Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
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Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?
Mr. Speaker, their Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency. We are the ones giving them the resources they need to do a good job and protect Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, members democratically elected to the House voted to pass a bill that would work towards reconciliation. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People would be enshrined in Canadian law. That would improve the lives of indigenous people. Members of the House also voted for a bill that would ensure that federal judges receive sexual assault training. That would improve the lives of sexual assault survivors.These bills are now being held up in the unelected Senate. It is a travesty of our democracy.What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the will of the people is defended and these bills are passed?
Mr. Speaker, a Toronto-area organization lost its charitable status and was fined $550,000 for funding militants in Pakistan, but it was given a Liberal Canada summer job grant worth more than $25,000. Meanwhile, 1,500 groups were denied summer jobs funding, and summer camps in Ontario and Nova Scotia are in court fighting the Prime Minister over the Liberals' values test.Will the Prime Minister commit to revoking this grant to assure Canadians that their tax dollars are not being used to fund terrorist organizations?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his important question. It also allows me an opportunity to reiterate our government's commitment to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and that work is well under way.I would like to remind this House that in budget 2019 we received a funding commitment of $35 million to ensure the creation of a Canadian drug agency, which is the foundational piece for a national pharmacare program. We have also received $1 billion to address the area of rare diseases. I look forward to working with provinces, territories, indigenous groups and others to make sure that all Canadians will have access to a pharmacare program.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government is absolutely committed to making sure that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way. That is why we launched the advisory council. We are very pleased that we received its report yesterday. I look forward to continuing to work with the provinces and territories, indigenous leaders and all the groups involved, as we want to make sure that all Canadians will have access to affordable medications.
Mr. Speaker, the relationship with first nations, Inuit and Métis in this country is the most important relationship. It is therefore extraordinarily important that in any agreement we make, the section 35 rights holders are consulted. There have been discussions and concerns raised by indigenous peoples in the Northwest Territories.Until I feel those consultations are met to my satisfaction, we will have to delay the initialling of that agreement.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the member misunderstood. There has been a 45% reduction since 2018. That is a fact. I know that the Conservatives do not like to talk about facts that contradict their arguments, but it is true. I will repeat that your Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of the RCMP and
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to stand in the House with a document prepared by the Quebec ministry of the environment, which indicates that between 2014 and 2016 the carbon exchange did not lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. I cannot say in the House that the minister lied, but she did not tell the truth.I have a simple question for the minister: how much more will Canadians have to pay for gas?Will gas go up by 25¢ per litre, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what Quebeckers tell me when I talk to them? They say that they want us to take ambitious measures to fight climate change and protect the environment. They do not want to go back to the days of Stephen Harper; rather, they want us to strengthen the environmental assessment rules.Yes, they want us to grow the economy and create good jobs. They know that we have a plan. The Conservative Party has no plan for the environment, no plan for the economy and no plan for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we have a $500-billion economic opportunity for major projects in the next decade. Under Stephen Harper, under gutted rules, good projects were unable to go ahead, we did not listen to indigenous peoples and we did not protect the environment.We are very proud of the better rules we brought in through Bill C-69. We listened to senators and accepted amendments that made the rules better.We can protect the environment. We can partner with indigenous peoples. We can do all of that while ensuring that good projects go ahead in a timely way. I would ask the parties opposite to support this good
Mr. Speaker, the Manitoba-Minnesota transmission project would bring clean, green Manitoba energy to coal-burning Minnesota. After five years of consultations, and approval from both Manitoba's Clean Environment Commission and the National Energy Board, the Prime Minister still refuses to approve this project. He is too proud to approve a project from a Conservative provincial government that is better for the environment than anything he can come up with. When will the Prime Minister put aside his ego, get out of the way of clean, green Manitoba energy and approve this project?
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise in this House and talk about the amazing progress we have made on eliminating child poverty in this country. In fact, the child benefit has reduced child poverty by 300,000 children in this country, and we have the lowest levels of poverty since we started recording it.On the issue of the food program, we are strongly in support of making sure that children who go to school and students who study have the nutrition they need to do the work they need to do in school. Every study shows that this is a progressive policy. We stand firmly behind it, and we will meet those targets prescribed within the budget.
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member very well knows, there is an ongoing dispute between the Government of Manitoba and the Manitoba Metis Federation as well as some indigenous communities elected to this project, because the Manitoba government walked away from an agreement it was proposing to deal with some of the outstanding concerns. We are working hard to make sure that we are respectfully discharging our duty to consult with indigenous communities before we approve this project.
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear. Our government is firmly committed to making sure all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare program, and the work is well under way.Over the past two years, we have been working to make sure we lower the price of drugs. In budget 2019, we have invested monies to make sure the funding is in place to create a Canadian drug agency.We are in the process of modernizing the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board in order to once again make sure we lower the cost of drugs and are able to move forward with this program.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Guelph for his mother-in-law.Last week, I led a canola trade mission to Japan and South Korea with my counterparts from Alberta and Saskatchewan and the member for Niagara West. The mission was a great way for government and industry to come together to promote the sale of Canadian canola and other agricultural products. Today, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and I announced that Export Development Canada would provide $150 million in insurance support for Canadian canola producers as they explore new markets. We will always support canola farmers.
Mr. Speaker, as we all know, when Stephen Harper came to office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to a single customer, the United States. When he left office in 2015, the same was the case; 99% of the oil was sold to the United States. We are changing that by making sure that we are putting better rules into the process so that good projects can move forward while at the same time making sure that we are protecting the environment and are including indigenous voices in the decision-making process.
Mr. Speaker, do you know who is insulting taxpayers? Premier Ford, who is spending taxpayers' money attacking pollution pricing. Quebec has put a price on pollution. Is my colleague opposed to pollution pricing in Quebec? I do not know if the member realizes that Quebec's economy is growing. It put a price on pollution, and it is working. The province has good jobs and a vibrant clean technology sector. The economy and the environment go hand in hand, as Quebec perfectly illustrates. Why is the member not standing up for Quebec and Quebeckers?
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that there are many ships coming to the Port of Vancouver. It is a very active and very economically and financially viable port. For that reason, many ships are coming. We do recognize that we need to find a long-term solution to anchorages, and we are working on that. We are working with the Port of Vancouver. We are working with ship owners. We are trying to find a solution that will be long-term. As soon as we are in that position, we will announce it.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to rise in the House to talk about what we are doing to protect the environment and fight climate change. We are eliminating coal. We are investing in renewable energy, clean technology and public transit. We are eliminating plastic pollution. We are doubling Canada's green spaces. That is what we will continue to do.We know that we can protect our environment and grow our economy, and we have done so while creating one million jobs for Canadians. We know that we need to move forward. We know it is our duty to
Mr. Speaker, our competitive edge is dependent on smart increases to immigration, something that this government has done and will continue to do. However, someone is telling the Leader of the Opposition that we need fewer immigrants in Canada. Who is it? It is not families who were separated for seven years under Stephen Harper. It is not universities that see the $15 billion in our economy from international students. It is not businesses that want more immigrants to create another million jobs across the country. Who is telling the Leader of the Opposition to cut immigration? Who is whispering in his ear?
Mr. Speaker, in January 2016, we released interim principles. There were two parliamentary committees that looked at Bill C-69. There were two expert panels. There was consultation across the country with businesses, with provinces, with indigenous peoples and with environmentalists. Then the Senate actually went on tour to listen to people. Then we accepted 99 amendments. However, let us go back to what happened under Stephen Harper. What did he do? Through an omnibus budget bill, with no consultation, he gutted environmental assessments, which meant that good projects could not go ahead in a timely way.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are being impacted by the Liberal carbon tax. Every day we are paying more for the necessities of life in Canada. On top of that, Canadians did not receive the carbon tax rebate they were promised. Ontarians received 30% less than what was advertised. Earlier today, the PBO said that for the Liberal carbon tax to be effective, it would have to rise by 400%. This will add more than a painful 25¢ a litre in new taxes just for the price of a litre of gas.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan is to cost Canadians more for the gas they put in their cars?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about what we have done for Canadians and the investments we have made, because it seems the members opposite just do not get it.One of the first things we did was lower taxes on the middle class. The next thing we did was make the Canada child benefit more generous and put more money in people's pockets. What did the Conservatives do? They taxed families. Let us also talk about the fact that taking into account Canada's total budget deficit, 72% came from Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe my parliamentary privilege has been breached today.My question on deportation and legal aid funding was clearly directed to the Minister of Public Safety, who is responsible for CBSA. However, the Minister for Women and Gender Equality answered the question. I hope you will find it appropriate to invite the Minister of Public Safety to respond to my question.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's canola producers are key drivers of jobs, economic prosperity and growth for the middle class, exporting $11 billion in 2018 to more than 50 countries. Our government has shown that we are committed to maintaining full market access for Canadian canola seed exports, while supporting Canadian producers and their families to meet the challenges ahead through our trade diversification strategy.Could the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and my mother-in-law's MP, please provide an update to the House of his recent trade mission to Japan and South Korea?
Mr. Speaker, every day is another opportunity for the Conservatives to scare Canadians. Let me share three very important facts.First, since last year, the number of irregular crossings at our border by asylum seekers has dropped by 45%.Second, a majority of the people coming to our border are young people.Third, let's not forget that it was the Conservative government that cut $1.2 billion from the budgets of our security agencies, and that is what we are currently reinvesting to give them the resources they need to manage our borders.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government continues to choose the richest people at the top over people struggling to get by. They chose big pharma and protecting its profits over people who cannot afford their medications. They chose to help big telecom and allowed it to gouge Canadians on their cellphone bills. They chose to help big polluters continue to poison our planet. They let the richest off the hook on taxes.The reality is that the government does not care about people. Why is it that it continues to help the people at the top, the rich, instead of people working hard to get by?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her hard work on official languages.In a bilingual country like ours, it goes without saying that the federal government works very hard to make sure that our nation's capital is bilingual. That is exactly what we are doing. I am pleased to announce today that the Association des communautés francophones d'Ottawa will receive more than $1 million to ensure access to services in French in the nation's capital. We owe it to the 150,000 Franco-Ontarians living in Ottawa and to the eight million francophones in our country.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for the country to come together. We do need major projects to go ahead. Under the failed system under Stephen Harper, environmental protections were gutted, and we did not care about our constitutional obligation to consult with indigenous peoples. In the end, good projects were not able to go ahead in a timely way.We have better rules. Everyone should be standing for those better rules, because we want to continue to grow our economy. We want to continue to attract investment.We had the largest foreign direct investment in Canada last year. We created a million jobs. Families are $2,000 better off. We are showing how to grow the economy
Mr. Speaker, universal pharmacare was part of CCF's original vision for medicare. Yesterday's report estimated that it will save Canadians and employers $23 billion but cost governments $15 billion. How much of that will Ottawa transfer to the provinces to make pharmacare a reality? Will that transfer be a block grant based on provincial demographics, or will it share the actual cost of covering prescription drugs in each province?
Mr. Speaker, that member should be ashamed of his comments, given that he is from Quebec, where there is a price on pollution that works. What is happening in Quebec? Quebec is reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and growing its economy. It has the largest clean technology sector in the country.I hope the member opposite will step up, as Quebeckers want, and present an ambitious climate action plan to meet our targets.
Mr. Speaker, one of the very first things the government did when it came to office was work with Canadians to help resettle now over 60,000 Syrian refugees in our country, something all of Canada is proud about.Something else the government did was help resettle over 1,400 Yazidi women and girls, something the previous government could only do for three such people.What else has the government done? It has committed to resettling over 1,000 vulnerable women and girls from some of the most conflict and persecuted areas across this world.The Conservatives cannot even stand and say if they will maintain Canada's humanitarian leadership in the world through refugee resettlement.
Mr. Speaker, francophones and Acadians from across the country, including the Franco-Ontarian community in OttawaVanier, have fought hard to promote bilingualism improve access to French-language services in the nation's capital.The national capital has been officially bilingual since December 2018, which contributes to promoting and celebrating our two official languages in Canada's education, culture and economic spheres.Could the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie update us on this worthwhile initiative?
Mr. Speaker, first, here is what is not compassionate: cutting health care for children who come into this country seeking our protection, which is exactly what the Conservatives did. Once again, this gives me an opportunity to repeat some very important facts. There has been a 45% reduction in the number of asylum seekers coming across our border irregularly, something the Conservatives do not want to share with Canadians. They want to continue to try to scare Canadians. Second, a huge portion of them are children.Third, let me remind the House and all Canadians that the Conservative government cut $1.2 billion from the RCMP and the CBSA and expected them to be able to do their jobs. We know different. We invested.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about affordability. The very first thing we did was reduce taxes on the middle class, for nine million Canadians. The second thing we did was introduce the Canada child benefit, which put more money into the pockets of middle-class families. We have demonstrated that over the past three and a half years, we have put $2,000 more in the pockets of middle-class Canadian families of four. That is what we are doing with respect to affordability.
Mr. Speaker, it comes directly out of the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. If we simply take his numbers, we arrive at a 25¢ a litre tax on gas. That is the plan, as the Parliamentary Budget Officer has laid it out, and it works out to $1,000 for an Ontario family, far more than the tiny, smaller than advertised rebate cheques that the Liberals sent out prior to the election.If the minister wants to deny it, why does she not just tell us how much the price of gas will go up when the carbon tax applies at $100 a tonne?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the opposition member's comments.Is he telling Quebeckers that he no longer supports Quebec's carbon exchange? Is the opposition member saying that Quebec should not put a price on pollution? Does the opposition member believe that we cannot do as Quebec is doing and grow our economy while tackling climate change? Has the opposition member not seen the millions of young people in the streets calling for concrete measures to deal with climate change? I know that Quebec members of the House know this.
Mr. Speaker, Uber, Facebook and Google are the ones funding the Liberal Party, not ordinary Canadians. It is the oil companies, the Irvings and all those who wait, cap in hand, for government subsidies. Corporations are not allowed to fund political parties, but when their employees donate $3,000 a year, it certainly helps to fill the kitty, does it not? Is that why the Liberals do not want to restore the per-vote subsidy? Is it because they would rather take a funding-for-favours approach?
Mr. Speaker, it is very interesting, and actually unfortunate, that the Conservatives want us to follow the same process that failed to build a single pipeline to get our resources to non-U.S. markets. We are doing things differently. Our goal is to ensure that good projects can move forward in a responsible, sustainable way while at the same time ensuring that we are taking action to protect our environment and to include indigenous voices in the decision-making process. That is the only way to have good projects move forward.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to a national pharmacare plan.We will be developing this plan, and to do that we need to work with the provinces, territories, the health care sector, indigenous peoples and all Canadians. We will not stop working on this file. We want to ensure that all Canadians have access to the drugs they need.
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that China has heard our position very clearly, very loudly and at every level.We have discussions with our diplomats in Canada, our diplomats in China. We have had discussions with them in China. A parliamentary delegation discussed our positions in May during a visit to China. I was on that delegation. It is shame that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP decided to join us on that mission.These are serious issues. Canadians need to unite to keep Canadians safe and Canadian businesses well.
Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member opposite noticed the report that showed that Doug Ford's climate plan is twice as expensive as our climate plan. It is twice as expensive.What is Premier Ford also doing? He is spending $40 million of taxpayers' money to fight climate action rather than to fight climate change. He has a sticker campaign where he is actually going to make businesses pay if they do not mislead Ontarians.We need to take serious action on climate change. We need to do it. It is good for our economy. It is good for the environment, and we owe it to our kids.
Mr. Speaker, a recent response from the government suggests that I was wrong to believe that the Minister of Transport was the one responsible for the high-frequency train. Instead, it appears that the Minister of Finance is leading the project. Nearly 10 meetings on the subject were held last fall between officials from his department and Infrastructure Bank representatives.While the Minister of Transport goes on and on about his studies, the Minister of Finance is deciding which lucky friend will benefit from the ample profits.How can the government take any approach other than offering users the best service at the lowest possible cost?
Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the member of the quote by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada: No other factors were considered in this decision, nor was there any contact or influence from outside the PPSC, including political influence in either the initial decision to prosecute Mr. Norman or in the decision to stay the charge. The chief of the defence staff, General Vance, is having those discussions, and more will be said once they have had the opportunity to have further discussions.
No answer, Mr. Speaker, so we will try again.In five days, Canadians expect the Liberals to approve the Trans Mountain expansion for the second time, but big questions remain. How will they handle new court challenges? When will it be in service? Who will own and operate it? What will be the cost to taxpayers? It was supposed to be done this year, but it has not even started because of three and a half years of the Liberals' failure to exert federal jurisdiction and their mistakes on indigenous consultation. Approval is one thing, and getting it built is another. What exactly is the plan this time to ensure that construction starts in Burnaby on June 19?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the government House leader if she could inform us of the business for the rest of this week and next week. Next week is our last scheduled week, so we would like to know what the House leader has scheduled.I am particularly interested in the climate emergency motion that the government brought forward, Motion No. 29. It seems odd to us that the Liberals do not want to talk about it, although maybe it is because they do not have a plan to combat climate change. We on this side of the House want to continue to debate and discuss this important motion.We are all wondering if at some point this week or next week we will be discussing Motion No. 29.
Mr. Speaker, let me set it out plainly for the member opposite. I hope he will listen. We are taking ambitious action on climate change in everything from pricing pollution to phasing out renewables. We are also taking other measures that are not reflected in the Parliamentary Budget Office report, from phasing out plastic and tackling plastic pollution to the incentives for electric vehicles that we just announced, and from doubling nature to planting trees. We are committed to meeting our international obligations and doing more, but what Canadians want to know is whether the party opposite understands we have a climate emergency that we need to be taking
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that when we are spending that much money, we should be prioritizing the world's most vulnerable. People who are illegally crossing the border from the U.S. to claim asylum do not have the same level of need as someone languishing in a refugee camp in northern Iraq. Also, when we are talking about spending money, the Liberals have spent billions of dollars on people who likely do not have a valid asylum claim, on health care, on education and on affordable housing. Then they look at veterans and tell them they have nothing more to give. There is a choice to make. When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Sherbrooke was approached by a man who said he was unable to pay for his three prescriptions. He could afford only one of the three and his pharmacist had to tell him which one was the most important. People like him have been waiting decades to have access to the medicines they need.Are the Liberals going to keep catering to big pharma or will they stand by Canadians and finally bring in a publicly delivered universal pharmacare plan?
Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians are well aware of what is happening. The parliamentary secretary's facts are wrong. He need only consult the statistics from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; they are available.Next week, the Prime Minister is going to meet with the President of the United States and one of the subjects on the agenda will be security and defence.Is the Prime Minister prepared to ask the U.S. President to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the media is reporting that the daily illegal crossings at Roxham Road have practically doubled. After the Prime Minister's infamous tweet, more than 23,000 people sought asylum in Quebec in 2017. In 2018, the number of asylum claims exceeded 36,000.What is more, the vast majority of these claims are made by people leaving the United States, a country where there is no civil war or famine and that has comparable social services.Why is the Prime Minister trying to have Canadians believe that these people are true refugees?
Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal would get up and say that spending more money was a good excuse for getting worse results. That is exactly what that guy is doing. He is standing and saying that the Liberals spent more money. However, we found out today, through TVA, that the number of people illegally crossing the border had doubled. That is ridiculous. It is unfair, it is uncompassionate, and spending money is not a metric. This has to stop.When will the government close the loophole in the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate oil subsidies. Along with the rest of the G20, they also promised to eliminate inefficient subsidies.The problem is that they do not understand the meaning of the word inefficient. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development told us that they do not even have a definition of the word. Apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between a plastic bottle and a box. It is easy to mix up the two. Does the government need help understanding the difference between efficient and inefficient? Do the Liberals think they mean the same thing?
Mr. Speaker, it has been two and a half years since Mark Norman was suspended from his position as vice chief of the defence staff. It has been two years since the Prime Minister put his thumb on the scale of justice, saying that Mark Norman would end up in court. It has been five weeks since the Crown stayed the charges after receiving evidence that the government was trying to block. All this time, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman has still not been reinstated. When will the Prime Minister do the right thing and reinstate him as second in command of the Canadian Armed Forces?
Mr. Speaker, the extension of the interim protocol for southern B.C. anchorages has been an abject failure. Not only were the anchorages established on first nations' traditional territory without consent or consultation, but light and noise pollution persists at all hours of the day and infractions are not being enforced by Transport Canada.Will the Minister of Transport commit to investigating the infractions with anchorages around the Southern Gulf Islands and make the findings public before any further extension of the interim protocol is entertained?
Mr. Speaker, if the current government was serious about getting the Trans Mountain pipeline built, it would have done so three and a half years ago. Instead, the Prime Minister told Canadians he plans to phase out oil and gas. He confirmed that with anti-energy bills, by vetoing northern gateway and by regulating to death the west-to-east pipeline. On killing Canadian oil and gas, he is exactly as advertised. What is the plan to start construction on the TMX in Burnaby this June 19?
Mr. Speaker, in the last budget, the Liberals noted that the NDP, the Assembly of First Nations, the Breakfast Club of Canada and many other organizations have been calling for a national school food program. Given that one child in five is living in poverty, that is crucial. Unfortunately, the Minister of Families refuses to commit to a time frame and, worse still, no funding has been announced for the program.Was that announcement from the last budget a genuine promisenot that that means much to the Liberalsor was it simply another Liberal PR exercise?
Mr. Speaker, what about the safety of Canadians? Human rights and the rule of law are under attack in Hong Kong. Proposed changes to the extradition law would allow China to extradite anyone in Hong Kong to the mainland, including Canadians. Peaceful protestors against these changes are met with tear gas and rubber bullets. There are 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong, and another half million Canadians with relatives there. In the midst of this chaos, can the government inform us if it is issuing any advisories to Canadians currently in Hong Kong?
Mr. Speaker, last month, the OECD ranked Canada number one in the world in attracting entrepreneurs, thanks to policies such as the Atlantic immigration pilot, the global skills strategy and the rural and northern immigration pilot. We know that we have historic low unemployment rates and have added over a million new jobs to the Canadian economy in less than four years.Can the parliamentary secretary update this House on how Canada can maintain its competitive edge?
Mr. Speaker, the cat is out of the bag. Yesterday, once again, the Prime Minister stood in his place and misled Canadians, saying that he would meet the Paris targets. That is not true.The Parliamentary Budget Officer concluded today that Canada will not meet those targets and, worse still, that the Liberals will have to raise their Liberal tax from $20 to $100 if they want to meet those targets. That is five times higher than the current Liberal tax.Can the Minister of Environment tell us how much Canadians will have to pay with the Liberal carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Trois-Rivières for his weekly question on the high-frequency train.I will give him the same answer. Our government, which is a responsible government, is giving very serious consideration to the high-frequency train proposal. As soon as we have something to report, we will make an announcement. He will be one of the first to know.
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no, and the member is misleading Canadians.
Tell the truth!
Mr. Speaker, I am thinking the minister should run for Ontario Liberal leader.We also heard the PBO confirm today that the Liberal government will not meet its Paris targets by 2030. In order to meet these targets, the PBO says the carbon tax would have to rise by 400%. Guess what? Fifty percent of Canadian families are $200 away from bankruptcy. They cannot afford the Prime Minister's carbon taxes.When will the Prime Minister just admit that his plan all along has been to raise the price on the necessities of life in Canada, like putting gas in our cars and heating our homes?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals broke their promise to eliminate subsidies
Mr. Speaker, we have strict political financing rules. Individual donations are capped. The member and all members of the House know that organizations and unions are not allowed to make donations. We introduced Bill C-50, which increases transparency in political fundraising.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of a document entitled Inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre en 2016 et leur évolution depuis 1990, which was prepared by Quebec's environment and climate change ministry and tabled in the Quebec National Assembly on November 29 by the Premier of Quebec. I seek unanimous consent to table this evidence-based document.
Mr. Speaker, as members know, frustration associated with the end of the parliamentary session can sometimes lead even the wisest amongst us to behave inappropriately. I want to apologize for making offensive comments toward the Minister of Transport, for whom I have immense respect, particularly with regard to his previous career.I do apologize.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and acknowledge the opposition House leader's new-found respect and regard for the environment. It probably means the Conservatives will be coming out with a plan soon. We have been waiting for it for well over a year now.In answer to her question, this afternoon we will begin debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-58, an act to amend the Access to Information Act. This evening we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-69, the environmental assessment legislation. We will then return to Bill C-88, the Mackenzie Valley bill.Tomorrow we will resume debate on the Senate amendments to Bill C-68, an act to amend the Fisheries Act. We expect to receive some bills from the Senate, so if we have time, I would like one of those debates to start.Next week, priority will be given to bills coming back to us from the Senate, or we may have an opportunity to continue to debate the motion referred to by the House Leader of the Official Opposition.Personally, I am reassured to hear that the Conservatives want to talk about the environment. Perhaps they will also share their plan with Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Dr. Hoskins' report could not be more clear. We need a universal, single-payer pharmacare system in Canada. It is the latest in 50 years' worth of reports ignored by consecutive Liberal and Conservative governments. Seniors across this country are cutting their pills in half because they want to make them last longer. They are having to make choices between food and the medication they desperately need. This does not have to happen. After 50 years, how long are Canadians going to have to wait?
Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.
Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague and every Canadian that our government is working hard to end gender-based violence at home and all over the world. Why? Because it is unthinkable that this is a reality in Canada. It is costing our economy over $12 billion a year.We have invested in Canada's first gender-based violence strategy to support the most vulnerable women and LGBTQ2 individuals in the country. We have increased investments to women's organizations. My hon. colleagues in the NDP and the Conservative Party voted against this.
Mr. Speaker, people are sick of seeing the old parties getting huge cheques from lobbies and holding fundraisers at $1,500 a head. We need to restore the former system where political parties received a per-vote subsidy. That is the only way to eliminate any potential conflicts of interest. The Bloc Québécois is not the only one saying so. Former chief electoral officer Jean-Pierre Kingsley and Democracy Watch feel the same way. Enough with the patronage.When will the government restore the per-vote subsidy financing system?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure all members of this House that we have raised serious concerns about the proposed amendments to Hong Kong's extradition laws. Yesterday, we issued a public statement expressing these concerns and concerns about the impact they will have.The recent protests demonstrate the deep, deep concern that the people of Hong Kong have about their future. I hope every member of this House stands in solidarity with them. We have discussed these amendments directly with the Government of Hong Kong. I have discussed them myself with members of the legislature on both sides of that House.
Mr. Speaker, just like everything else the Prime Minister touches, his no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, has turned into a dumpster fire, ticking off and alienating the majority of provinces. National unity is at stake, but instead of taking the premiers' concerns seriously, the Prime Minister keeps insulting them with his I am the boss and I know best attitude.Does the Prime Minister realize the harm he is doing and what is at stake? He is putting his ego and his own political interests ahead of national unity.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the party opposite continues to mislead Canadians. I want to know if the member opposite cashed his climate active incentive rebate of $307. That is for a family of four; he may only have a family of three. We need to take serious action on climate change. It is not, as Jason Kenney says, the flavour of the month. We have Doug Ford cutting flood management and forest fire management programs during floods and forest fires. We have the Leader of the Opposition, who seems to doubt the link between climate change and extreme weather. He wants to make it free to pollute, and Doug
Mr. Speaker, it is the Liberal failures that have held up the TMX.However, after only one hour last night, the Liberals said that they would shut down debate on their decision to reject 187 Senate amendments that attempted to fix their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69. Nine provinces and every territory are demanding major changes. It will harm the entire Canadian economy. The Liberals rushed this bill through the House last year. That is why the Senate was forced to try to repair it and rewrite it completely. Will the Liberals allow MPs to actually bring the voices of Canadians to this debate or will they shut it down and ram it through again?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government betrayed the Dene in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan. For years, they have been negotiating to pursue their right to land and resources north of 60. They were so close to reaching an agreement. A few weeks ago, they were told one thing about consultations and initialling and then at the last minute, the minister reversed her position.This is an egregious act of bad faith. It sets the Dene communities back years. It is the opposite of reconciliation. What will the minister do to fix this major problem?
Mr. Speaker, the government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives to implement the UN declaration, including the legislation on languages and child and family services. We also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step.We too are deeply disappointed to see that the Conservative leader continues to allow his caucus members in the other place to use partisan delay tactics to prevent this important bill from moving forward, blatantly ignoring the unanimous motion passed by the House.Reconciliation with indigenous peoples should not be subject
Mr. Speaker, we now know the Liberal carbon tax is so ineffective that it would have to rise by 400%, or double what the Liberals have publicly projected, in order to do what it promises. That is according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That would mean a painful 25¢ a litre of new tax on gas.Will the government come clean before the election, and admit that it is indeed planning a 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain illegally detained by the Chinese government for entirely political reasons. Canadian shipments of canola and meat to China are being arbitrarily blocked, putting farmers in a dire situation. News reports state that China's premier has even rejected phone calls from the Prime Minister. Tensions between our two countries continue to escalate due to the failures of the Prime Minister.With Destination Canada sponsoring a Canada Day gala in China, could the Minister of Tourism please explain how this gala will concretely address the ongoing issues that we have with China?
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn violent extremism of any kind. It is unacceptable. It is not tolerated.I have asked the department to review this matter to ensure that the organization is in compliance with the terms and conditions of the program. If it is found that the organization is not, then it will not receive reimbursement for that student.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is making unfounded and, quite frankly, absurd allegations in this House. All members in this place know that it is illegal for private organizations or unions to make donations to political parties. We have very strict financing laws in Canada. Only individuals can make donations.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's report confirms 40 years of commissions and studies. It confirms that Canada needs a single-payer, publicly delivered, universal, comprehensive pharmacare for all.Afer four years, what does the Liberal government have to show? The answer is nothing. In fact, the Liberals have shown that they would rather help big pharma over people who have to make tough choices between medication and buying their groceries: tough choices that may mean they end up in hospital because they cannot afford their medication.Why will the Liberals not do what is necessary? Why will they not get out of the way and let New Democrats implement a plan?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister to commit to meeting with the Chinese president at the G20 meeting. I now understand why I did not get a response.The Chinese premier has been ignoring him since January, and the Prime Minister was hiding this embarrassing failure from the Canadian public. That is pathetic. The Canadians being detained in China and our canola, soy and pork producers need action. If the Liberal leader cannot even phone the Chinese premier, how does he plan to meet with the Chinese president at the G20?Will the Prime Minister finally admit that his foreign policy is a total failure?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to denounce the Ford government's anti-refugee sentiments, yet, shockingly, when it comes to changes to the asylum system, as we saw in the omnibus budget bill, the Liberals took a page out of the Conservative playbook for political gain.Now the Prime Minister is in a spat with Doug Ford over legal aid funding. The collateral damage is women fleeing gender-based violence and LGBTQ2-plus members faced with persecution. That means no representation at refugee hearings, detention reviews and deportation orders. This will put lives at risk.Will the Prime Minister stop the deportations until the legal aid crisis is resolved?
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing exactly what she said she would do. She will just repeat and repeat something, even if it is not true, so people will totally believe it.The facts are out. The Parliamentary Budget Officer says the carbon tax would have to be 400% higher than the Liberals have admitted. The reality is that would mean a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas.I am asking a simple yes or no question. Are the Liberals planning a painful 25¢ a litre tax on gas?
Mr. Speaker, his plan is not working. The Prime Minister is just insulting Canadian taxpayers. He claimed that Canada would meet the Paris Agreement targets by 2030. That was a half-truth, if not a certain word that I am not allowed to say in the House.Following the lead of the United Nations and the environment commissioner, the Parliamentary Budget Officer released a report this morning explicitly stating that Canada is not going to meet the Paris targets with its current plan. To meet the targets, the government would have to to raise the carbon tax to five times what it is now.Why the lack of transparency? Why are the Liberals being such hypocrites?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the environment Minister are doing everything they can to destroy Canada's energy sector. Their no more pipelines bill, Bill C-69, would be devastating to hard-working families in the oil and gas sector, and they know it.Sadly, the Liberals will be shutting down debate on this bill later today, forcing this destructive legislation on Canadians. Nine premiers have raised concerns, but the Prime Minister is ignoring them.Will the Prime Minister finally stop attacking our natural resources sector, listen to the premiers and withdraw this horrible bill?
Mr. Speaker, what she is saying is absurd. This centralizing government, which is a hallmark of the Liberals, has no respect for the provinces and territories. The Prime Minister does not even listen to the provincial premiers, who were duly elected by Canadians. The Premier of Quebec is also saying he is disappointed that the current federal government refused to accept the amendments to Bill C-69 on the environment. Rather than being constructive, the Liberals' provocative approach is undermining national unity.Why does the Prime Minister think he has a monopoly on truth?