place in public. We know that for over five weeks, justice committee members asked for witnesses to appear. We know that witnesses appeared and answered questions to ensure that Canadians could hear for themselves. This information was made public.If the Prime Minister had not waived solicitor-client privilege, that would not be the case.
Madam Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party have come to their own conclusions. The reason they are able to speak about this information is that all of the facts are on the table. All of the facts are now public, because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. This is the first time in the history of our country that this has happened.I have answered this question on numerous occasions. What is clear is that the Conservatives will do whatever they can so that they do not have to talk about the budget. They will do whatever they can so that Canadians do not notice that they have no plan. However, it is clear that the Conservatives have no plan for the economy and no plan for the environment.
Madam Speaker, certainly the record numbers of jobs grown by this government since coming to power has had an impact across the country, specifically in Quebec. We recognize that. I have an interesting read on my night table, Right Here, Right Now, a book by former prime minister Stephen Harper. In the book, he admits that they really jigged up the temporary foreign worker program. We are putting additional resources into the program. We are going to fix it. If we can, we are going to unjig it.
Madam Speaker, the SNC scandal has shown Canadians exactly what this Prime Minister thinks of people who speak out against corruption and wrongdoing: He fires them. The new Treasury Board president was at our committee for our unanimous report to update legislation that protects whistle-blowers, a report that the Liberal government promptly threw in the garbage. Will the Treasury Board president commit now to implementing the recommendations made by the committee and protect Canada's whistle-blowers?
Madam Speaker, the justice committee met for five weeks, during which they had witnesses appear to provide testimony. All of this information is on the public record. Five weeks is more than any piece of legislation is even studied or scrutinized at committee.What is interesting is that numerous people were able to appear at committee, but when it came to our budget, which we have just introduced and which will help Canadians from coast to coast to coast, only one Conservative was allowed to speak. It was the member for Carleton. All of a sudden, the Conservatives forgot about rural Canada then.
Madam Speaker, we understand the need for better connectivity in rural Canada. We have invested a great deal of money in budget 2019 to make sure that we meet those commitments. Our connect to innovate program has connected over 900 communities across the country.We will continue to work hard to make sure that rural Canada is not left behind and that we do connect all of these communities so that we can address concerns that we have heard all across the country.
Madam Speaker, after a decade of the Harper Conservatives ignoring their needs in favour of boutique tax credits that only benefited the wealthy, our government has introduced measures that ensure that when lower-income workers file their taxes, they will get to keep more of their hard-earned paycheques. Will the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House how the new Canada workers benefit will provide real support to more than two million Canadians who are working hard to join the middle class?
Madam Speaker, the information is all public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence. It also confirms that the justice committee did its important work to ensure that Canadians would be able to access this important information.What the member has actually just confirmed is that when it comes to these jobs they are throughout the entire country. This is a Canadian company and we have to make sure, as a government, that we always defend our economy and that we defend Canadian jobs. It is unfortunate that the member does not recognize that. It is probably why the Conservatives had such an abysmal record under 10 years of Stephen Harper.
Madam Speaker, when Liberal interference in shipbuilding was revealed, the PMO put its top issues person on the case: Zita Astravas. She previously worked with Gerry Butts and Katie Telford in the office of Dalton McGuinty when code words were used to hide the disclosure of documents in the gas plant scandal. Now Ms. Astravas is being questioned about code words used to prevent disclosure in the Mark Norman trial.Will the defence minister confirm to this House today whether code words were used with respect to the disclosure of documents in the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman affair?
Madam Speaker, this is not about commenting on a trial. It is about complying with the law to provide the necessary evidence. After relentless stonewalling, a 60-page memo from the former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, was finally delivered to Norman's lawyers, but it was unreadable. It was completely blacked out. Canadians should be worried. If the Prime Minister can prevent a distinguished admiral from getting a fair trial, no one is safe.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents with nothing blacked out?
Madam Speaker, I am going to anticipate where that question was going. I believe it was going toward the issue of the Supreme Court appointments process.What I would say is what I have already said on the record, and that is that we take any disclosure of personal and confidential information very seriously. It is very troubling. Secondly, I would reiterate for Canadians who are watching that they should have the utmost confidence in the process we are using to uphold the administration of justice and the rule of law, and to ensure that the people who are selected for that high office are merit based and are fully eminent and capable of fulfilling that high office in its important function of protecting the rule of law in this country.
Madam Speaker, the International Energy Agency notes that since 2000, energy efficiency in major economies has actually offset one-third of the rise of energy-intensive activities like heating buildings, industrial processes and transportation. Since most of our energy still comes from greenhouse gas sources, energy efficiency can help us meet our climate change goals while saving money, supporting competitiveness and creating jobs.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources please explain how budget 2019 would promote energy efficiency and help Canada meet our climate change commitments?
Madam Speaker, former PMO puppet master and best friend to the Prime Minister showed up before the justice committee and claimed that there was no conversation whatsoever about the inappropriateness of the Prime Minister's political interference in the SNC-Lavalin affair in September, in October, in November and in December, yet now we have 41 pages of journal entries, text messages and audio recordings that show there was nothing but conversation about that political interference. It is documented.Given that this former PMO puppet master lied before the justice committee, will the Liberals allow the ethics committee to investigate what other falsehoods the government might have told?
Madam Speaker, Canadians have the whole story because all the facts are now public. The facts are public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.Every day the member asks to have an emergency debate on farmers and canola, but he never asks any questions about that in question period. He knows full well that Canadians are concerned about the canola situation but he never asks any questions about it in question period because they don't care.
Madam Speaker, this week, CMHC unveiled its new strategic plan at the 51st annual Canadian Housing & Renewal Association's national congress. The CEO of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness says that the plan has a critical gap. It does nothing to embed the right to housing. Canadians cannot wait any longer for Liberal talk to turn to action. We have a housing crisis, and the Liberals refuse to solve it. When will they join the NDP and housing experts and finally enshrine the right to housing in law?
Madam Speaker, we know from the SNC scandal that the Prime Minister will politically interfere to protect his friends and will stop at nothing to destroy anyone in his way. Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has been waiting since October for the government to comply with court orders to provide documents from Gerald Butts, Michael Wernick, Katie Telford and Zita Astravas, but the Prime Minister and his staff think they are above the law.Will the Prime Minister immediately hand over all documents and ensure Mark Norman gets a fair trial?
Madam Speaker, giving every Canadian a real and fair chance to succeed is at the core of our mandate, and that is why we have introduced the Canada child benefit and the new Canada workers benefit, which is going to automatically enrol two million low-income Canadians, putting more income in their pockets for them to make ends meet. That is why 75,000 of them will be lifted out of poverty, and that is why we are going to continue to work very hard to give all those Canadians working hard to join the middle class the help they need and deserve.
Madam Speaker, as I have already said in response to the member for Durham, and I will repeat it again, this very matter that has been underscored by the member opposite is currently before the courts. It is important to let that court process unfold. She cited an application that has been made for third party records. That is exactly what has transpired. The Ontario Court of Justice is deliberating on that application. Justice lawyers and counsel for Mr. Norman are participating in that process. We will not comment on that process because it is improper to do so. We will not interfere politically in a prosecution under the auspices of the Conservative Party's urging.
Madam Speaker, I am glad to talk about what we are doing to tackle plastic pollution. We know we have a real problem. If we do not tackle plastic pollution, we will have more plastics, by weight, than fish. We banned microbeads. In the G7, we created the oceans plastics charter where we have targets internationally. We are supporting developing countries so that they have proper waste management systems. We are also ensuring that in government operations we are eliminating unnecessary single-use plastics. We put suppliers on notice that we will be choosing suppliers that have innovative solutions. Also, we are working with provinces and territories on a zero plastics waste strategy that will be announced in June.
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague would be well aware of the various measures that have been taken by this government with respect to the protection and preservation of wild salmon in British Columbia. We are well aware of this decision. We are now determining what the next steps are. However, this government is focused on the preservation of wild salmon stocks in B.C.
Madam Speaker, I will confess absolute incredulity to that question. I agree that trial fairness is pivotal. The notion that we should intervene politically and dictate to an independent prosecution service what should be disclosed is called intervening in that trial. That renders null and void the trial fairness that the member opposite is seeking to uphold. That is not what we will do. That is not what any government or any parliamentarian should seek to do in this process or any other process.
Madam Speaker, as members know, the previous Conservative government ignored for years the legislative requirement to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act. Our government did the right thing and requested that the committee of which the member speaks undertake a review. We, of course, appreciate the committee and its work. It contained useful recommendations to improve the whistle-blowing regime in the federal public sector. We agree improvements are required. We are taking concrete steps to strengthen the regime to assure whistle-blowers that they have the protections they deserve, unlike Mr. Harper's government. Among them are improved guidance, increased awareness activities and training
Madam Speaker, I can assure my colleague that this has been a top priority for our government and for me for more than one month now. I am working closely with my counterparts from the provinces, with industry and with the CFIA. We are having constant conversations with Chinese officials. I have asked for a delegation to go to China, and I expect an answer shortly. I can assure everyone that we are taking this very seriously, and we have the support of the industry.
Madam Speaker, there is a double standard here. Certain individuals were allowed to testify before the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights twice, but the former attorney general was allowed to testify only once.Yes, the Prime Minister let the former attorney general talk about certain things, but only regarding a limited time period. With respect to certain delicate situations in particular, the former attorney general was not allowed to speak her truth or talk about how she experienced certain facts. Why will the government still not allow the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics to do its work and really get to the bottom of this Liberal scandal involving SNC-Lavalin?
Madam Speaker, the safety of our athletes is our top priority. That is why we have announced two new initiatives, an independent third-party investigative unit and a national toll-free confidential helpline to address abuse, discrimination and harassment. This builds on our previous work, including putting in place tough new measures for our national sports organizations, signing a declaration with every province and territory on safe sport and creating a universal code of conduct. We must end abuse in sport.
Madam Speaker, this week dozens of women participating in the Daughters of the Vote stood up and turned their back on the Prime Minister of Canada for his treatment of two former female ministers. It is about a giant corporation with special access asking for special favours. It is about the Prime Minister and his office interfering with the work of the independent attorney general.Will the Liberals lodge a public inquiry so Canadians can learn the truth and commit to not using the DPA in this case?
Madam Speaker, I think at some point in time the government House leader might find herself clipped after whatever next tape is going to come out or whatever the PMO staff is going to leak to the media this week. That is what has happened. The PMO is leaking information for a time period that the former attorney general is still under a gag order for, and she is standing up here saying that it is all good, do not worry. It is ridiculous. It like an abrogation of democracy.Why will the PMO not let the ethics committee do its work?
Madam Speaker, I certainly hope that the Liberal government is not taking credit for the important work of Equal Voice.Highways on most of northern Vancouver Island, much like the rest of rural Canada, do not have cell service. Duncan Moffatt spent seven days trapped in his truck after it went off the road north of Campbell River, surviving off apples and Gatorade. He had a cellphone right next to him, but he was unable to call for help.This rural highway sees over 4,000 vehicles a day. Lives are on the line.When will the minister commit to supporting cellular access on Canada's rural highways?
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister looked 37 million Canadians in the eye and said, If anyone, including the former attorney general, had issues with anything they might have experienced in this government or didn't feel that we were living up to the high standards we set for itself, it was her responsibility to come forward, it was their responsibility to come forward, and no one did.This week the Prime Minister admitted that this statement was false, that in fact his former attorney general looked him in the eye and warned him against politically interfering in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution.Now that we know the Prime Minister stated this public falsehood, will he allow the ethics committee to investigate what others he might have told in this affair?
Madam Speaker, the government is failing to protect our waterways. According to a new survey released today, nine out of 10 people are worried about the impact of plastic waste on the environment, and 82% believe that the Liberals should be doing more to tackle it. New Democrats passed a unanimous motion on ocean plastics and we announced that we would ban single-use plastics by 2021. While the Liberals are still talking about a national strategy, the EU and India are already taking action to ban single-use plastics. When are the Liberals going to take plastic pollution seriously and take real action?
Madam Speaker, the issue of this matter, in respect to the important issue of Vice-Admiral Norman, is before the courts. The Ontario Court of Justice presently is deliberating on this very issue. We have an opposition day motion. We now have opposition questions. They are proposing questions that relate to that court process.The reason why it is improper for both the questions and the responses to touch on that matter is that it could either improperly influence, or be seen to influence, that judge in his or her deliberations. We take the judge's role seriously, as should all members of this House.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals launched a massive investigation into six different departments to find the source of the shameful payout to a convicted terrorist, but when confidential information about an honourable judge is leaked, it is no big deal. This is highly sensitive information that only a handful of people close to the Prime Minister could have known. Why are the Liberals more concerned about protecting the privacy of a convicted terrorist than of a judge who spent his entire life serving Canada?
Madam Speaker, yesterday Liberal Party henchmen leaked information to the media about the former attorney general's so-called conditions for returning to the Liberal caucus, including assurances that her decision on SNC-Lavalin would stand. Yesterday at 10:30 p.m., CBC set the record straight, reporting that the condition was discussed while she was still a minister. That changes everything. This morning, analyst Jonathan Trudeau commented that the Liberals messed up their attempt to spin the story to make the former attorney general look bad.Why is the government being so gutless?
Madam Speaker, for weeks now, the Prime Minister has said the reason he politically interfered with the independence of our judicial system was potential job losses at SNC-Lavalin in cities and towns across Canada. One of those towns is Port Elgin, Ontario, near the Bruce nuclear facility. People in Port Elgin say they are baffled by the Prime Minister's comments. Even the mayor said, What we do know locally is that SNC-Lavalin is planning an expansion.Why can the Prime Minister not just admit that this was not about job losses? It was a pure political play and it was corruption at the highest office of the land.
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue is failing in her duty. The net was supposed to tighten around the Panama papers fraudsters, but that has not happened. The minister was supposed to hire 1,300 new international taxation auditors, but that has not happened either. She was also supposed to recover $25 billion from tax havens, but we are still waiting because, again, nothing has happened there.Since we cannot rely on the minister, can she at least give the information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, so that he can shed some light on this and reveal just how complacent the government has been?
Madam Speaker, the numbers are very clear. The CRA hired 1,300 auditors between January 1, 2016, and January 1, 2019. That is the number I was referring to.We made historic investments of over $1 billion in the CRA so that the agency would be better prepared and have the tools it needs to combat tax evasion. Without our investments, the number of auditors at the CRA would have decreased, but instead it has increased and will continue to do so. The net is tightening.
Madam Speaker, the prosecution in question that has been underscored here is being handled by the PPSC, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and the office of the Attorney General. Counsel to the Attorney General is fulfilling all its obligations before the court with respect to the ongoing third-party records application. It is absolutely improper to comment further on this issue, as the matter is before the courts. The member opposite knows this as a lawyer, and we will not, despite his pleadings, intervene in a matter and fetter the discretion of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
Madam Speaker, on the contrary, what I said is the same thing I say in response to every question. The Conservatives have been asking the same question for several weeks now.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights have been examining this file for five weeks. The witnesses appeared before the committee and provided their testimony. We have discussed this matter and we know that Canadians want to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.It is obvious that the Conservatives do not have a plan and do not want to talk about a budget that will help Canadians.
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his concern about this issue. Our government is deeply concerned by the tragic impact of the opioid crisis, and our hearts are with all of those who have loved a lost one. This is the most significant public health issue in Canada's recent history. We have responded by investing over $350 million in emergency response, much of it in treatment; restoring harm reduction; and cutting red tape and removing barriers to treatment. This is a medical issue, not a moral one, and we will continue to do all we can to save lives.
Madam Speaker, we know the Conservatives keep mixing things up, but they are not interested in listening to testimony. We know members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights asked to hear from witnesses. The witnesses appeared and testified. Now all the facts are out in the open. The facts are out in the open because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. This was the first time in Canadian history that a prime minister did so.
Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister told Canadians that no one ever raised concerns about his interference in the SNC-Lavalin prosecution, but all the evidence shows that is just not true.The Prime Minister only allowed the former attorney general to speak about what happened before January 14, the date he moved her out of her role after she had told him to back off repeatedly, but she said they had a series of meetings after that, which led to her resignation, and the Liberals themselves keep leaking information that they will not let her talk about, even as of yesterday.When will the Liberals take responsibility, end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, an American company, AquaBounty, has begun producing genetically modified salmon in Prince Edward Island in order to eventually produce it on an industrial scale.No one wants giant salmon, or frankenfish, and no one wants these industrial products on their dinner plates. Too bad, people will wind up eating them anyway, since there is no labelling.What will it take for the federal government to understand that Quebeckers want to know what they are eating?When will the government finally ensure proper labelling, as most other industrialized countries do
Madam Speaker, last week in Ottawa, five people died of opioid overdoses, and every day across Canada 11 lives are lost to opioid overdoses. The fastest-growing population requiring hospital care from opioid overdoses is young Canadians aged 15 to 24. In my own riding, there were nearly 600 emergency department visits for opioid poisonings last year, which is a more than 30% increase over the previous year. Just last week, the town of Bracebridge was looking at declaring a state of emergency.When will the government start funding treatment to help addicts conquer their dependency on this terrible life-destroying drug?
Madam Speaker, when Gerry Butts was the principal secretary to Dalton McGuinty, code words were used to avoid disclosure of gas plant documents. When Gerry Butts became the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, we now know that code words were used to deprive Mark Norman of the documents he needs to defend himself. Can the defence minister handle that truth? What was the code word used for the set-up of Mark Norman or did he order the code red on Mark Norman?
Madam Speaker, the Liberals claim to want to protect jobs in Quebec. They say that everything they did in the SNC-Lavalin affair was to protect jobs, but SNC-Lavalin jobs were never in jeopardy, and everyone knows it. When the Liberals came to power in 2015 they did everything in their power to undermine Davie shipyard and to prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers.Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel this contract?
Madam Speaker, all the rules were followed. Both Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have very specific rules, and all such rules were followed throughout the process.
Madam Speaker, our work has always been focused on supporting the people of Cat Lake. Housing money will go to housing. It is as simple as that. Housing money goes to housing. It is why we signed an agreement with the community and with Windigo First Nations and no one else. Reports that are coming out now of practices by consultants that other first nation leaders, but also the chief of Cat Lake, are calling parasitic and atrocious are deeply troubling to us, and we will be following through.
Madam Speaker, climate change is having a devastating impact on our rivers and watersheds. In my riding, water levels in the Cowichan River are at a fraction of what they should be, and last year's salmon spawning season could be lost, as many areas with eggs are now above water. The Liberal government easily found $4.5 billion for a pipeline, so will the Minister of Fisheries Oceans make the necessary federal infrastructure investments to raise the Cowhican weir and ensure the survival of this critical salmon-supporting watershed?
Madam Speaker, the Federal Court has ruled a DFO policy of not screening B.C. farmed salmon for a lethal virus that has the potential to infect wild chinook salmon is unlawful. Justice Cecily Strickland ruled that the federal policy unlawfully allows juvenile farmed Atlantic salmon to be transferred into open-net pens without testing them for the virus.Will the minister finally apply the precautionary approaches dictated by law and test for PRV before transferring farmed fish to open-net pens in our oceans? Will he listen to the courts and protect wild salmon?
Madam Speaker, let me explain this in crystal-clear words. The reason why we observe the sub judice convention is that currently in this proceeding, in the Ontario Court of Justice, a judge is deliberating about the records that the member has just raised. We do not want to actually influence or to be seen to be influencing that judge in their deliberations because that would be improper. It is improper for members of the government and improper for any members of this House. The hon. member knows this, as did his former colleague, the hon. Peter Van Loan, who said, specifically, that members are expected to refrain from discussing such matters. That was the hon. Peter Van Loan. I perhaps urge the member opposite to listen to his former colleague.
Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for St. John's East for his hard work on the committee on natural resources.Our government is making it easier for Canadians to lower their energy bills while tackling climate change. Through budget 2019, we are investing over $1 billion to increase energy efficiency at home, at work and in our communities. Not only do these investments reduce emissions, they also create good, well-paying middle-class jobs.While Conservatives in Ontario are cutting energy-efficiency programs, hurting families and businesses in the province, we are delivering on our commitment and our economy.
Madam Speaker, the Liberals did not waive all of the restrictions. They say the justice committee did its work on the Prime Minister's interference in the criminal prosecution, but on February 13 the Liberals shut down that investigation. On March 26, the Liberals stopped the ethics committee from holding any hearings at all. The Liberals say that Canadians can have faith in the rule of law, but OECD anti-bribery officials are concerned and will closely monitor Canada because of the Liberals' actions.The Prime Minister has contradicted himself many times. No one can believe a word he says. When will Liberals end the cover-up and tell Canadians the truth?
Madam Speaker, every year, Quebec businesses worry that the temporary foreign workers they need will not arrive on time. These business owners pay Service Canada thousands of dollars to ensure that their file is processed quickly, but people on the other end are asleep at the switch. Again today, business owners are losing contracts because their application is not processed on time and the workers do not arrive on time. Those who were due to arrive last Monday are still waiting. The bureaucracy in Ottawa is unrelenting. It hinders and constrains businesses here at home.What will the minister do today, not tomorrow, to ensure that temporary foreign workers arrive immediately?
Madam Speaker, when their $10.5-million payout to a convicted terrorist was leaked, the Liberals immediately launched an investigation that spanned six departments and agencies. When another leak smearing a judge came out, the new Attorney General just put out a tweet. This leak was obviously another damage control exercise to spin the former attorney general's resignation and to generate Liberal backbench support for her eventual caucus expulsion.Will the Attorney General investigate this leak, or is he too afraid of where it will end?
Madam Speaker, here are the facts. The Prime Minister is the judge in a case that he is implicated in and he has handed down a sentence. He is judge, party and executioner.Every day, the Liberals release new information while the former attorney general is still not able to speak to what is in the media. The Prime Minister's charade has gone on long enough. Instead of releasing information to the media, why will the Liberals not let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics do its job so that we finally get the whole story?
Madam Speaker, canola growers are major contributors to our rural communities and to our national economy. It is unacceptable that they are forced to pay the price for Canada's strained relationship with China. The ban on canola imposed by China is hurting western Canada, and Liberals do not seem to get the urgency of stepping up to fix it. Our producers deserve better.Will the Prime Minister's Office send a trade envoy to China to solve the canola seed ban face to face, yes or no?
Madam Speaker, that is not true. The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights decided themselves to hear from witnesses on this matter and they set the parameters of the discussion. To ensure that witnesses could appear and answer questions, the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence to meet the parameters set by the committee members.
Madam Speaker, when news broke of the Liberals' $10-million payout to a terrorist, they launched a massive investigation, but when sensitive information was leaked about Judge Glenn Joyal to distract from the SNC scandal, nothing. This information could have only come from the highest levels of the PMO.The Minister of Justice says he is deeply troubled, but he refuses to launch an investigation. Is that because he already knows the answer? If so, who did it?
Madam Speaker, it seems the Liberals will do everything they can to avoid talking about the SNC-Lavalin scandal.According to the Prime Minister, everything there is to say about SNC-Lavalin has already been said. Over the past few days, however, anonymous Liberal sources have been leaking all kinds of information that had not come out before. That is the reality. Why was that information not disclosed? Because the Prime Minister chose who was going to speak and what they would say.When will the Prime Minister finally let the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics get to the bottom of his scandal?
You do not want to have that debate. You are shutting it down.
Madam Speaker, I will add to the response I just gave in French. We want to underscore that the integrity of the very process we are talking about depends on the confidentiality of all parties involved. As we have said, we are troubled by the publication of personal details about the Supreme Court justice selection process. It is unfair for any of the parties involved to see their names used this way in the media, and it is absolutely wrong to weaponize personal information for political purposes.
Madam Speaker, as I indicated, the Department of Justice is deeply troubled by the publication of personal details concerning the recent selection process. What we can state is what has already been stated. The Prime Minister stated that the leak did not come from his office, and the Minister of Justice understands that the leak did not come from the justice minister's office either.
Madam Speaker, the journal entries, text messages and audio recordings show that at least 12 top government officials, including the Prime Minister himself, interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, yet only two have appeared. Their appearances were so disastrous that both of them have had to resign from their jobs.The remaining 10 have not been called upon to answer for the interference we know they engaged in as a result of documented records proving it. Will the government allow the ethics committee to continue an investigation that will bring them all forward?
Madam Speaker, information about the judicial appointment process for the Supreme Court of Canada was leaked, and the Liberal government is not taking it seriously.We all have a duty to safeguard trust in the appointment process as something precious to us. The government is playing a dangerous game and making a mockery of our justice system and our democracy.The guilty party is in a very small circle of people. Who is it?
Madam Speaker, Canadians were shocked by the horrific conditions facing families in Cat Lake, and this community is desperate for help with the mould and housing crisis. The recent agreement with the government is a new beginning, yet we are hearing reports that an outside consultant is attempting to force the community to pay $1.2 million. This is money that should be spent on housing and improving the lives of the people.Will the minister explain the steps the government will take to ensure that those funds go to help the people and not to make some outside consultant a millionaire?
Madam Speaker, when news broke of a secret $10.5-million payment to a self-confessed convicted terrorist, the government launched an investigation spanning six departments to find out who blew the cover-up. When news broke of the Prime Minister trying to interfere in the prosecution of a Liberal-friendly well-connected corporation charged with corruption, he slammed down the justice committee to keep it a secret. When the Liberals cut the shipping order