Dominic LeBlanc

Mr. Speaker, contrary to the Conservatives' rhetoric about asylum seekers, we would like to point out that approximately 40% of those who have crossed the border into Canada are children.The Harper Conservatives were penny-wise and pound foolish when they cut $400 million from border security services. They should be ashamed to ask questions about the security of our borders.

Mr. Speaker, let me try this again. That particular member made up a series of fake allegations and used his parliamentary immunity to make a whole series of allegations that he does not have the guts to go 25 metres out and say in front of a television camera.He wrote a letter to the independent Ethics Commissioner with all these fake allegations, and she wrote back to him and said that at all times the minister followed the act and her responsibilities under the code.He should be ashamed to keep asking those ridiculous questions.

Mr. Speaker, again, the hon. member keeps repeating these silly phrases like “pay-to-play”. He is confusing his Saturday night at the arcade with a very legitimate fundraising activity—

Mr. Speaker, the member obviously is on a fishing trip. What she is trying to do is to stitch together a whole series of things which, when taken together, have absolutely no basis in reality.One thing I can tell her is that instead of ripping up an artificial piece of paper, one thing we did not do is leave fundraising events in leg irons in a sheriff's van, or be like Peter Penashue and resign in disgrace for not following the fundraising rules.

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.

Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague continues on the useless fishing trip they have been on for a number of weeks.Canadians and members of this House know that the Minister of Finance, upon assuming office, worked with the Ethics Commissioner proactively to ensure that he was in compliance. He has followed all of her recommendations and, as this House and Canadians know well, he has gone above and beyond that advice and will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner. That is why we support the important work he is doing on behalf of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our colleagues seem to find it funny that the foundation is independent.Perhaps they should ask former MP Chuck Strahl or former NDP member Megan Leslie about it, since they both sit on the board of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation.

Mr. Speaker, what a surprise to hear a member from that party speaking about attempting to intimidate a court. Canadians were shocked, and international jurists were shocked, when the former government tried to publicly intimidate the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. That is something we will never do.

Mr. Speaker, obviously, we are concerned about the ability of the lobster fishery, the snow crab fishery, and other important fisheries, for the economy of Atlantic Canada to continue to prosper. That is exactly why we have taken very serious and very stringent science-based measures to protect the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale. Failure to do so, as my hon. friend knows very well, puts in jeopardy our access to international markets. That would be the single most devastating thing that could hurt the fishermen that my hon. friend pretends he cares about.

Mr. Speaker, I have to give my colleague credit for lumping together two or three different issues. He knows full well that the president of the Liberal Party of Canada in Quebec asked Mr. Lalonde to step down from his volunteer duties on the board of directors. He also knows full well that the charges laid by the chief electoral officer of Quebec have nothing to do with Mr. Lalonde's role in the Liberal Party of Canada in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, again, simply because the member fabricates and asserts a falsehood does not make it true. I have received written confirmation from the Ethics Commissioner—

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their government to have a sound plan to fight climate change.It is not surprising to see the Conservatives burying their heads in the sand when it comes to this major challenge, since that is exactly what they did for 10 years under Stephen Harper.Climate change is real, and there is a growing urgency to do something about it. The time has come to protect the future of our children and grandchildren and we have a plan to do just that.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that the Prime Minister's in-laws and Mrs. Trudeau herself were guests of the President of the United States at a state dinner. He should also know that it is the first time since 1997 that Canada has been awarded the honour of a state dinner at the White House. These members of the Prime Minister's family were part of the official delegation. I would remind the member that the President himself drew attention to Margaret Trudeau's presence there and her tireless work on behalf of those with mental illness.

Mr. Speaker, I think what Canadians are wondering is when that member will tone down the feigned indignation, especially given the fact that he got a three-page, precise answer in writing from the Ethics Commissioner, which concluded that the fake complaint he made had no merit.The members opposite love to table documents in the House. They should stay tuned. Maybe after question period I will ask for consent to table the letter the Ethics Commissioner sent to that member.

They seem to find this funny, Mr. Speaker. What Canadians did not find funny was her government's inability to focus on economic growth, on cutting taxes for the middle class, on creating jobs in every region of the country. That is the word we gave to Canadians, and that is what governs our government's actions every single day.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that my colleagues missed what I have said in recent days. I can tell my hon. colleague that the answer is yes. We are taking these threats seriously. That is why we are working with our partners, the Canadian provinces and the United States, to invest not only in the science needed to counter these threats, but also in the infrastructure to ensure that these invasive species are not in Canadian waters. We will continue to improve our efforts in this area throughout Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I was happy to write on behalf of the government to people whose appointments were made by that member's government to take effect after the election, with no ability to be scrutinized by Parliament.The member well knows that there is a difference between writing to a government official about the nature of an appointment and writing to a government official about a specific case before him or her. The member should know that very well. To confuse the two is a disservice to Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, our plan is clear. We are putting a price on pollution and making life more affordable for Canadians. Climate change is real. Canadians deserve to know their government has a plan to deal with it, something the Conservative Party does not have. What they do not expect is for the Leader of the Opposition to get ordered around by Premier Ford, who is pushing Stephen Harper's failed agenda of 10 years of doing nothing to deal with climate change. Canadians deserve better.

Mr. Speaker, the only person who is hiding appears to be the member who just asked that question. He knows very well that this is a series of fabricated allegations that his colleague sent to the Ethics Commissioner. Today the Ethics Commissioner confirmed that those allegations have no merit and no basis. Why can the member not be satisfied with the independent opinion of the Ethics Commissioner that this House asked to look into these kinds of matters? I have more faith in her judgment than in his.

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend has spent a lot of time pretending that there is some hidden cost to a Liberal plan. What he is not telling Canadians is that he either has no plan himself or his plan is so appalling that he has to hide it until after the election. Let us be very clear. We committed to Canadians in 2015 that we would put a price on pollution and have a serious plan to attack climate change. Only a Conservative would find it shocking that today we are respecting an engagement we made to Canadians in the last election.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country expect their government to take action to deal with climate change. That is exactly what our government is doing. We are ensuring a price across Canada on what we do not want, pollution, so we can get more of what we want, lower emissions, new business opportunities and more money in the pockets of Canadians. The Leader of the Opposition is at Queen's Park today getting his marching orders from Doug Ford on Stephen Harper's failed plan to deal with climate change. Canadians expect better from the leader of the Conservative Party.

Mr. Speaker, that allegation is simply false.What is more important is the decision our government made to include indigenous nations in this lucrative offshore fishery. It is a historic decision. We had a public process, very similar to the one the former Conservative government had, to consult with industry and indigenous groups about participating in this fishery. We think it was a positive process, and we think it is a positive decision to include indigenous people in this fishery.

Mr. Speaker, one thing we can tell the Leader of the Opposition is that not many small business owners I have met believe that phony 73% figure he keeps throwing around in the House of Commons.One thing Canadians know is that our government is committed to supporting small businesses. We recognize the economic importance for Canadians all across the country. Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the economic engine of our country. We will be supporting them by lowering their taxes. We will continue to support them as they create the jobs that middle-class Canadians are looking forward to.

Mr. Speaker, all ministers and all members of our government have an ethical judgment that is entirely superior to that member's former party. When we receive invitations like this, we proactively reach out to the Ethics Commissioner. Her office confirms that it is entirely appropriate for us to accept events like that. The member knows very well that it is the ethical and proper way to handle these sorts of situations. That is exactly what I did. I am sorry he is so traumatized that our government is engaged in Atlantic Canada.

Mr. Speaker, apparently my hon. colleague wants to ask the same questions in French. That does not change the facts. As I just explained in English, and in French earlier this week, no member of my family and none of my wife's 60 first cousins benefited from this process. I find it irresponsible of the member to keep repeating these allegations when he knows very well that they are false.

Mr. Speaker, only that member would find an ethical smokescreen on the Internet. The Ethics Commissioner has in fact posted that all the compliance measures are in place. The minister will be following them.Let me be clear, Dr. Raybould has 30 years of experience—

Mr. Speaker, we kept our promise to legalize, regulate and restrict access to cannabis to better protect young people and keep profits out of the hands of criminals. The provinces and territories asked us to wait six to eight weeks after royal assent so that they could prepare. We decided to wait longer. It has been 17 weeks.The president of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police has confirmed that police departments across the country are ready for legalization tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, in no other workplace is it acceptable to arrive at work, pull the fire alarm, and make all of one's colleagues cancel their meetings in committees. Today alone, more than 20 witnesses will be disrupted at committees.

Mr. Speaker, if my colleague from Lévis had taken the time to read the Elections Act, he would be aware that the names of all attendees will be disclosed proactively in accordance with the law. There is no secret here. It was not a secret fundraiser. The member may be thinking of former colleagues of his who are now in prison for inappropriate financial activities.

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear the hon. member for Carleton talk about election gimmicks. Canadians remember very well his showing up at an event with a Conservative Party T-shirt and presenting a government cheque.That is something we will not do in the fight against climate change. If he thinks that constitutes an effective plan for climate change, he should stand up and say so.

Mr. Speaker, no matter how often my hon. friend repeats the same incorrect allegations, it will not make them true. To say that I have a family member who will benefit from this decision is entirely false, and she knows that.I would draw her attention to the statement made by Chief Sock on the Elsipogtog First Nation website. He has been very clear. I do not have a family member who will benefit from this process. My hon. friend should be more careful before making up those allegations and repeating them, when she knows they are not true.

Mr. Speaker, I did know that. That is why I was referring to the minister's husband, Dr. Raybould, who has 30 years' experience and a Ph.D. from Cambridge in a very specific aspect of business. His business is entirely compliant with the minister's ethical obligations. The Ethics Commissioner has confirmed that, and that member should not be putting spurious accusations—

Mr. Speaker, the logical extension of that argument would be to say that it is inappropriate for a government minister to talk to anybody about a potential appointment. For example, when the Attorney General is about to appoint somebody to the bench, she should not possibly talk to that person? We should have what? Some anonymous message sent from an account?That is completely ridiculous.The government has the responsibility to talk to people whose appointments we are questioning or whose appointments we are about to make. We did not talk to people about specific cases or their work with respect to any independent tribunal. The members knows that well. She is confusing the issues.

Mr. Speaker, the cute phrases and the play on words do not change the basic facts. All members of the House of Commons raise money according to law. All members on this side of the House respect the Canada Elections Act and the appropriate fundraising rules that apply. It is something that my colleague's party has had considerable trouble doing in the past. They, in fact, pleaded guilty and had to pay a $250,000 fine for a pay-to-play scheme to launder money in and out of riding associations. We have never done that on this side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should be ashamed to raise an issue—

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have nothing to hide.The member knows full well that all of those donations are disclosed, according to law, every quarter. The member can spend the whole evening searching the Internet. Here is good news: it is coming to a computer near him.While he is up asking questions, perhaps he should ask his colleague from Red Deer about fundraising activities when Senator Duffy went to his riding and, in fact, even threatened litigation with the riding association over that event.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the work done by our Minister of Veterans Affairs. He is serving Canadians in an exemplary way. I find it a little rich that someone from across the aisle would be talking about using government resources for partisan purposes. One of the reasons why we are on this side of the aisle is that people got tired of that continued abuse of government resources.

Mr. Speaker, my friend's exaggerated preamble does not necessarily turn those assertions into facts. What I can assure the House is that unlike the Conservative Party, we will not appoint people like Mike Duffy and Irving Gerstein and Pamela Wallin to the Senate to raise money on the taxpayers' dime for the Conservative Party. That is why, if we want to talk about immoral and inappropriate behaviour, they are on that side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, the member does no service to members of the House, or anyone in public life, by making a series of false allegations. The Ethics Commissioner at no time has made reference to the Site C dam and any imagined conflict of interest that the member opposite is making up.If the member had the courage of her convictions, she would step outside. There are a lot of cameras there today. She should feel free to make that same allegation outside.

Madam Speaker, we are having a hard time understanding what lesson the Conservatives are trying to teach us about fundraising.Members will certainly recall that the former member for Labrador had to resign because of a fundraising scandal. Members will also remember that the Conservative prime minister's ethical advisor, his parliamentary secretary, was escorted to a van in handcuffs and taken to prison by police because of his fundraising activities. Quite frankly, the Conservatives have no lessons to give on fundraising.

Mr. Speaker, the only part of that question with which we agree is the incredible mandate that the Minister of Justice has been given by the Prime Minister: to reform our justice system and to clean up a number of messes left to this government by the previous government in terms of justice law and justice policy.As I said, this fundraiser was done entirely according to the rules. All of the applicable Conflict of Interest Code ethical obligations and Canada Elections Act measures were followed. We will continue to do that. The hon. member is trying to create a scandal where none exists.

Mr. Speaker, we obviously share our colleague's concern with respect to the protection of marine mammals. The circumstances around these humpback whale mishaps are obviously of huge concern to the government. This is why, two weeks ago, the Prime Minister, in a historic investment of $1.5 billion for ocean protections, put in place a series of measures that will not only ensure better protection of marine mammals but also make the scientific and operational investments to ensure that this kind of horrible incident does not happen again.

Mr. Speaker, my hon friend knows that that is not the case. He knows that his party does not have a plan to fight climate change. He knows that his party for 10 years under Stephen Harper did absolutely nothing to respect Canada's obligations globally and domestically to fight climate change.Canadians know this is real. We saw in my province of New Brunswick historic floods this spring. We have seen the same across the country. We have seen wild fires out west.We need a coherent plan to fight climate change even if the Conservative Party does not have—

Mr. Speaker, as we have said, we have at all times understood the importance of managing taxpayer money in an appropriate way. We have thought that at any point those who are responsible for abusing or misusing taxpayer money should be held to account, and the money should be reimbursed. That includes the money that the New Democratic Party took for its satellite offices.

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows full well, that is exactly what we are doing, and that is why the number of asylum seekers has gone down. My colleague should think about his own obligations before he starts citing statistics. The Conservatives' rhetoric on asylum seekers is troubling. It should be noted that more than 40% of the people crossing Canada's border are children. The penny-pinching of Mr. Harper's Conservative government, which cut $400 million from border security, resulted in backlogs. We are addressing those problems.

Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.

Mr. Speaker, it does not matter how many times my hon. friend repeats the same sentence, it will not make it accurate.Unlike the Conservatives, who think that pollution should be free, we have a plan to ensure that big polluters pay under our system. We have been clear from the beginning: pricing pollution is important to protecting our economic competitiveness.Maybe my hon. friend could explain why, in British Columbia, in Quebec, where they have had a price on pollution for a long time, those are among the most competitive and performing economies in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House before, at all times the Liberal Party has complied and will continue to comply with the election financing legislation.It is somewhat ironic that members sitting on the other side raise people that do not respect election financing laws, because nobody on this side has left in leg irons.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.It is too bad that his parliamentary leader is not in the House, since he could have sent—

Mr. Speaker, contrary to the Conservatives' rhetoric about asylum seekers, we would like to point out that approximately 40% of those who have crossed the border into Canada are children.The Harper Conservatives were penny-wise and pound foolish when they cut $400 million from border security services. They should be ashamed to ask questions about the security of our borders.

Mr. Speaker, what a surprise to hear a member from that party speaking about attempting to intimidate a court. Canadians were shocked, and international jurists were shocked, when the former government tried to publicly intimidate the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. That is something we will never do.

Mr. Speaker, the feigned indignation in front is a little rich.We have indicated at all times that the Liberal Party raises money in accordance with the provisions of the Canada Elections Act. As I have said on previous occasions, nobody on this side of the House has gone to prison for illegal fundraising, and that is something they are having trouble saying over there.

Mr. Speaker, I do not wish to correct my hon. colleague, but what we announced during the summer was that we would consult Canadians. We heard, we listened, and we met with owners of small and medium-sized businesses across Canada. We listened to them and we cut their taxes, and we have always said that we will make the tax system fairer. The details will be released soon and will be in place for January 1, as the Minister of Finance has always said.

Mr. Speaker, my friend's exaggerated preamble does not necessarily turn those assertions into facts. What I can assure the House is that unlike the Conservative Party, we will not appoint people like Mike Duffy and Irving Gerstein and Pamela Wallin to the Senate to raise money on the taxpayers' dime for the Conservative Party. That is why, if we want to talk about immoral and inappropriate behaviour, they are on that side of the House.

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend has spent a lot of time pretending that there is some hidden cost to a Liberal plan. What he is not telling Canadians is that he either has no plan himself or his plan is so appalling that he has to hide it until after the election. Let us be very clear. We committed to Canadians in 2015 that we would put a price on pollution and have a serious plan to attack climate change. Only a Conservative would find it shocking that today we are respecting an engagement we made to Canadians in the last election.

Mr. Speaker, again, the hon. member keeps repeating these silly phrases like “pay-to-play”. He is confusing his Saturday night at the arcade with a very legitimate fundraising activity—

Mr. Speaker, let me try this again. That particular member made up a series of fake allegations and used his parliamentary immunity to make a whole series of allegations that he does not have the guts to go 25 metres out and say in front of a television camera.He wrote a letter to the independent Ethics Commissioner with all these fake allegations, and she wrote back to him and said that at all times the minister followed the act and her responsibilities under the code.He should be ashamed to keep asking those ridiculous questions.

Mr. Speaker, it is regrettable that my hon. colleague thinks it is meaningless to want to collaborate with the Quebec government. I am surprised to hear such remarks from that corner of the House of Commons.

Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.

Mr. Speaker, some time ago I was invited by one of the leading law firms in Atlantic Canada to attend an annual event for the business community in Toronto. It is the same event where Premier Stephen McNeil of Nova Scotia spoke last year. I was looking forward to telling those business leaders about our government's Atlantic growth strategy and how this government is investing in historic ways in Atlantic Canada. That is the purpose of going. If the hon. member thinks there is something wrong with telling business leaders about what our government is doing in Atlantic Canada, I disagree with her.

Mr. Speaker, it appears that my colleagues missed what I have said in recent days. I can tell my hon. colleague that the answer is yes. We are taking these threats seriously. That is why we are working with our partners, the Canadian provinces and the United States, to invest not only in the science needed to counter these threats, but also in the infrastructure to ensure that these invasive species are not in Canadian waters. We will continue to improve our efforts in this area throughout Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the member obviously is on a fishing trip. What she is trying to do is to stitch together a whole series of things which, when taken together, have absolutely no basis in reality.One thing I can tell her is that instead of ripping up an artificial piece of paper, one thing we did not do is leave fundraising events in leg irons in a sheriff's van, or be like Peter Penashue and resign in disgrace for not following the fundraising rules.

Mr. Speaker, I see that my colleague opposite is on a fishing expedition. Allow me to respond.He knows full well that Brookfield apologized for providing erroneous information. He may not have heard the response we gave his predecessor. He may have had to change the question. We know how faithfully our friends across the way followed the orders of Mr. Harper's chief of staff, Guy Giorno.We are inspired by his encouraging words about this program, but we are going to improve it and that is why the Prime Minister instructed the President of the Treasury Board to review the program.

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, we announced an open and transparent consultation process with the marine industry specifically to ensure that there is no break in services.Nine Coast Guard vessels are currently providing icebreaking services in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and they will be on the St. Lawrence River next year and for several years to come.At some point, we will have to consider other options to ensure that there is no shortage of services. My colleague should not worry people by making such claims.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has only heard these false allegations, repeated by my colleague, here in the House.The Prime Minister was very clear. Our government decided to open up commercial fishing, the offshore fishery, to the indigenous peoples in Atlantic Canada and Quebec. We implemented an open process to consult the industry and indigenous communities. That was something the Conservative Party forgot to do when it also decided to add stakeholders to this fishery three years ago.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. I hope that my colleagues will find it a bit odd to see a member of the Conservative Party talking about the importance of transparency. That is rather new to us. However, I must say that while my colleague thinks that people were at the pool, we were listening to Canadians, the small and medium-sized business owners who, as my colleague knows, participated broadly in the consultations led by our government. That is why we brought in the changes we will implement on January 1. All the details will be known before that date, obviously.

Mr. Speaker, members on the other side are having an enormous amount of difficulty with a very basic principle. When we came to office, we raised the bar on accountability and transparency.

Mr. Speaker, one thing my hon. colleague may like to tell the constituents she referred to who operate the small business is that they will in fact be paying lower small business taxes, thanks to the changes our government made.Another thing my colleague, the Minister of Finance, has made clear is that we are continuing to review the submissions we received over the extensive period of consultation. We have said that all of the details of these measures will be known in ample time, before they would come into effect, and we intend to keep that commitment,

Mr. Speaker, my colleague continues on the useless fishing trip they have been on for a number of weeks.Canadians and members of this House know that the Minister of Finance, upon assuming office, worked with the Ethics Commissioner proactively to ensure that he was in compliance. He has followed all of her recommendations and, as this House and Canadians know well, he has gone above and beyond that advice and will continue to work with the Ethics Commissioner. That is why we support the important work he is doing on behalf of Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I hope my colleague will remind these small business owners that, if there is one thing they can count on, that is paying less taxes next year, in keeping with the commitment we made to small and medium-sized businesses during the last election. It is very important for small and medium-sized business owners. As we have been saying from the beginning, we are currently reviewing the submissions we received, and the measures will be explained in detail before they are implemented, naturally.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that this government is working very hard to protect wild salmon stocks in this province. In fact, we are investing record amounts of money in marine and ocean science. We have a $1.5-billion oceans protection program. My colleagues from British Columbia have talked to us constantly about world-class organizations like the Pacific Salmon Foundation. We will continue to do everything we need to do to protect wild salmon stocks in British Columbia.

Mr. Speaker, I know colleagues look forward to this every week. I will be brief. This afternoon, we will continue with the debate on the Conservative opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will resume debate on government Motion No. 2, which was moved by the Prime Minister yesterday, concerning Canada's fight against ISIL.I am currently negotiating with the House leaders of the other parties to come to an agreement on the length of the debate. We will continue debating that motion next Monday and Tuesday. If we manage to conclude the debate on Tuesday evening, on Wednesday we will proceed with second reading of Bill C-2, an act to amend the Income Tax Act.Finally, Thursday of next week will be an allotted day.

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows full well the minister did no such thing. He keeps referring to this supposed secret fundraiser. Just because he repeats these exaggerated lines does not make them true. A fundraiser where every donation is disclosed on the Internet is hardly a secret fundraiser. It is something that members opposite have done many times over.We will continue to respect all of the provisions of the Prime Minister's open and accountable government code, as well as the Conflict of Interest Act and any other related provisions.

Mr. Speaker, we share the member's view on the importance of small and medium-sized businesses to the Canadian economy. That is why we are fulfilling an important commitment we made to Canadians by lowering small business taxes from 11% in 2015 to 9% by 2019. With respect to the specific measures, I assume she is referring to income sprinkling. My colleague the Minister of Finance said they would take effect on January 1, and all of the details will be known, obviously, before that point.

Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will continue with debate on the opposition motion that we began this morning.Tomorrow, we will have the final day of debate at second reading on Bill C-4, concerning unions. I would like to note that the votes relating to this bill will be deferred to the end of the day on Monday, March 7, pursuant to an order adopted earlier today.I want to sincerely thank my colleagues in the House for their co-operation in finding an agreement on this matter, and also on the ISIL motion, which was debated earlier this week.Next week, as my colleague indicated, members will be working in their ridings.On Monday, March 7, we will resume debate, at second reading stage, of Bill C-2 concerning a tax cut for the middle class. I would like to inform the House that Tuesday, March 8, will be an allotted day. On Wednesday, we will begin debate at second reading stage of Bill C-6 on citizenship, which was introduced this morning by my colleague, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. On Thursday, we will begin consideration of Bill C-5 concerning public servants' sick leave. Finally, Mr. Speaker, I know that you have been looking forward to this. Pursuant to Standing Order 83 (2), I would ask that an order of the day be designated for the Minister of Finance to present the budget at 4 p.m., on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.

Mr. Speaker, one thing we can tell the Leader of the Opposition is that not many small business owners I have met believe that phony 73% figure he keeps throwing around in the House of Commons.One thing Canadians know is that our government is committed to supporting small businesses. We recognize the economic importance for Canadians all across the country. Small business owners and entrepreneurs are the economic engine of our country. We will be supporting them by lowering their taxes. We will continue to support them as they create the jobs that middle-class Canadians are looking forward to.

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.

Mr. Speaker, I have good news. I have no documents to table, and thus there is no need to worry. This afternoon will conclude the fourth and final day of the budget debate. Tomorrow we will commence second reading of Bill C-10, the Air Canada legislation, and continue that debate on Monday.Next week, we will have opposition days on Tuesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, we will begin debate on Bill C-14 on medical assistance in dying, introduced this morning by my colleague, the Minister of Justice.Mr. Speaker, after discussions with all parties I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That, pursuant to Section 20 of the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development be designated for the statutory review of the Freezing Assets of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act and the Special Economic Measures Act.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that all of the decisions our government will be making on issues like this and allocations and quotas with respect to Canada's fisheries on all three coasts will be made based on scientific advice and the rigorous scientific standards that are required.We thought it was unfortunate that the previous government did not respond formally at all to any of the Cohen Commission recommendations. We think it is an important exercise for British Columbia and a critical industry. I look forward to being in British Columbia and publicly responding to all of the Cohen Commission recommendations.

Mr. Speaker, I think what Canadians are wondering is when that member will tone down the feigned indignation, especially given the fact that he got a three-page, precise answer in writing from the Ethics Commissioner, which concluded that the fake complaint he made had no merit.The members opposite love to table documents in the House. They should stay tuned. Maybe after question period I will ask for consent to table the letter the Ethics Commissioner sent to that member.

Mr. Speaker, our colleague knows very well that at events like this, government business is not discussed. Our colleague also knows very well that all members of the House of Commons, including ministers in her former government, attended fundraising events very similar to this one. She should not be shocked when in a minute I get up and read her a list of her former colleagues who attended events exactly like this one.

Mr. Speaker, the member does no service to members of the House, or anyone in public life, by making a series of false allegations. The Ethics Commissioner at no time has made reference to the Site C dam and any imagined conflict of interest that the member opposite is making up.If the member had the courage of her convictions, she would step outside. There are a lot of cameras there today. She should feel free to make that same allegation outside.

Mr. Speaker, we, too, share his support for the Canadian sealing industry, for the Inuit communities, for fishers from all parts of the country who have in fact benefited from a sustainable and appropriate harvest of seals.We think Canadian seal products are among the best in the world. It is a humane hunt that is conducted in many parts of the country, and has been for decades. We will always tell the world about the importance of a sustainable seal hunt. I thank the member for an opportunity to remind the House of our support for the seal hunt.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my outstanding colleague from Sydney—Victoria for his strong support of the Canadian Coast Guard.The Canadian Coast Guard in Sydney has been a world leader in the field of maritime studies for over 50 years. The member, on our behalf, announced $32 million on the weekend for a cleaner, greener college. These investments will reduce the facility's energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by over 20%.The college is a top-notch facility, an example to other countries, and we are very proud of the work being done there.

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have ratified the Paris accord. We are proud that our Minister of Environment and Climate Change is at COP22 in Morocco now. We also recognize that putting a price on pollution is good for the Canadian economy, that it will create jobs here in Canada, and that is what Canadians expect us to do. We look forward to working with the provinces and international partners to ensure that we have the most robust carbon pricing system in place.

Mr. Speaker, I can give my hon. friend points for imagination, but I cannot give him points for sticking to the facts with what happened.The fact that there is a new participant in this lucrative surf clam fishery should not surprise the Conservative Party. In fact, that party began a process three years ago to do exactly that, include a new entrant. What the Conservatives forgot to do was to include indigenous communities. We are very proud that the most impressive economic benefit to indigenous communities and Atlantic Canadians came from a group that included indigenous partners in five provinces: four Atlantic provinces and Quebec. We chose the best proposal and we are proud of that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.I had the opportunity to talk to my colleague about this issue, which is very important for the people of her riding and those in neighbouring regions. I can assure my colleague that we will still meet the deadline that we discussed this summer. I do not share her pessimism.I would like to commend the municipality and my Liberal caucus colleagues for bringing this matter to my attention and to the attention of the Minister of Transport. I believe that a suitable solution to this problem will be implemented in the coming weeks.

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister understands is the importance of raising the bar on accountability and transparency from the shabby record in front of us. That is why when our government was elected we took unprecedented steps to bring more openness and more transparency to government, and that includes always abiding by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner's advice. That is what ministers in this government have done and will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, again, if the Ethics Commissioner in her judgment does not see any violation whatsoever, the hon. member should accept her judgment. On this side of the House, we value her judgment with respect to ethics considerably more than that member's.

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell the member that many of us on this side supported the Reform Act. I, myself, voted for it. I want to assure the House and the member that at all times, everyone on this side complied with all legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the privilege on many occasions, including this morning, to meet with fishermen, for example, from southwest Nova Scotia, with my colleague the member of Parliament for that area. I can tell the hon. member that the fishermen we talk to want to earn their living in a responsible, sustainable way. They understand the importance of middle-class Canadians having the appropriate tax structure so they can continue to thrive and support their families.We will always work to ensure that middle-class Canadians benefit from a tax regime that is fair for them, and if the wealthiest among us have to pay a bit more, that is understandable.

Mr. Speaker, let me first welcome our colleague back to the House of Commons. It is great to see him with us in good health. As he knows, our decision to introduce indigenous participation is consistent with our government's commitment to developing a renewed relationship between Canada and indigenous peoples. The selected proposal was one submitted by the Five Nations Clam Company. It was selected because of its inclusion of indigenous communities across Atlantic provinces and Quebec, allowing the benefits of this lucrative fishery to flow to the greatest number of people. He understands that tabling the commercial confidences that our department received by competing bidders would be inappropriate.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our colleague from Nunavut for the question. I share his view that the fisheries in Nunavut offer an important opportunity for economic development. Our government understands that a sustainable, scientifically based fishery is in the interest of the residents of Nunavut and the interest of Canada. I am happy to tell him that we are proceeding along the lines of the partnership with NTI, as he just identified. We believe in co-management with our territorial partners. Senior officials met with NTI this week. They have scheduled another meeting for December 9. We are going to work with them to get the job done.

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, under no circumstances would I place myself in a conflict of interest. That is precisely why I sought the advice of the Commissioner before accepting the invitation. When she confirmed that it was appropriate for me to speak to a group of Toronto business leaders about the economy in Atlantic Canada and our government's commitment to grow the Canadian economy, I was pleased to accept the invitation.

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House are extremely proud of Margaret Trudeau. We are proud that the White House included her in its invitation.We are very proud of Margaret and her important contribution to raising Canadians' awareness around mental health issues. President Obama himself congratulated Margaret Trudeau during the state dinner and praised her significant contribution in this important area.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am rather surprised by it. This morning, I was quite proud when the House unanimously adopted the motion to create a joint committee with our Senate colleagues in order to study this very important issue. I would like to thank all MPs for giving their unanimous consent so that we can move forward on this important issue and be inspired by Quebec's leadership.

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague may not want to accept the answer that the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister, and our government have given consistently, that it is the responsibility of all members of this House to work with the commissioner, as the Minister of Finance did, at all times to ensure that we are in compliance with the rules that are applicable.One thing this government is focused on is improving the economic condition of middle-class Canadians, and that is why the almost 600,000 full-time jobs is an impressive economic record for any government, and certainly one that Canadians should be proud of—

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for his question.We recognize the importance of modernizing our institutions and making them accessible to everyone, including people with children. We must also provide people with better access to their MPs. They should not have to wait, as my colleague said, sometimes more than a month to meet us in our constituency offices. Our constituents know the important work we have to do within our communities, and it is time that our institutions reflected that.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Oakville North—Burlington for her important work in defence of the Great Lakes. Canada is committed to protecting Canada's waters. Budget 2017 proposes $43.8 million over five years for a national aquatic invasive species initiative. These funds would be used to prevent, detect, and eradicate high-risk aquatic invasive species using, obviously, innovative science and advice. This significant commitment would allow us not only to protect Canadian waters like the Great Lakes from invasive species, but also to continue the important fight against Asian carp and sea lamprey in the Great Lakes, something that I know concerns my colleague from Burlington very much.

Mr. Speaker, if colleagues are so inclined, I could perhaps table at the end of my answer to the Thursday question, this very incisive weekly business today. However, I will leave that to your judgment, Mr. Speaker.Today, the House is debating Bill C-7, the RCMP labour relations act. I hope we will conclude second reading at the end of the day today. As my friend noted, the House will adjourn for the Easter break and allow members to return to work in their constituencies.When we return on April 11, the House will complete the four days of debate on the budget, April 11, 12, 13, and 14. I know colleagues will want to speak to the budget. Those will be designated as days to debate the budget. I want to take this opportunity to wish you, Mr. Speaker, and Kelly a happy Easter. I also wish our colleagues and their families a happy Easter and a good break.

Mr. Speaker, my colleague should try to be consistent. He cannot criticize us for running a deficit and at the same time ask us to invest more to help veterans.We have invested more than $10 billion to support our veterans. We made solemn promises during the election campaign. We respect our veterans, unlike my colleague's party when it was in government. We will never stop doing more to support the brave women and men who serve in our armed forces.

Madam Speaker, we share my colleague's concern about these derelict and abandoned vessels that, frankly, are on every coast of the country, including some of the lakes. It is a problem that our government has committed to rectify.The Minister of Transport and I have been working with a number of stakeholders, and I know that the member is excited about the plan that we will be tabling. The good news for all member of the House is that the plan is coming very soon.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we know very well we are the government and the member for Outremont, I think, knows that as well.He is wondering why the fisheries minister is getting up. He is continually on a fishing trip to find perceived and imagined wrongdoing where none exists. He knows that very well. We are proud to follow all of the fundraising rules, just as he did when he went to Edmonton at $300 a person.

Mr. Speaker, I am glad, on World Oceans Day, to tell members of the House that I had the privilege earlier today of announcing the creation of Canada's newest marine protected area, St. Anns Bank, off the east coast of Cape Breton, in the province of Nova Scotia.With respect to the question about salmonid enhancement, this is a very valuable program. It is a program for which I share the member's view. It has done a great deal to protect the iconic species of Pacific salmon. We will always be there to support the important work done by those volunteers and others who have done such a great job.

Mr. Speaker, we will take advice on the appropriate ethical screens from the Ethics Commissioner. I can inform the House that the Minister of Justice and her husband have met with the Ethics Commissioner and she has confirmed that all of the appropriate and required compliance measures are in place, and the minister and her husband will follow them meticulously.

Mr. Speaker, we have always said that great care must be taken with government spending and the management of public funds, and that this government will not allow anyone, under any circumstances, to misuse taxpayers' money. The Senate has taken control of the situation. It has changed some of its rules. We encourage it to continue to work toward openness and transparency.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, and as we have done from the beginning, we have every intention of giving all members a chance to speak, given the importance and sensitivity of Bill C-14.However, we also recognize that the Supreme Court has given the government and Parliament a deadline, which is June 6. We believe it is important to strike a balance between the need to hear from all members and the need to abide by the Supreme Court ruling and pass balanced legislation by that deadline.

Mr. Speaker, obviously I am happy to work with the commissioner and answer any questions he may have. My hon. friend spoke about family ties. It is important that he understand that Mr. Thériault is one of my wife's 61st cousins. He is an employee of the largest Mi’kmaq first nation in New Brunswick and has been for over 15 years. Chief Sock has publicly said that Mr. Thériault was not involved in any way in preparing their submission, and he will not be benefiting in any way whatsoever. This was about improving access for indigenous communities, and we are proud of that decision.

Mr. Speaker, my judgment is that it is important for Canadians to understand our government's commitment to growing the Atlantic economy. That is why, when I received this invitation, I forwarded it to the Ethics Commissioner to confirm that nothing inappropriate was the case with my attending the event. I received that confirmation at which point I accepted the invitation.To go to any group to talk about our government's commitment to growing the Atlantic economy, to welcoming new immigrants to Atlantic Canada, I am proud to do so, and I will take every opportunity I can to do exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to increasing the capacity of the Canadian Coast Guard in all parts of the country to conduct the search and rescue missions they do so effectively. I share the member's view that this was an important and significant effort. We congratulate the Canadian Coast Guard and are glad that it was able to provide that service.I can tell the House that, on inland waterways, where we are currently providing a search and rescue service, there will be no cuts. In fact, there will be increases in the capacity of the Canadian Coast Guard to provide these search and rescue services.

Mr. Speaker, what we are aware of is a valuable resource that is a public resource, that belongs to the people of Canada, and that could be better shared with indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada and in Quebec. We began an open and transparent process in September. After eight weeks, we were really pleased to have received nine proposals, which were carefully studied by the department. We selected the proposal that will bring the greatest economic benefit to indigenous communities and to the people of Atlantic Canada and Quebec. We are proud of that process and we are proud of the decision.

Mr. Speaker, our decision to increase indigenous participation in fishing is consistent with our government's commitment to forging a renewed relationship between Canada and indigenous peoples. Enhancing access to the surf clam fishery broadens the distribution of benefits from this public resource and is a powerful step toward reconciliation, and we are very proud of that.

Mr. Speaker, as we all did when we were elected to the House or were invited to serve in cabinet, the Minister of Finance accepted the responsibility of working with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to make sure that his affairs are in order and that he is following the commissioner's guidelines. That is what the minister has always done.The Minister of Finance also has the important responsibility of working for economic growth in order to improve Canadians' economic situation. We believe he has done an excellent job on that score and should continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, the event the member referred to is the Liberal caucus Christmas party this evening. I know many people from across the country are looking forward to that event. We are certainly hoping that you will be able to attend, Mr. Speaker, as I understand you have with other caucus Christmas parties as well.The important thing to note is that, in fact, to enter the particular contest the member referred to does not require a donation. We are hopeful that many people will look forward to a very good evening tonight.

Mr. Speaker, it will not surprise members that I do not share the pessimistic view of my colleague in the opposition. I have said that we are committed to working both with provincial partners and the Americans on the important challenge of invasive species. We are working particularly with staff members in the province of Quebec on the shared experience they have in response to this important issue in respect to the capture of carp in the St. Lawrence near Montreal. This is why I know that the anticipation is very exciting for my colleague, but he should remain calm. We have very good news coming.

Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that we have committed to renewing a nation-to-nation dialogue with indigenous people across the country. I had the privilege of meeting Nuu-chah-nulth leaders in Ottawa in June to continue the dialogue. We respect the rights that the courts have found for these important first nations.We also believe that, through a nation-to-nation dialogue, we will be able to advance mutually satisfactory interests, in terms of conserving salmon and offering the rights-based access that we respect.

Mr. Speaker, we have consistently tried to work constructively with all members of the House.We agree with the colleagues across the way that it is important to have more respectful debate on legislation and on motions. We also agree with my colleague from New Westminster—Burnaby that certainty and predictability, as he just referenced in terms of the Order Paper, are important parts of respectful parliamentary debate.We will continue to work with all members to improve these issues, but we will also be conscious of the commitments we made to Canadians and the important legislation we have before the House. It is our intention to find the appropriate way to pass it.

Mr. Speaker, I am rising to reiterate something that Canadians know well; that is, the Prime Minister's deep respect for Parliament and every member of this House of Commons. One of the priorities the Prime Minister has set for his government is to work collaboratively with all members of the House of Commons to improve decorum in the House of Commons. If my colleague in front of me were honest, he would agree that we can all do more to improve decorum in the House and we should—

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of a process that we began last September to include indigenous communities in this very valuable offshore fishery. I would point out that the process to add a new entrant to this fishery was begun by the previous Conservative government in 2014 and 2015, except the Conservatives forgot to include indigenous communities in that process. We are convinced that the decision that we took last week is good for the industry, is good in terms of benefits for indigenous communities, and will be good for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Atlantic Canada as well.

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister said today in Toronto is that our government made a commitment to Canadians in 2015 that we would have a robust plan to tackle climate change. We have said from the beginning that putting a price on pollution is one of the most effective measures to reduce pollution. We have also said that we would reinvest by reimbursing Canadians the money they are paying for the price on pollution. In fact, middle-class Canadians, on average, will receive more money than they are paying for the price on pollution.

Mr. Speaker, it perhaps should not surprise you that we disagree with the premise of the member's question. We think CETA will offer Atlantic Canadians thousands of opportunities for more and better jobs. That is why we are so proud of this historic agreement. That is why my colleagues and I have been working with provincial premiers, fisheries ministers, and innovation ministers to ensure the Atlantic economy, and every part of the country, is in a position to maximize the benefit from this historic agreement.

Mr. Speaker, as I have explained in this House a number of times, our government made a decision to include a new entrant in this important fishery. We thought it was also important to have significant indigenous benefits from this decision. We are proud that a partnership was formed between a company with experience in offshore fisheries and indigenous communities from five provinces, four Atlantic Canadian provinces and Quebec. We also understand the importance of the facility in Grand Bank, and we think the member should be careful not to raise fears unreasonably in that community, as he has done from the beginning.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.

Mr. Speaker, the government is proud of enhancing the transparency of judicial appointments.My Conservative colleague claims that our judicial appointments are not made in an open and transparent manner. However, he knows very well that that is not true. We changed the process in order to increase transparency and to make outstanding Canadians eligible for appointment. We are proud of that.

Mr. Speaker, the only thing that hurts the credibility of members of the House is that kind of feigned indignation where a member tries to create a scandal where none exists. On this side of the House, we are extremely proud to serve with the Minister of Justice. We are proud of her record of public service, her ethics, and her integrity. We will always stand with her.

Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague that we are in talks with the Government of Quebec. I was in Quebec City last week. I met Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, and we had a positive discussion. We will continue to work with the Government of Quebec to make sure that we cover the reasonable costs associated with this irregular migration. Quebec has been a leader and a great partner for Canada. We value its co-operation and we will respect its commitments.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that my colleague opposite may not be used to an appropriate Canadian delegation for a state visit to the United States. Our Prime Minister's visit marked the first time that the United States had bestowed this honour on Canada since 1997. As I have repeatedly stated, all appropriate expenses were proactively disclosed as promised by our government.What matters just as much to us is the progress made on files and issues that are important to Canadians. We are proud of this visit.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound for the question. I had the opportunity to discuss this very matter with him when I was before the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans. As all colleagues know, small craft harbour infrastructure is extremely important to our government. I have taken note of my colleague's concerns. I hope in the coming weeks to have some very good news for that hon. member and that important community.

Mr. Speaker, our government shares the hon. member's concerns for the importance of protecting the southern resident killer whale population. This is a population that has been under stress for many years. There are three principal factors that have contributed to the stress: contaminants in the water; the whales' inability to find sufficient prey, in this case often chinook salmon; and the increased noise, represented by a whole series of marine traffic.I am prepared to tell the House and all Canadians that the Minister of Transport and I have a very ambitious plan to more than mitigate all of these measures to ensure that this iconic species survives.

Mr. Speaker, we want to thank the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development for her report. I had a chance to meet her yesterday and discuss the recommendations. The government has accepted all of her recommendations. In fact, a number of the things she has suggested are already under way because of our government's historic investments in science and marine protection and ocean protection. For example, we are completing key disease risk assessments for these fish. We are clarifying the roles and responsibilities for managing emerging diseases. We are communicating more effective the precautionary approach. We will continue to do a lot more on this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, again, obviously, if the Ethics Commissioner has questions or concerns, or would like any documents with respect to this process, we are of course happy to comply and happy to have those conversations with the Ethics Commissioner or his staff.I would remind my hon. friend again that it is important to stick to the facts. The facts are that we had an open process to consult industry and indigenous communities. The Conservatives' process, which was very similar to ours, forgot to include indigenous communities. We made a decision to begin the conversation—