Richard Cannings

Madam Speaker, Amanda from Penticton has found that the money she gets from the Canada child benefit is useless, as there are no child care spaces for her daughter, so she cannot go back to work. Amanda began the Waitlisted Project online to document the difficulties parents face when looking for child care. They found that the child benefit is entirely inadequate for covering child care costs and does not open up any new spaces. This is unacceptable.Will the Liberals act immediately to create more child care spaces so that parents like Amanda can go back to work?

Mr. Speaker, last month, the Kingston airport sealed up a hangar, which starved and eventually killed a decades-old colony of barn swallows. Some 80 nests of these threatened birds were lost needlessly. This was done apparently to adhere to Transport Canada policy. Such action during the breeding season would be an offence under the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Did the Minister of Transport, or any of his officials have any knowledge of this action?

Mr. Speaker, a Yukon judge has slammed the federal government and issued a wake-up call to Canadian taxpayers. The site of the Mount Nansen mine is now a toxic mess, and the company responsible filed for bankruptcy in 2004.Judge Veale of the Supreme Court of Yukon said the company is guilty of “raping and pillaging” the land. Now it is up to taxpayers to pick up the tab, which could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. What is the government doing to offset the costs for this site and others so that polluters pay, not the taxpayer?

Mr. Speaker, today a report on the state of Canada's birds is expected, with findings of dramatic declines in many species, most of this resulting from habitat loss. For instance, over the last 40 years, we have lost over half of our grassland bird populations, birds like meadowlarks and burrowing owls.The Liberals promised to protect 17% of Canada's wildlands and water by 2020, but have only hit 11%. An NDP government would protect 30% by 2030.Why are the Liberals making nothing but empty gestures and breaking their promise to protect our wildlife?

Mr. Speaker, the new Navigable Waters Protection Act has created a bizarre situation where all waters are equal but some are more equal than others. In my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, Okanagan Lake is fully protected, but other lakes, such as Skaha, Vaseux and Osoyoos, Christina, and Slocan, which used to be protected pre-Harper, are not being re-listed in the Liberals legislation. It is absurd. Canadians will have to argue on a case by case basis to have their waters fully protected. Why will the Liberals not fully protect all our lakes and rivers in the new act like they promised?

Mr. Speaker, recently, the high Arctic has seen record high temperatures, more than 30° above normal, leading to melting ice in the middle of winter. The Liberals promised to step up and have Canada do its part in the fight against climate change, but they kept Stephen Harper's weak, inadequate targets and they are not even going to meet those. Again, in the budget there was little or nothing for real climate action.When will the Liberals recognize the urgency and actually do what is necessary to fight climate change?

Mr. Speaker, last year the NDP introduced a motion calling on the government to reinstate the perishable agricultural commodities act. Since this was a Liberal campaign promise, growers across Canada were deeply disappointed when it did not happen. The agriculture committee also unanimously urged the minister to implement a payment protection model, but we still have not heard anything.When will the Liberals take action for our farmers and growers across Canada, do as they promised, and reinstate PACA?

Mr. Speaker, ANKORS is an HIV/AIDS outreach and support society in my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay. For many years, ANKORS has been providing prevention and harm-reduction services to at-risk populations, in 24 communities in the B.C. interior. However, they have just been informed that their federal funding will not be renewed. This will devastate HIV/AIDS outreach services in the B.C. interior. Will the Minister of Health reverse these cuts and ensure that the people in the Okanagan and Kootenays have access to these vital services?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has a crucial role to oversee the safety and security of nuclear facilities, but this summer whistleblowers warned that CNSC staff failed to give critical safety information to commissioners. In spite of the seriousness of the allegation, the minister shrugged his shoulders and the CNSC president laughed it off, but Canadians deserve better.With new appointments to the nuclear watchdog expected soon, what is the minister's plan to improve oversight of nuclear safety?

Mr. Speaker, today is World Oceans Day, and Canadians are concerned about the health of our coastal waters. Instead of investing in clean, renewable energy, the Liberals have just spend $4.5 billion, our dollars, on an outdated pipeline that threatens our waterways, while doing nothing to address the catastrophic consequences of a bitumen spill.When it comes to an oil spill, the question is not if, but when, so why is the government forcing this pipeline through, when it has no way of protecting our waters?

Mr. Speaker, a state of emergency has been declared in the community of Grand Forks, British Columbia, because of flooding. The surrounding boundary region has also been put under emergency watch, and homes and farmland are being flooded by rising water levels. The situation stands to get worse by the end of this week. Can the Prime Minister reassure constituents in my riding that this government will provide the necessary resources and assistance if and when needed?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources often stands in the House and proclaims that the Kinder Morgan pipeline will be built. However, his own ministerial panel on Kinder Morgan posed the question on how to square the impact of this project with Canada's climate action commitments. Since the economy and the environment go hand in hand, can he stand here and proclaim that Canada will meet its 2030 Paris climate targets? If not, why not?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission once again targeted the Canadian forest industry, a decision that the B.C. Lumber Trade Council has called “completely without merit”. The U.S. lumber industry is enjoying record profits and Canadian imports are at a lower level today than they were when deemed non-injurious by the ITC in the last round of litigation.What is the government doing today to support Canadian producers in their appeal of this latest American decision and when can we expect to see a long-term resolution to this ongoing battle?

Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?

Mr. Speaker, for 10 long years, Stephen Harper received dozens of fossil awards. To be clear, they were ironic. Now the current Prime Minister is taking it to another level. Yesterday, a crowd of global oil and gas executives in Houston awarded the Prime Minister a true fossil award, an award for the approval of pipelines without the social licence that he said would be needed during the last election. People would be right to be confused. Is this seriously the real change Canadians were promised?

Mr. Speaker, invasive species threaten the health of our ecosystems and our local economies. In my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, we are very concerned about the threat of zebra mussels. Today, the environment commissioner's report confirmed that the Liberal government has no plan and completely inadequate enforcement measures to keep invasive species out of our lakes and rivers.When will the Liberal government put in place a clear, science-based plan to protect our water from invasive species, with the resources to implement it?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have spent a lot of time south of the border, yet we have not seen real action on some of our biggest challenges.Softwood lumber is a crucial industry employing thousands of Canadians. The existing softwood lumber deal has expired, and Canadian companies could face massive duties and job losses.With the government's 100-day clock ticking down, when will it tell Canadians what it is doing to negotiate a new agreement to protect these jobs?

Mr. Speaker, this spring, there were two significant sulphuric acid spills from transport trucks in Trail, B.C. Over a thousand cars that drove through the spills had to be written off because they were unsafe to drive. The Trail fire department lost two of their trucks. A smaller spill happened again in September. Regional authorities are deeply concerned that Transport Canada does not have the staffing capacity to effectively deal with incidents like this. Is Transport Canada investigating these acid spills? What enforcement actions will it take to resolve the issues faced by local residents and governments?

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the U.S. filed a second complaint with the WTO against Canada over B.C. wine sales. This despite the fact that since 1988, the U.S. share for wine sales in Canada has more than doubled and the Canadian share of the U.S. market hovers just above zero. On top of this, the U.S. is demanding under NAFTA to allow greater access for U.S. wines in all retail channels across Canada. These heavy-handed trade complaints will damage Canada's wine industry. What is the government doing to protect the Canadian wine sector from these attacks?

Mr. Speaker, the backbone of the South Okanagan economy is threatened by federal bureaucratic barriers and red tape. There is a vital irrigation canal that is in urgent need of repair. The town of Oliver and the province of British Columbia have both made funding commitments but they have been waiting three years for the federal government to step up with its share. The system is essential for 5,000 acres of orchards and vineyards.Will the government cut through the red tape and finally get this project funded?

Mr. Speaker, while the state of emergency in B.C. has ended, British Columbians are only now beginning to recover from the damage caused by the wildfires. Some of the 65,000 people evacuated returned to find their homes damaged or destroyed. Others came home to learn that they have been laid off from jobs in the hard-hit forestry sector. Like the strong people of Fort McMurray, British Columbians will rebuild, but they cannot do it alone. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing ongoing full financial assistance to communities devastated by these wildfires?

Mr. Speaker, forestry is a major industry in my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, and tens of thousands of jobs in British Columbia are dependent on that sector. The last time this sector was hit with American tariffs, the industry was devastated. Did the Prime Minister stand up for Canadian forestry workers and communities when he met with President Trump? When will the government develop a plan B to be ready for new American tariffs?

Mr. Speaker, in less than a week, the softwood lumber agreement grace period will run out, and this could mean massive export tariffs on Canadian lumber, anywhere from 25% to 30%. If we do not get a new agreement, we could lose up to 22,000 jobs in British Columbia and across Canada. Yet the minister has refused to give any assurances this week. As the deadline looms, what is the government doing to protect forestry jobs in British Columbia?

Mr. Speaker, a recent report has revealed that a profitable Canadian mining company operates in Mongolia but uses a tax haven in Luxembourg. This company avoided paying Canadian taxes of $690 million and deprived Mongolia of $230 million. It only paid Luxembourg $89 million, where it has one part-time employee. However, wait for it. It is completely legal, because this company received written approval from the CRA to avoid paying Canadian taxes.How can the minister defend this sweetheart deal to the Canadians who are paying their fair share?

Mr. Speaker, the fall economic update showered big business with tax breaks while doing little for small business. I am proud to represent one of Canada's major wine and spirit producing areas. Small craft distillers are proposing a reduction in excise tax for producers of less than 100,000 litres. A similar move in the U.S. dramatically boosted its industry, with each new distillery creating 20 to 100 new jobs. Can we count on the government support small business by supporting this proposal?

Mr. Speaker, the Columbia River Treaty is nearing the end of its 60-year term, and needs to be brought up to date with 21st century needs and to ensure that Canada is receiving the benefit it deserves.A renegotiated treaty would better address the protection of the river's ecosystem; issues around climate change; and first nations' rights, which are completely ignored in the current treaty.When will the government truly begin renegotiation talks, and will it ensure that local voices are heard at the table?

Mr. Speaker, 100 days have now passed and we still have no deal on softwood lumber. The American industry claims Canadian producers are unfairly subsidized. We have fought 4 expensive trade battles in the last 35 years. In spite of assurances by the Minister of Trade little has been done to fix the problem, leaving Canadian producers, including those in British Columbia, to fight to survive.Why is the government putting our forest industry at risk?

Mr. Speaker, ever since the old Liberals slashed billions in funding for post-secondary education, the cost of tuition has skyrocketed. Now, according to the parliamentary budget officer, a majority of Canadian students are from higher-income families.The PBO also said that a majority of federal funding is benefiting these same wealthy families and the Liberals' recent budget will not significantly change the situation.The Liberals claim to help the middle class, but they are actually doing the opposite. Why do they not help all students to get a good, quality education?

Mr. Speaker, education is a good equalizer, and today a good post-secondary education is essential to land a good job. However, recent data from Stats Canada shows that going to college or university is now more expensive than ever. Average tuition is now more than $6,500 a year, and that does not include additional fees, books, food, or housing. The Liberal government says it wants to lower the cost of post-secondary, but overall, government investment continues to go down. When will we see tuition fees decrease so that students can afford their education?

Mr. Speaker, the question is about the perishable agricultural commodities act. It was a Liberal promise to reinstate it. It has not been reinstated, despite calls from growers, the NDP, and the agriculture committee.When will the Liberals take action and reinstate the perishable agricultural commodities act?

Mr. Speaker, families from coast to coast are struggling with the cost of living, and they should not be on the hook for the cost of cleaning up abandoned oil wells or contaminated mine sites. Yesterday the Supreme Court agreed, saying, “Bankruptcy is not a license to ignore rules”.For too long, Liberal and Conservative governments have let companies escape their responsibilities. However, the Liberals have a chance to show whose side they are on, Canadians or corporations. Will they allow companies to walk away from their obligations, or will they make sure Canadians do not have to pay the cost?

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, the city of Grand Forks was inundated by flood waters. More than once, the Minister of Public Safety has stood in this House and assured Grand Forks that the federal government would “always, in every case, be there”, but on April 18, the federal government told Grand Forks that its application for a natural disaster mitigation program grant had been turned down. The people of Grand Forks cannot live through another devastating flood without adequate protection, so I ask the Prime Minister why the government is refusing to help.

Mr. Speaker, last week I attended the Council of Forest Industries' convention in Vancouver and I heard concerns about the softwood lumber negotiations. Canada's chief negotiator said that this issue does knot appear to be front of mind for the new U.S. administration. We also heard that Canada needs to engage American businesses that would be hurt by higher lumber prices to press their government for fair treatment of the Canadian forest industry. What is the minister doing to ensure that the Canadian forest industry is more front of mind for the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, we are getting reports out of Penticton that all early morning and evening flights by WestJet and Air Canada have been cancelled for the past four days. This comes after a safety audit identified concerns with tree heights around the airport. These cancellations represent two-thirds of all flights in and out of Penticton and are causing serious disruption to the local economy.Can the Minister of Transport inform my constituents when these concerns will be addressed and when the Penticton airport will resume its normal operations?

Mr. Speaker, B.C. gives low-income seniors a bus pass so they can get around, and it also provides rent-geared-to-income housing so they can find homes they can afford to rent. This year, the CRA demanded that B.C. issue forms to those seniors for the full cost of the bus pass, over $500. While this does not affect their taxes, it artificially boosts the income used to calculate their rents. My friend Brigid has seen her rent go up by $240 per year under this new CRA policy.Why does the CRA keep going after the people who can least afford it?

Mr. Speaker, last spring I tabled a motion in this chamber calling for an apology to the 100,000 British home children who were sent to Canada from 1869 to 1948, most of them simply used as cheap labour throughout their childhood. Last Thursday, the House unanimously passed a similar motion, and I thank the member for Montcalm and all the members of the House.When will the government present an official apology to the British home children and their descendants, and what measures will be taken to ensure that survivors and families can take part in this important moment?

Mr. Speaker, last October, I asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs if she would stand up for the B.C. and Canadian wine industry in the face of U.S. demands for greater market access under NAFTA. Our wine industry creates over 37,000 jobs across Canada and is our highest value-added agricultural product, but over the last 20 years, the market share of Canadian wine has been almost halved while the U.S. share has more than doubled. Will the Prime Minister state in the House that he will not trade away the thousands of jobs in our wine industry at the eleventh hour of NAFTA talks?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's trip to Washington is about more than cocktail parties and magazine spreads. The softwood lumber issue is important to Canadian industry from coast to coast, and workers are worried about how the new agreement will affect their livelihoods. Softwood lumber is again open to negotiation, and our industry is vulnerable. Will the Prime Minister stand up for Canadians and refuse to grant concessions on softwood lumber?

Mr. Speaker, Canada and the United States are renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty, a 54-year-old agreement that has had tremendous impact on communities in the Columbia River basin, including three first nations. Last week, the government told those first nations they would be excluded from the talks, despite the massive effects that treaty has had on their territories. Why has the government excluded the first nations from the talks, and what happened to the government's commitment to a new nation-to-nation relationship?

Mr. Speaker, six months after flooding devastated their community, the people of Grand Forks are still recovering from the impacts of that flood. With winter setting in and the next potential flood only six months away, they are extremely anxious to get a firm commitment of support from the federal government. Can the government commit to working with the people of Grand Forks and the Boundary to support their recovery and mitigation efforts through infrastructure and public safety programs?

Mr. Speaker, the softwood lumber agreement expired last year, but the government has shown no signs of working to get a new deal. There are thousands of jobs on the line in forestry communities throughout British Columbia and across this country. The clock is ticking on these good, family-supporting jobs, and communities are looking for action.When does the government expect to have a new agreement in place to protect Canadian forestry jobs?

Mr. Speaker, last year the NDP introduced a motion calling on the government to reinstate the perishable agricultural commodities act. Since this was a Liberal campaign promise, growers across Canada were deeply disappointed when it did not happen. The agriculture committee also unanimously urged the minister to implement a payment protection model, but we still have not heard anything.When will the Liberals take action for our farmers and growers across Canada, do as they promised, and reinstate PACA?

Mr. Speaker, 100 days have now passed and we still have no deal on softwood lumber. The American industry claims Canadian producers are unfairly subsidized. We have fought 4 expensive trade battles in the last 35 years. In spite of assurances by the Minister of Trade little has been done to fix the problem, leaving Canadian producers, including those in British Columbia, to fight to survive.Why is the government putting our forest industry at risk?

Mr. Speaker, a Yukon judge has slammed the federal government and issued a wake-up call to Canadian taxpayers. The site of the Mount Nansen mine is now a toxic mess, and the company responsible filed for bankruptcy in 2004.Judge Veale of the Supreme Court of Yukon said the company is guilty of “raping and pillaging” the land. Now it is up to taxpayers to pick up the tab, which could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. What is the government doing to offset the costs for this site and others so that polluters pay, not the taxpayer?

Mr. Speaker, B.C. gives low-income seniors a bus pass so they can get around, and it also provides rent-geared-to-income housing so they can find homes they can afford to rent. This year, the CRA demanded that B.C. issue forms to those seniors for the full cost of the bus pass, over $500. While this does not affect their taxes, it artificially boosts the income used to calculate their rents. My friend Brigid has seen her rent go up by $240 per year under this new CRA policy.Why does the CRA keep going after the people who can least afford it?

Mr. Speaker, we are getting reports out of Penticton that all early morning and evening flights by WestJet and Air Canada have been cancelled for the past four days. This comes after a safety audit identified concerns with tree heights around the airport. These cancellations represent two-thirds of all flights in and out of Penticton and are causing serious disruption to the local economy.Can the Minister of Transport inform my constituents when these concerns will be addressed and when the Penticton airport will resume its normal operations?

Mr. Speaker, last month, the Kingston airport sealed up a hangar, which starved and eventually killed a decades-old colony of barn swallows. Some 80 nests of these threatened birds were lost needlessly. This was done apparently to adhere to Transport Canada policy. Such action during the breeding season would be an offence under the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Did the Minister of Transport, or any of his officials have any knowledge of this action?

Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?

Mr. Speaker, in less than a week, the softwood lumber agreement grace period will run out, and this could mean massive export tariffs on Canadian lumber, anywhere from 25% to 30%. If we do not get a new agreement, we could lose up to 22,000 jobs in British Columbia and across Canada. Yet the minister has refused to give any assurances this week. As the deadline looms, what is the government doing to protect forestry jobs in British Columbia?

Mr. Speaker, today is World Oceans Day, and Canadians are concerned about the health of our coastal waters. Instead of investing in clean, renewable energy, the Liberals have just spend $4.5 billion, our dollars, on an outdated pipeline that threatens our waterways, while doing nothing to address the catastrophic consequences of a bitumen spill.When it comes to an oil spill, the question is not if, but when, so why is the government forcing this pipeline through, when it has no way of protecting our waters?

Mr. Speaker, ANKORS is an HIV/AIDS outreach and support society in my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay. For many years, ANKORS has been providing prevention and harm-reduction services to at-risk populations, in 24 communities in the B.C. interior. However, they have just been informed that their federal funding will not be renewed. This will devastate HIV/AIDS outreach services in the B.C. interior. Will the Minister of Health reverse these cuts and ensure that the people in the Okanagan and Kootenays have access to these vital services?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Natural Resources often stands in the House and proclaims that the Kinder Morgan pipeline will be built. However, his own ministerial panel on Kinder Morgan posed the question on how to square the impact of this project with Canada's climate action commitments. Since the economy and the environment go hand in hand, can he stand here and proclaim that Canada will meet its 2030 Paris climate targets? If not, why not?

Mr. Speaker, last week I attended the Council of Forest Industries' convention in Vancouver and I heard concerns about the softwood lumber negotiations. Canada's chief negotiator said that this issue does knot appear to be front of mind for the new U.S. administration. We also heard that Canada needs to engage American businesses that would be hurt by higher lumber prices to press their government for fair treatment of the Canadian forest industry. What is the minister doing to ensure that the Canadian forest industry is more front of mind for the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, families from coast to coast are struggling with the cost of living, and they should not be on the hook for the cost of cleaning up abandoned oil wells or contaminated mine sites. Yesterday the Supreme Court agreed, saying, “Bankruptcy is not a license to ignore rules”.For too long, Liberal and Conservative governments have let companies escape their responsibilities. However, the Liberals have a chance to show whose side they are on, Canadians or corporations. Will they allow companies to walk away from their obligations, or will they make sure Canadians do not have to pay the cost?

Mr. Speaker, a recent report has revealed that a profitable Canadian mining company operates in Mongolia but uses a tax haven in Luxembourg. This company avoided paying Canadian taxes of $690 million and deprived Mongolia of $230 million. It only paid Luxembourg $89 million, where it has one part-time employee. However, wait for it. It is completely legal, because this company received written approval from the CRA to avoid paying Canadian taxes.How can the minister defend this sweetheart deal to the Canadians who are paying their fair share?

Mr. Speaker, education is a good equalizer, and today a good post-secondary education is essential to land a good job. However, recent data from Stats Canada shows that going to college or university is now more expensive than ever. Average tuition is now more than $6,500 a year, and that does not include additional fees, books, food, or housing. The Liberal government says it wants to lower the cost of post-secondary, but overall, government investment continues to go down. When will we see tuition fees decrease so that students can afford their education?

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, the U.S. filed a second complaint with the WTO against Canada over B.C. wine sales. This despite the fact that since 1988, the U.S. share for wine sales in Canada has more than doubled and the Canadian share of the U.S. market hovers just above zero. On top of this, the U.S. is demanding under NAFTA to allow greater access for U.S. wines in all retail channels across Canada. These heavy-handed trade complaints will damage Canada's wine industry. What is the government doing to protect the Canadian wine sector from these attacks?

Mr. Speaker, this spring, there were two significant sulphuric acid spills from transport trucks in Trail, B.C. Over a thousand cars that drove through the spills had to be written off because they were unsafe to drive. The Trail fire department lost two of their trucks. A smaller spill happened again in September. Regional authorities are deeply concerned that Transport Canada does not have the staffing capacity to effectively deal with incidents like this. Is Transport Canada investigating these acid spills? What enforcement actions will it take to resolve the issues faced by local residents and governments?

Mr. Speaker, the softwood lumber agreement expired last year, but the government has shown no signs of working to get a new deal. There are thousands of jobs on the line in forestry communities throughout British Columbia and across this country. The clock is ticking on these good, family-supporting jobs, and communities are looking for action.When does the government expect to have a new agreement in place to protect Canadian forestry jobs?

Mr. Speaker, last October, I asked the Minister of Foreign Affairs if she would stand up for the B.C. and Canadian wine industry in the face of U.S. demands for greater market access under NAFTA. Our wine industry creates over 37,000 jobs across Canada and is our highest value-added agricultural product, but over the last 20 years, the market share of Canadian wine has been almost halved while the U.S. share has more than doubled. Will the Prime Minister state in the House that he will not trade away the thousands of jobs in our wine industry at the eleventh hour of NAFTA talks?

Mr. Speaker, Canada and the United States are renegotiating the Columbia River Treaty, a 54-year-old agreement that has had tremendous impact on communities in the Columbia River basin, including three first nations. Last week, the government told those first nations they would be excluded from the talks, despite the massive effects that treaty has had on their territories. Why has the government excluded the first nations from the talks, and what happened to the government's commitment to a new nation-to-nation relationship?

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, the city of Grand Forks was inundated by flood waters. More than once, the Minister of Public Safety has stood in this House and assured Grand Forks that the federal government would “always, in every case, be there”, but on April 18, the federal government told Grand Forks that its application for a natural disaster mitigation program grant had been turned down. The people of Grand Forks cannot live through another devastating flood without adequate protection, so I ask the Prime Minister why the government is refusing to help.

Mr. Speaker, invasive species threaten the health of our ecosystems and our local economies. In my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, we are very concerned about the threat of zebra mussels. Today, the environment commissioner's report confirmed that the Liberal government has no plan and completely inadequate enforcement measures to keep invasive species out of our lakes and rivers.When will the Liberal government put in place a clear, science-based plan to protect our water from invasive species, with the resources to implement it?

Mr. Speaker, the Columbia River Treaty is nearing the end of its 60-year term, and needs to be brought up to date with 21st century needs and to ensure that Canada is receiving the benefit it deserves.A renegotiated treaty would better address the protection of the river's ecosystem; issues around climate change; and first nations' rights, which are completely ignored in the current treaty.When will the government truly begin renegotiation talks, and will it ensure that local voices are heard at the table?

Mr. Speaker, while the state of emergency in B.C. has ended, British Columbians are only now beginning to recover from the damage caused by the wildfires. Some of the 65,000 people evacuated returned to find their homes damaged or destroyed. Others came home to learn that they have been laid off from jobs in the hard-hit forestry sector. Like the strong people of Fort McMurray, British Columbians will rebuild, but they cannot do it alone. Will the Prime Minister commit to providing ongoing full financial assistance to communities devastated by these wildfires?

Mr. Speaker, last spring I tabled a motion in this chamber calling for an apology to the 100,000 British home children who were sent to Canada from 1869 to 1948, most of them simply used as cheap labour throughout their childhood. Last Thursday, the House unanimously passed a similar motion, and I thank the member for Montcalm and all the members of the House.When will the government present an official apology to the British home children and their descendants, and what measures will be taken to ensure that survivors and families can take part in this important moment?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission once again targeted the Canadian forest industry, a decision that the B.C. Lumber Trade Council has called “completely without merit”. The U.S. lumber industry is enjoying record profits and Canadian imports are at a lower level today than they were when deemed non-injurious by the ITC in the last round of litigation.What is the government doing today to support Canadian producers in their appeal of this latest American decision and when can we expect to see a long-term resolution to this ongoing battle?

Mr. Speaker, ever since the old Liberals slashed billions in funding for post-secondary education, the cost of tuition has skyrocketed. Now, according to the parliamentary budget officer, a majority of Canadian students are from higher-income families.The PBO also said that a majority of federal funding is benefiting these same wealthy families and the Liberals' recent budget will not significantly change the situation.The Liberals claim to help the middle class, but they are actually doing the opposite. Why do they not help all students to get a good, quality education?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's trip to Washington is about more than cocktail parties and magazine spreads. The softwood lumber issue is important to Canadian industry from coast to coast, and workers are worried about how the new agreement will affect their livelihoods. Softwood lumber is again open to negotiation, and our industry is vulnerable. Will the Prime Minister stand up for Canadians and refuse to grant concessions on softwood lumber?

Mr. Speaker, the question is about the perishable agricultural commodities act. It was a Liberal promise to reinstate it. It has not been reinstated, despite calls from growers, the NDP, and the agriculture committee.When will the Liberals take action and reinstate the perishable agricultural commodities act?

Mr. Speaker, six months after flooding devastated their community, the people of Grand Forks are still recovering from the impacts of that flood. With winter setting in and the next potential flood only six months away, they are extremely anxious to get a firm commitment of support from the federal government. Can the government commit to working with the people of Grand Forks and the Boundary to support their recovery and mitigation efforts through infrastructure and public safety programs?

Mr. Speaker, the new Navigable Waters Protection Act has created a bizarre situation where all waters are equal but some are more equal than others. In my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, Okanagan Lake is fully protected, but other lakes, such as Skaha, Vaseux and Osoyoos, Christina, and Slocan, which used to be protected pre-Harper, are not being re-listed in the Liberals legislation. It is absurd. Canadians will have to argue on a case by case basis to have their waters fully protected. Why will the Liberals not fully protect all our lakes and rivers in the new act like they promised?

Mr. Speaker, forestry is a major industry in my riding of South Okanagan—West Kootenay, and tens of thousands of jobs in British Columbia are dependent on that sector. The last time this sector was hit with American tariffs, the industry was devastated. Did the Prime Minister stand up for Canadian forestry workers and communities when he met with President Trump? When will the government develop a plan B to be ready for new American tariffs?

Mr. Speaker, recently, the high Arctic has seen record high temperatures, more than 30° above normal, leading to melting ice in the middle of winter. The Liberals promised to step up and have Canada do its part in the fight against climate change, but they kept Stephen Harper's weak, inadequate targets and they are not even going to meet those. Again, in the budget there was little or nothing for real climate action.When will the Liberals recognize the urgency and actually do what is necessary to fight climate change?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has a crucial role to oversee the safety and security of nuclear facilities, but this summer whistleblowers warned that CNSC staff failed to give critical safety information to commissioners. In spite of the seriousness of the allegation, the minister shrugged his shoulders and the CNSC president laughed it off, but Canadians deserve better.With new appointments to the nuclear watchdog expected soon, what is the minister's plan to improve oversight of nuclear safety?

Mr. Speaker, the fall economic update showered big business with tax breaks while doing little for small business. I am proud to represent one of Canada's major wine and spirit producing areas. Small craft distillers are proposing a reduction in excise tax for producers of less than 100,000 litres. A similar move in the U.S. dramatically boosted its industry, with each new distillery creating 20 to 100 new jobs. Can we count on the government support small business by supporting this proposal?

Mr. Speaker, for 10 long years, Stephen Harper received dozens of fossil awards. To be clear, they were ironic. Now the current Prime Minister is taking it to another level. Yesterday, a crowd of global oil and gas executives in Houston awarded the Prime Minister a true fossil award, an award for the approval of pipelines without the social licence that he said would be needed during the last election. People would be right to be confused. Is this seriously the real change Canadians were promised?

Mr. Speaker, a state of emergency has been declared in the community of Grand Forks, British Columbia, because of flooding. The surrounding boundary region has also been put under emergency watch, and homes and farmland are being flooded by rising water levels. The situation stands to get worse by the end of this week. Can the Prime Minister reassure constituents in my riding that this government will provide the necessary resources and assistance if and when needed?

Mr. Speaker, today a report on the state of Canada's birds is expected, with findings of dramatic declines in many species, most of this resulting from habitat loss. For instance, over the last 40 years, we have lost over half of our grassland bird populations, birds like meadowlarks and burrowing owls.The Liberals promised to protect 17% of Canada's wildlands and water by 2020, but have only hit 11%. An NDP government would protect 30% by 2030.Why are the Liberals making nothing but empty gestures and breaking their promise to protect our wildlife?

Madam Speaker, Amanda from Penticton has found that the money she gets from the Canada child benefit is useless, as there are no child care spaces for her daughter, so she cannot go back to work. Amanda began the Waitlisted Project online to document the difficulties parents face when looking for child care. They found that the child benefit is entirely inadequate for covering child care costs and does not open up any new spaces. This is unacceptable.Will the Liberals act immediately to create more child care spaces so that parents like Amanda can go back to work?

Mr. Speaker, the backbone of the South Okanagan economy is threatened by federal bureaucratic barriers and red tape. There is a vital irrigation canal that is in urgent need of repair. The town of Oliver and the province of British Columbia have both made funding commitments but they have been waiting three years for the federal government to step up with its share. The system is essential for 5,000 acres of orchards and vineyards.Will the government cut through the red tape and finally get this project funded?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and his cabinet have spent a lot of time south of the border, yet we have not seen real action on some of our biggest challenges.Softwood lumber is a crucial industry employing thousands of Canadians. The existing softwood lumber deal has expired, and Canadian companies could face massive duties and job losses.With the government's 100-day clock ticking down, when will it tell Canadians what it is doing to negotiate a new agreement to protect these jobs?