2016-01-25

Mr. Speaker, the thousands of people in my province employed in the energy sector want to hear from the Saskatchewan minister. The member for Wascana has a habit of voting against his own constituents instead of listening to the people back home in his riding. He voted to keep the wasteful gun registry. He jailed farmers under the Wheat Board, and he stayed silent while his Prime Minister killed the northern gateway.It is never too late to kick the habit. Will he stand today, denounce the divisive statements of the Liberal mayor of Montreal, and stand up for Saskatchewan's energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are appalled by the horrendous attacks in Jakarta and Ouagadougou. The families of the Canadian victims can count on our full humanitarian and consular assistance, including repatriation of remains. I am personally deeply aggrieved by the sudden end to the lives of the teachers who went to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to help a school. Let us carry on the victims' work by fighting terrorism wherever it rears its head and by doing good wherever it is needed.

Mr. Speaker, the recent attacks in which seven Canadians lost their lives were terrorist attacks. Reality is catching up with the Prime Minister. He has to realize that we are not bystanders and that the terrorist threat is real.Canada should not be on the sidelines when it comes to the international coalition. Canada must keep up its air strikes in order to root out terrorism. Training and humanitarian assistance are not enough to deal with these terrorists.Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadians and tell them that we will continue to have an important role in the fight against ISIS?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the world witnessed a horrendous terrorist attack in Jakarta, Indonesia, that took the life of one Canadian and another attack in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of six Canadians. Our thoughts are with the victims' families.Can the government tell the House what it is doing to support the investigations?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces and the air force are clearly doing an important job.However, we believe that by reworking its approach Canada will be an even stronger and effective combatant in the fight against this horrible terrorist group. In fact, coalition members frequently ask us to provide training and to do more in other important areas to counter terrorism. We will do so together with the Iraqis and all our allies on the ground, with courage and determination.

Mr. Speaker, for the last two years, Canadians have not actually attended this meeting. I attended a meeting with my coalition partners, I got to meet with Defence Secretary Fallon in London, and I got to meet with my counterparts in many different countries.More important, Canadians expect us to be responsible. That is why I am taking the time to ensure that we get this right, to ensure that we take the fight to this horrible enemy, and to ensure that we not only do it from a military manner, but also to bring in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development so we get this mission right.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the premier of Saskatchewan has actually quoted the Prime Minister on this matter. We understand that to develop our resources responsibly—

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Prime Minister should stop using his cell phone for selfies with Leo DiCaprio and pick it up and call Denis Coderre and fight for natural resources. There are almost 100,000 people out of work in this sector. Does the Prime Minister understand that his lack of leadership on this issue is creating divisions in the country?

Mr. Speaker, the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso found out through the media that their loved ones had died. It was not until 48 hours after the attack, after the official opposition intervened, that they finally got a call from the government.Since the attacks, we have not seen any compassion from the Prime Minister. His call to the husband of one of the victims was not worthy of a prime minister. The mother of another victim even said, and I quote, “I'm ashamed of my Prime Minister.”How does the Prime Minister justify his attitude towards the families of these victims and his government's bungling?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we left this government with a $1.2 billion surplus.The Liberals cannot even tell us how high their deficit will run and how much they are going to borrow from Canadians to pay for all their promises. They have already broken their promise to limit the deficit to $10 billion.Is the Minister of Finance a bad economic manager or, worse, does he just not care about the consequences?

Mr. Speaker, Hamas was listed as a terrorist group in 2002 by a Liberal government. Canada will always fight terrorism and will never do anything other than condemn Hamas terrorism. What we also want for our friend Israel is security, and for that we need a two-state solution. Any unilateral gestures, such as trying to recognize Palestine in a unilateral way instead of by the negotiations, or the settlements, are not a help for peace.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals decided to sign the very controversial trans-Pacific partnership with no changes, but there have been no consultations.Does the Prime Minister really think that people will fall for this? Does he think they will not realize that this is spin-doctoring and that he has no intention of changing a single thing? This will kill tens of thousands of good manufacturing sector jobs. It looks like the only factory that will keep operating at full capacity in Canada is the one that spits out the Prime Minister's platitudes, hollow words and clichés.

Mr. Speaker, freedom of religion is something that we will fight for very strongly. The way we will do it is something that the government is considering. All rights must be supported together. If we isolate them, they will be weaker; if we bring them together, they will be stronger. It is the approach that government will take in order to protect freedom of religion and all human rights everywhere that Canada needs to be.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and her allies have grown tired of the Liberals' incoherent messaging and lack of a concrete plan to defeat ISIS. That is why we were not invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris last week.When the Minister of National Defence was first asked why he was not attending the meeting, he used his busy schedule as an excuse. Later his office confirmed that he was never even invited. When will the minister apologize for intentionally misleading Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for members of all parties when I express grief for the tragedy in La Loche. However, condolences are not enough. Parliament must take action, because all too often the young people feel left alone, whether it is a suicide and violence in La Loche, or the 600 young people who gave up hope in a Mushkegowuk territory and tried to kill themselves since 2009. My question is for the health minister. Her department routinely rejects requests for counselling services for mental health for indigenous youth. What steps will she take to guarantee that practice will end and will not continue, not just in the days and weeks ahead but in the years to come?

Mr. Speaker, I think one of the main priorities and mandates of the Canadian Coast Guard is to protect our marine environment. I want to take this opportunity to assure the member, all members of this House, and the public that the Kathryn Spirit is not discharging any pollutants. In fact, the Quebec ministry of environment has confirmed that there is no risk of contamination. We will continue to work with our partners to mitigate any risks that fall within our jurisdiction.

Mr. Speaker, with all this chatter about Davos, I wonder if everyone has forgotten that the previous Prime Minister used that foreign and lofty perch to cut the retirement benefits of Canadians. It may have had something to do with his earlier retirement. However, my question is to the Minister of Fisheries.Right now there is an abandoned derelict vessel of great concern locally. I think that Canadians across this country are concerned about derelict vessels. The Kathryn Spirit was abandoned by its Mexican owners and no one is making sure that the toxic material within does not leak into Lac Saint-Louis. Could the Minister of Fisheries give us an update please.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister went to Switzerland to hang out with the one percent, but he could not actually help running down the people back at home who are working hard every day. The natural resources sector has some of the world's leading technology, scientific innovation, and creativity, but the Prime Minister just does not get it because it is not his world. He just does not care about these jobs.Does the Prime Minister understand he is insulting Canadians right across the country when he insults the natural resources sector?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have not yet brought in one new program to create even a single job. I know of a shovel-ready, massive stimulus project that would create thousands of new jobs all across this country and would not cost taxpayers a cent. It is energy east. We know the Liberals have a habit of saying different things in different parts of the country, so will the regional minister for Saskatchewan assure the House that he clearly supports the energy east project? Will he stand today and denounce the Liberal mayor of Montreal's divisive statements?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the mayor of Montreal and the metropolitan community announced that they were against the energy east project. That is bad news for the Canadian economy. We need this project for Canada's economy and for every one of Canada's natural resource sectors.What did the Prime Minister do about this while he was in Davos? Between selfies, he showed total disrespect for our natural resources industry. It is insulting and unworthy of a Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister call his old friend, Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal, and tell him that energy east is a good project for all Canadians, all Montrealers, and all Quebeckers?

Mr. Speaker, what a difference six months makes. In July, Canada was hosting a anti-ISIS meeting in Quebec City, and now we were not even invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris. The Liberals' incoherent and indecisive messaging has diminished Canada's reputation on the world stage. When will the Prime Minister provide Canadians and our allies with a detailed strategy to defeat ISIS, and will he leave our CF-18s in the fight?

Mr. Speaker, today we are in mourning and we offer our sincere condolences to the community of La Loche.We must do more, though. Too many young people in our northern communities are growing up without hope, and they need support. The Conservatives blithely made cuts to health care services. Now, Health Canada is regularly turning down requests for mental health services for first nations, even though these services are available to other Canadians.Will the minister put an end to this discrimination and finally help those who need these services?

Mr. Speaker, having grown up in a large farming household, with all the opportunities and challenges that it provides, I have a strong place in my heart for this country's agricultural sector. I recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a cattle producer in my riding who operates a large feedlot. His biggest concern was the discriminatory U.S. country of origin labelling policy and its effects on his operation.A WTO arbitrator recently ruled that Canada could levy more than $1 billion in tariffs in retaliation for the discriminatory response. Would the Minister of International Trade update the House on this recent development regarding this situation?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to this question, although obviously it is under tremendously tragic circumstances. I want to say first of all how deeply I grieve with all Canadians for the tragedy that took place in La Loche. Immediately upon hearing the news, I spoke to the folks at the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ensure that they were sending crisis workers to the community, and they did so immediately. I have been in touch on a daily basis with the folks in Saskatchewan. I have committed to people in that community that the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch will continue to provide support for mental health needs in the community in the days and months to come.

Mr. Speaker, over 100,000 jobs now have been lost in Alberta. Housing values are dropping. People are desperate. Anyone who thinks this is only an Alberta problem is sadly mistaken, and now the mayor of Montreal has come out opposing energy east. Where was the Prime Minister? He was in Davos being star-struck by Hollywood actors.If the Prime Minister will not show his leadership, will one Liberal member of Parliament from Alberta, one of the four, stand up for western Canadian jobs?

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened by the news from La Loche, in Saskatchewan.On Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened about the news from La Loche, Saskatchewan. Our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers are with the community and with the families and friends of the victims. Could the Prime Minister update the House on any new situation with the issues that happened in La Loche?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is trying to dress up the same old Senate appointment system in new clothing.I do not know exactly who it thinks it is fooling. It has announced an unelected, unaccountable board that will be making secret recommendations for an unelected Senate, and the Prime Minister will just continue to appoint whomever he pleases.Why do the Liberals support the same old, unelected, unaccountable Senate?

Mr. Speaker, for months now, we have seen a growing wave of deadly attacks against Israelis by Palestinians, driven by the incitement of their leaders. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority make it clear they refuse to accept Israel's right to exist. Leaders of both entities have spoken openly of a third intifada, an uprising against Israel.Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain his outrageously vague expression of concern yesterday and tell the House why he will not explicitly condemn the incitement?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to thank my colleague for all of her hard work in this area. I am also pleased to tell the House that, as of today, 13,800 Syrian refugees will have arrived in Canada.However, more important than the numbers, we have done this well, the world has noticed, and Canadians can take great pride in welcoming 25,000 people from a vicious civil war into our wonderful country of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, Quebec has made it legal to charge ancillary fees for publicly insured health care services, even though this practice violates the Canada Health Act. It is unacceptable for a person's access to health care to be determined by the size of his wallet. I wrote to the minister in November to inform her of this situation, but I have still not received an answer.What is the minister going to do to protect the accessibility of the public health care system across the country?

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the Liberal Party's proposal, which will be central to our budget and involves giving a new family allowance to Canadian families. This will put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families. The NDP criticized this proposal during the election campaign, but we want to put more money in the pockets of Canadians who really need it, and that is exactly what we are going to do with the family allowance for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as opposition to TransCanada's energy east pipeline project grows, mayors in and premiers of western provinces are attacking Quebec, calling this pipeline Quebec's contribution to the Canadian economy and threatening that they will demand that Quebec pay back equalization payments. They are acting as though they own Quebec, in the name of Canadian unity. Quebec has different values and has made different environmental choices. It is up to us Quebeckers to decide what happens in our own backyard.Will the Prime Minister respect Quebeckers' right to say no to having a pipeline go through their national territory?

Mr. Speaker, this is a lesson to a new minister: never ask a question to which he does not know the answer. In fact, our government saw four major pipelines built across Canada, two of the pipelines to the U.S., with approximately 1.25 million barrels of oil per day flowing safely and responsibly to market. That is what our government did on this side of the House, and that is a fact.We want to see more pipelines built. They create jobs and investment. Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call his friend the mayor of Montreal, and tell him to smarten up and start standing up for Canadians jobs?

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the importance of the resource economy to Canada. We know that 20% of our country's GDP is embedded in the natural resource sector. We are committed to developing this sector in a responsible way because we understand that tens of thousands of people are now suffering because of low commodity prices, not only in Alberta and Saskatchewan but in New Brunswick as well. We understand the importance of developing the sector responsibly. We also understand that the consequence of this downturn has a real impact on people. We understand that and we recognize it—

Mr. Speaker, a new study reveals the TPP will cost 58,000 jobs and worsen income inequality. Many of the jobs at risk are in my community and others like it throughout southern Ontario. In spite of the reality for these families, the minister tries to hide behind technicalities, but it is simple. If she does not support the deal, why would she sign it? Therefore, will the minister stand up for Canadian jobs, or will she sign the Conservative's bad deal?

Mr. Speaker, the trans-Pacific partnership was negotiated in secret during the final days of the Conservative government. Now, after campaign promises of a more open government with real consultations, the Liberals say they will sign the Conservative-negotiated trade deal with absolutely no changes.TPP would kill 58,000 Canadian jobs, weaken supply management, hurt our auto sector, and put Canadian innovators at a competitive disadvantage. Why is the Prime Minister signing this bad Conservative trade deal without the consultations he promised?

Mr. Speaker, on December 10, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship told the House that he would reinstate the moratorium on deporting citizens of Zimbabwe and Haiti, but we checked, and the department has received no such instructions.When will the minister act on his statement here in the House and reinstate the moratorium? Does he understand how excruciating this is for the people who fear deportation?

Mr. Speaker, the matter of mental health needs in first nations and other indigenous communities is a pressing matter that I will pay full attention to. I agree with the member that up until now there have been inadequate resources and serious gaps in terms of the health outcomes and the opportunities that first nations and Inuit children have to access these resources. We will do everything in our power to make some changes in that area, and I will work in the months and years to come to make it so.

Mr. Speaker, the former Conservative government slashed environmental protections and gutted pipeline reviews, leaving out first nations on issues like climate change and cutting public participation. Last fall, the Liberals promised to reverse the damage and put in place a new review process for all pipelines, including existing proposals, but, as I speak, the Kinder Morgan and energy east reviews are continuing under the Conservatives' broken rules.Will the minister stop pushing through reviews that come from the old discredited government and make good on the Liberals' election promise to establish new, stronger rules?

Mr. Speaker, by appointing Mary Jean McFall as the chief of staff, the Minister of Agriculture is disregarding rules that were intended to protect Canadians from corruption. Ms. McFall's family is the owner of the largest egg producing corporation and she herself was listed as being the owner of $140 million worth of egg quota in 2010.The minister makes decisions with regard to this family business on a regular basis. How can he justify her hiring and how can he justify this blatant conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, that minister has a whole different definition of public than the rest of us.The members of the Senate appointment board were chosen by the Prime Minister at his absolute discretion, in secret. Their suggestions are reviewed by the Prime Minister in secret. The names of unsuccessful candidates remain secret. The reasons why the Prime Minister will chose one candidate over another will be a secret.Will a pattern develop as to who is being passed over by the Prime Minister? Perhaps, but that will be a secret. In fact, it appears it will remain a secret whether the Prime Minister even uses the list or casts it aside entirely.My question is as follows. Why are these the two values at the centre of this ostensibly new process: number one, absolute secrecy; and number two, absolute authority to do whatever he wants on the part of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats oppose this deal without reading it and without consulting with Canadians. We promised during the campaign to consult with Canadians and that is what we are doing. That is why since being sworn in as minister, I have already had more than 70 meetings about the TPP. That is why, today, I have written to my colleagues in the House and asked that our trade committee study the deal carefully.The NDP knows, notwithstanding the posturing we have heard today, that signing and ratifying are very different things, and in trade deals technicalities really do matter.

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister was swanning around Switzerland with actors and billionaires, Conservatives were back at home listening to business owners and volunteers and regular Canadians. What we heard from them is that they are increasingly concerned that the Prime Minister has no plan for the economy.Canadians are worried about their jobs, they are worried about the cost of groceries, and they are worried about their kids' futures. Infrastructure is not going to be enough. What is the Prime Minister's plan to get these people back to work?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's veterans have suffered cuts to benefits, the closure of front-line offices and worse. Suicide rates have climbed, homelessness has increased, and yet veterans still face unacceptable waits for mental health services. The report on veterans' treatment, buried by the previous government, is still missing in action.Our veterans need help today. They should not have to wait for the minister to get around to reopening offices. When will all veterans finally get the mental health and other services they need?

Mr. Speaker, one of the major obligations of the Government of Canada is to make sure our resources end up at tidewater responsibly, and to do that we have to have processes that have the confidence of Canadians. If we had had the confidence of Canadians, these major pipelines might have been built a long time ago, but there is none of that. However, after we get through with a consultation process that has substance, includes indigenous peoples, and understands environmental issues, we will have a better chance than that government had.

Mr. Speaker, we have said all along that there will be a transitional process that will govern those major projects that are currently under review. That process will embody the principles that will be necessary if we are going to get approval of these very important projects for Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. In an odd way, we are taking the member's advice.

Mr. Speaker, Veterans Affairs is working hard to rectify many of the situations that she has put forward. We are going to be reopening offices. We are hiring more front-line staff. We are going to get a handle on our mental health issues. We are ensuring that our front-line staff is delivering the services in a timely manner for our men and women who have fought for this nation. I can assure the member that we are working hard and we will see a better Veterans Affairs going forward than the one we saw under the former government.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her heartfelt words and indeed add to them personally that the entire government and indeed the country stands with the community of La Loche. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the community, to the family members, and we offer all of our support.The RCMP and victim support services are working hard to make sure that we are giving the kind of support necessary to a community, not just in these difficult days, but in the weeks, months, and indeed years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the goals are public but everything the Prime Minister does with them is a secret.On the subject of electoral reform, in the past two months we have seen a tsunami of editorials across the country calling for a referendum on electoral reform. The Globe and Mail summarizes this near-unanimity by stating that electoral reform would be “...the biggest ever change in Canadian democracy. It will change how members of Parliament are elected, how governments are formed and who forms them....”The Globe's conclusion was categorical: “When it comes to a change this big and this fundamental to our democracy, the only people qualified to decide are the people themselves. This has to go to a referendum.”Is not The Globe and Mail right?

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the people of Mississauga—Erin Mills in the House today. In my riding and across the country, Canadians have shown their willingness to help those who suffer and find themselves displaced from their homes and their countries. People have responded more than positively to the government's commitment to take in Syrian refugees. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship update the House on the number of Syrian refugees who have arrived on Canadian soil?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his hard work. I, too, am a daughter and a granddaughter of farmers and ranchers. I am delighted to report to the House that on December 18, the U.S. Congress repealed this discriminatory legislation.We have heard a lot about western jobs today, but I am really—

Mr. Speaker, the government is profoundly moved by the victims' suffering, and the Prime Minister is as well.I want to thank the staff at our international emergency operations centre and the on-site staff in Burkina Faso, who worked heroically to help the victims' families.I can assure the House that the victims' families will continue to receive full consular assistance, including help to bring the bodies back home. We owe them that. They have suffered a horrible tragedy, and our hearts go out to them.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to find a responsible way to move these resources to international markets. They want to determine the safest, most economically advantageous and environmentally responsible way of moving them. The only way that these resources will move across the country is if the people of Canada have public confidence in the decisions that got us there. That is our commitment. That is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, first, I hope the hon. member for Battlefords—Lloydminster will join with me in supporting and cheering the repeal of COOL. When it comes to TPP, the former government negotiated the deal in secret without consulting with Canadians. We are keeping our promise to listen to Canadians and to consult on this deal. Since being sworn in, I have been part of more than 70 consultations on this issue. Today, I wrote a letter to my colleagues in the House and in the Senate asking committees to study it. The Conservatives did not—

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to consult with Canadians in Winnipeg and in Halifax, and in two weeks in Vancouver. My first trip outside of Ottawa was to Calgary, where I had an excellent conversation with industry leaders who had just come to the realization that if we are to determine the best way of getting our resources to market, we will need government, environmentalists, indigenous leaders, and industry.If we are not able to accomplish that, we will have the record about which the people across should not be very boastful.

Mr. Speaker, in bad economic times, those who have the least suffer the most. In the upcoming budget, choices will have to be made. Helping families and fighting inequality must be a priority.The parliamentary budget officer has confirmed that the Liberal tax plan primarily helps the wealthy and that most Canadians, including the lowest-paid workers, will get absolutely nothing from the Liberal plan.Will the Prime Minister accept the NDP's proposal, which the parliamentary budget officer—

Mr. Speaker, I would not mind having the member's voting record: the number of people who have voted for him over these last 27 years. I am sure one of the many reasons they vote for him is that he listens to them and he is responsive to what they have to say. This government will be responsive to what Canadians tell us about moving these resources to market responsibly. That is the way we develop public confidence, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, it is quite something to hear that party talk about bad economic management.We were elected on a platform to invest in Canada to ensure a stronger future, create the growth that has been lacking for 10 years now, and create jobs for the middle class and all those who want to join it.That is what we are going to do. We are working hard every day to provide Canadians with job prospects and that is what we will keep doing with our budget.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud western Canadian, I will stand up for jobs in Alberta, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.If this were question and answer period, I would ask opposition members how many major pipelines they built in 10 years. The answer would be zero.The reason they did not build major pipelines is that their process did not have the public confidence of Canadians. We are talking to Canadians now, and what comes after these consultations will be Canadians' confidence in delivering these resources to market in a sustainable way.

Mr. Speaker, I have just met with my provincial and territorial colleagues and have reiterated to them that our government fully supports the principles of the Canada Health Act, which are meant to ensure that all Canadians have reasonable access to medically necessary care based upon need and not based upon the ability to pay. I am committed to working with my provincial and territorial colleagues to uphold the Canada Health Act. I will continue to discuss this with my provincial and territorial colleagues in the months to come.

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to convening a parliamentary committee to study this and to consult broadly with Canadians.I would like to take this opportunity to remind the members of this House that 100 years ago this week, the women of Manitoba secured the right to vote for women, and that is worthy of celebration.

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister just said is false, according to the parliamentary budget officer's findings last week.Last year, while sitting on the board of governors of Carleton University, Michael Wernick said that a group of peaceful students protesting an increase in tuition fees had “no place in a lawful democratic society”, and then he likened them to “Brownshirts and Maoists”.The Prime Minister just appointed the same Mr. Wernick to be the Clerk of the Privy Council, the highest position in Canada's civil service.Will the Prime Minister ask his new Clerk of the Privy Council to apologize for these totally unacceptable remarks?

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite peculiar that the hon. member does not realize that when we talk about the resourcefulness of Canadians, we include the natural resources sector and the people who work extremely hard to innovate, to create technologies, to build on science, to ensure that while they are working hard we are creating the very best of value to everything we have to offer the world. Resourcefulness is at the heart of everything Canadians do and will continue to be as long as we are in government.

Mr. Speaker, major projects will proceed if Canadians feel that they have been heard and if Canadians feel as if the process enjoys their confidence. It is possible in Canada to look at environmental protection and economic development at the same time. That is the commitment of this government, and that is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, the government seems to forget that the pipeline is the safest and most environmentally friendly way to transport oil. It is important, and it is part of the equation. We know that it is very important to Quebec's economy. We are talking about 3,000 jobs and economic spinoffs of more than $1 billion. Quebec's economy and Canada's economy need this project. When will the Prime Minister take his position seriously? When will the Prime Minister take responsibility and call the mayor of Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that if we are serious about wanting to consult Canadians and members of Parliament, which we are, we have to sign next week so that we can hold those consultations. If we adopted the NDP's approach and decided not to sign next week, that would mean not consulting people or analyzing whether this is a good agreement for Canadians. That is not what we are going to do. We will be accountable, which is what Canadians asked us to be when they elected us.

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to have Michael Wernick as the new Clerk of the Privy Council. Mr. Wernick has had a long career in the public service. We look forward to working with him to renew the professional and non-partisan public service.

Mr. Speaker, my chief of staff has a strong agricultural background and is a pillar of her community. From day one in my office she was subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and any recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner will be followed in detail.

Mr. Speaker, of course I will be at that meeting in New Zealand. I am pleased to report to the House that I met with many of the TPP ministers at the WTO ministerial, which was held at Davos.We are working very closely with the other TPP countries and consulting with Canadians. This is an important issue and we are working hard on it.

Mr. Speaker, we all welcome the opportunity to study this again. Of course, the former chair of the trade committee for the House of Commons had hearings while that negotiation was going on. We welcome the minister's epiphany on the road from Davos to signing the TPP, but there is also a meeting of TPP ministers the day before that signing that is also very important as they study prospective new partners in the TPP. Has she been invited to that meeting, or have we been left out just like we were in Paris?

Mr. Speaker, once again it is interesting that the members opposite are criticizing us for not getting done in 10 weeks what they were unable to do in 10 years.We are working very hard right across the country with municipal leaders and with provincial leaders to ensure we are creating the social licence, the oversight, the environmental responsibility, and the partnership with communities to get our resources to market in a responsible way, because that is what it takes in the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years we have watched Canada not have the kind of growth to create opportunities for Canadians, which is why we were elected on a commitment to create investment in our communities, to create jobs for Canadians. Part of what I was doing in Davos was talking to leaders like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Mary Barra of GM about the challenges they are facing, and to Axel Weber of UBS, to draw in people in investing, from companies like Ubisoft, GE, and Unilever, who are already tremendously invested in Canada. We are working hard every day to create jobs for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with my Quebec counterpart. We made a firm decision to allow these people to stay in Canada. That is what we decided, and that is what will happen.

Mr. Speaker, just like COOL, the heavy lifting has been done on TPP. Canadian business may welcome the minister's statement in the last couple of days. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Canadian Agri-food Trade Alliance and Canadian manufacturers have been telling the minister to ratify TPP to maintain our strong portion of global supply chains.If she really thinks she is Canada's chief marketing officer, when will she listen to these stakeholders and ratify this important agreement?

Mr. Speaker, the Montreal metropolitan community tabled its report based on public consultations held last fall regarding TransCanada's energy east pipeline; 82 municipalities representing four million Quebeckers are against this pipeline project.Since this project clearly does not meet the social licence requirement set by the Prime Minister, will he listen to the representatives of some four million Quebeckers and honour his election promise to not go ahead with this pipeline?

Mr. Speaker, meeting with our coalition partners is extremely important. That is why in my first two weeks of taking on my mandate I hosted the Halifax security conference, where I got to meet with my counterparts from all over the world. More important, meeting with political leaders is actually to get the ground truth on the ground. That is why I went to the region twice within two months. That is how serious we take this mission.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for my chief of staff to have a strong agricultural background. As I said before, she is subject to the Conflict of Interest Act. Also, any recommendations provided by the non-partisan Ethics Commissioner will be followed.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians mandated us to provide real change to the Senate without opening up the Constitution.I was pleased to announce at the beginning of December, with the House leader, the implementation of a new merit-based assessment process that is public, made available online. In a few months, for the first time ever, Canadians will be able to apply to become senators. That is real change.

Mr. Speaker, we are building the Canadian economy, and the Canadian economy will be built with large projects if they have the public confidence of Canadians. They have not had the public confidence of Canadians, which is why we are committed to modernizing the National Energy Board, and that modernization will proceed with a set of principles. The set of principles will include meaningful consultation with indigenous Canadians, a respect for the environment in all decisions, and an understanding that moving these resources to—

Mr. Speaker, the advisory board will be guided by a public, merit-based criteria that will allow it to assess the nominees according to those rules.For the first time we have opened the doors and we are reaching out to the provinces with the vacancies to be filled. Again, that is real change. It is the kind of historic change that we have not seen in the Senate for some time. We are confident it will enhance the public's confidence in this important democratic institution.

Mr. Speaker, following her defeat as a Liberal Party candidate, Mary Jean McFall was appointed to be the chief of staff to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Ms. McFall is also a member of the family that owns Burnbrae Farms. In 2010, federal regulations showed that she owned nearly 140 million dollars' worth of egg quota under supply management.Since the Minister of Agriculture has to deal with supply management issues every day, why does he think it is acceptable for his chief of staff to have a $140-million personal interest in a company that is directly connected to supply management?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question because it allows me to set something absolutely straight.We were elected on a commitment to consult with Canadians and indeed to consult with the House of Commons before a decision was made on the trans-Pacific partnership. Indeed, not signing in the upcoming step would mean that we decided, without consulting with Parliament, not to go forward with the TPP.Of course, we are open to consulting with Canadians and consulting with Parliament, and that is the step that brings us toward ratification or not. That is what it is all about, and that is our commitment.

Mr. Speaker, last week leaders from the Jewish, Sikh, and Muslim communities wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicating their strong support for the Office of Religious Freedom. They wrote that the office “has proven an effective advocate...raising our country's profile as a world leader in human rights promotion on the international stage.” This office is bringing people together internationally and here at home. Will the minister commit today to keeping this vital office open?

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened by the news from La Loche, in Saskatchewan.On Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened about the news from La Loche, Saskatchewan. Our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers are with the community and with the families and friends of the victims. Could the Prime Minister update the House on any new situation with the issues that happened in La Loche?

Mr. Speaker, Hamas was listed as a terrorist group in 2002 by a Liberal government. Canada will always fight terrorism and will never do anything other than condemn Hamas terrorism. What we also want for our friend Israel is security, and for that we need a two-state solution. Any unilateral gestures, such as trying to recognize Palestine in a unilateral way instead of by the negotiations, or the settlements, are not a help for peace.

Mr. Speaker, over 100,000 jobs now have been lost in Alberta. Housing values are dropping. People are desperate. Anyone who thinks this is only an Alberta problem is sadly mistaken, and now the mayor of Montreal has come out opposing energy east. Where was the Prime Minister? He was in Davos being star-struck by Hollywood actors.If the Prime Minister will not show his leadership, will one Liberal member of Parliament from Alberta, one of the four, stand up for western Canadian jobs?

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with my Quebec counterpart. We made a firm decision to allow these people to stay in Canada. That is what we decided, and that is what will happen.

Mr. Speaker, it is quite something to hear that party talk about bad economic management.We were elected on a platform to invest in Canada to ensure a stronger future, create the growth that has been lacking for 10 years now, and create jobs for the middle class and all those who want to join it.That is what we are going to do. We are working hard every day to provide Canadians with job prospects and that is what we will keep doing with our budget.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's veterans have suffered cuts to benefits, the closure of front-line offices and worse. Suicide rates have climbed, homelessness has increased, and yet veterans still face unacceptable waits for mental health services. The report on veterans' treatment, buried by the previous government, is still missing in action.Our veterans need help today. They should not have to wait for the minister to get around to reopening offices. When will all veterans finally get the mental health and other services they need?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we left this government with a $1.2 billion surplus.The Liberals cannot even tell us how high their deficit will run and how much they are going to borrow from Canadians to pay for all their promises. They have already broken their promise to limit the deficit to $10 billion.Is the Minister of Finance a bad economic manager or, worse, does he just not care about the consequences?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister went to Switzerland to hang out with the one percent, but he could not actually help running down the people back at home who are working hard every day. The natural resources sector has some of the world's leading technology, scientific innovation, and creativity, but the Prime Minister just does not get it because it is not his world. He just does not care about these jobs.Does the Prime Minister understand he is insulting Canadians right across the country when he insults the natural resources sector?

Mr. Speaker, the government is profoundly moved by the victims' suffering, and the Prime Minister is as well.I want to thank the staff at our international emergency operations centre and the on-site staff in Burkina Faso, who worked heroically to help the victims' families.I can assure the House that the victims' families will continue to receive full consular assistance, including help to bring the bodies back home. We owe them that. They have suffered a horrible tragedy, and our hearts go out to them.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the mayor of Montreal and the metropolitan community announced that they were against the energy east project. That is bad news for the Canadian economy. We need this project for Canada's economy and for every one of Canada's natural resource sectors.What did the Prime Minister do about this while he was in Davos? Between selfies, he showed total disrespect for our natural resources industry. It is insulting and unworthy of a Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister call his old friend, Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal, and tell him that energy east is a good project for all Canadians, all Montrealers, and all Quebeckers?

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for members of all parties when I express grief for the tragedy in La Loche. However, condolences are not enough. Parliament must take action, because all too often the young people feel left alone, whether it is a suicide and violence in La Loche, or the 600 young people who gave up hope in a Mushkegowuk territory and tried to kill themselves since 2009. My question is for the health minister. Her department routinely rejects requests for counselling services for mental health for indigenous youth. What steps will she take to guarantee that practice will end and will not continue, not just in the days and weeks ahead but in the years to come?

Mr. Speaker, a new study reveals the TPP will cost 58,000 jobs and worsen income inequality. Many of the jobs at risk are in my community and others like it throughout southern Ontario. In spite of the reality for these families, the minister tries to hide behind technicalities, but it is simple. If she does not support the deal, why would she sign it? Therefore, will the minister stand up for Canadian jobs, or will she sign the Conservative's bad deal?

Mr. Speaker, for months now, we have seen a growing wave of deadly attacks against Israelis by Palestinians, driven by the incitement of their leaders. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority make it clear they refuse to accept Israel's right to exist. Leaders of both entities have spoken openly of a third intifada, an uprising against Israel.Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain his outrageously vague expression of concern yesterday and tell the House why he will not explicitly condemn the incitement?

Mr. Speaker, the trans-Pacific partnership was negotiated in secret during the final days of the Conservative government. Now, after campaign promises of a more open government with real consultations, the Liberals say they will sign the Conservative-negotiated trade deal with absolutely no changes.TPP would kill 58,000 Canadian jobs, weaken supply management, hurt our auto sector, and put Canadian innovators at a competitive disadvantage. Why is the Prime Minister signing this bad Conservative trade deal without the consultations he promised?

Mr. Speaker, by appointing Mary Jean McFall as the chief of staff, the Minister of Agriculture is disregarding rules that were intended to protect Canadians from corruption. Ms. McFall's family is the owner of the largest egg producing corporation and she herself was listed as being the owner of $140 million worth of egg quota in 2010.The minister makes decisions with regard to this family business on a regular basis. How can he justify her hiring and how can he justify this blatant conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, that minister has a whole different definition of public than the rest of us.The members of the Senate appointment board were chosen by the Prime Minister at his absolute discretion, in secret. Their suggestions are reviewed by the Prime Minister in secret. The names of unsuccessful candidates remain secret. The reasons why the Prime Minister will chose one candidate over another will be a secret.Will a pattern develop as to who is being passed over by the Prime Minister? Perhaps, but that will be a secret. In fact, it appears it will remain a secret whether the Prime Minister even uses the list or casts it aside entirely.My question is as follows. Why are these the two values at the centre of this ostensibly new process: number one, absolute secrecy; and number two, absolute authority to do whatever he wants on the part of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question because it allows me to set something absolutely straight.We were elected on a commitment to consult with Canadians and indeed to consult with the House of Commons before a decision was made on the trans-Pacific partnership. Indeed, not signing in the upcoming step would mean that we decided, without consulting with Parliament, not to go forward with the TPP.Of course, we are open to consulting with Canadians and consulting with Parliament, and that is the step that brings us toward ratification or not. That is what it is all about, and that is our commitment.

Mr. Speaker, the goals are public but everything the Prime Minister does with them is a secret.On the subject of electoral reform, in the past two months we have seen a tsunami of editorials across the country calling for a referendum on electoral reform. The Globe and Mail summarizes this near-unanimity by stating that electoral reform would be “...the biggest ever change in Canadian democracy. It will change how members of Parliament are elected, how governments are formed and who forms them....”The Globe's conclusion was categorical: “When it comes to a change this big and this fundamental to our democracy, the only people qualified to decide are the people themselves. This has to go to a referendum.”Is not The Globe and Mail right?

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister just said is false, according to the parliamentary budget officer's findings last week.Last year, while sitting on the board of governors of Carleton University, Michael Wernick said that a group of peaceful students protesting an increase in tuition fees had “no place in a lawful democratic society”, and then he likened them to “Brownshirts and Maoists”.The Prime Minister just appointed the same Mr. Wernick to be the Clerk of the Privy Council, the highest position in Canada's civil service.Will the Prime Minister ask his new Clerk of the Privy Council to apologize for these totally unacceptable remarks?

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister was swanning around Switzerland with actors and billionaires, Conservatives were back at home listening to business owners and volunteers and regular Canadians. What we heard from them is that they are increasingly concerned that the Prime Minister has no plan for the economy.Canadians are worried about their jobs, they are worried about the cost of groceries, and they are worried about their kids' futures. Infrastructure is not going to be enough. What is the Prime Minister's plan to get these people back to work?

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the premier of Saskatchewan has actually quoted the Prime Minister on this matter. We understand that to develop our resources responsibly—

Mr. Speaker, on December 10, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship told the House that he would reinstate the moratorium on deporting citizens of Zimbabwe and Haiti, but we checked, and the department has received no such instructions.When will the minister act on his statement here in the House and reinstate the moratorium? Does he understand how excruciating this is for the people who fear deportation?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the world witnessed a horrendous terrorist attack in Jakarta, Indonesia, that took the life of one Canadian and another attack in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of six Canadians. Our thoughts are with the victims' families.Can the government tell the House what it is doing to support the investigations?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that if we are serious about wanting to consult Canadians and members of Parliament, which we are, we have to sign next week so that we can hold those consultations. If we adopted the NDP's approach and decided not to sign next week, that would mean not consulting people or analyzing whether this is a good agreement for Canadians. That is not what we are going to do. We will be accountable, which is what Canadians asked us to be when they elected us.

Mr. Speaker, once again it is interesting that the members opposite are criticizing us for not getting done in 10 weeks what they were unable to do in 10 years.We are working very hard right across the country with municipal leaders and with provincial leaders to ensure we are creating the social licence, the oversight, the environmental responsibility, and the partnership with communities to get our resources to market in a responsible way, because that is what it takes in the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, the thousands of people in my province employed in the energy sector want to hear from the Saskatchewan minister. The member for Wascana has a habit of voting against his own constituents instead of listening to the people back home in his riding. He voted to keep the wasteful gun registry. He jailed farmers under the Wheat Board, and he stayed silent while his Prime Minister killed the northern gateway.It is never too late to kick the habit. Will he stand today, denounce the divisive statements of the Liberal mayor of Montreal, and stand up for Saskatchewan's energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her heartfelt words and indeed add to them personally that the entire government and indeed the country stands with the community of La Loche. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the community, to the family members, and we offer all of our support.The RCMP and victim support services are working hard to make sure that we are giving the kind of support necessary to a community, not just in these difficult days, but in the weeks, months, and indeed years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is trying to dress up the same old Senate appointment system in new clothing.I do not know exactly who it thinks it is fooling. It has announced an unelected, unaccountable board that will be making secret recommendations for an unelected Senate, and the Prime Minister will just continue to appoint whomever he pleases.Why do the Liberals support the same old, unelected, unaccountable Senate?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and her allies have grown tired of the Liberals' incoherent messaging and lack of a concrete plan to defeat ISIS. That is why we were not invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris last week.When the Minister of National Defence was first asked why he was not attending the meeting, he used his busy schedule as an excuse. Later his office confirmed that he was never even invited. When will the minister apologize for intentionally misleading Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the former Conservative government slashed environmental protections and gutted pipeline reviews, leaving out first nations on issues like climate change and cutting public participation. Last fall, the Liberals promised to reverse the damage and put in place a new review process for all pipelines, including existing proposals, but, as I speak, the Kinder Morgan and energy east reviews are continuing under the Conservatives' broken rules.Will the minister stop pushing through reviews that come from the old discredited government and make good on the Liberals' election promise to establish new, stronger rules?

Mr. Speaker, the Montreal metropolitan community tabled its report based on public consultations held last fall regarding TransCanada's energy east pipeline; 82 municipalities representing four million Quebeckers are against this pipeline project.Since this project clearly does not meet the social licence requirement set by the Prime Minister, will he listen to the representatives of some four million Quebeckers and honour his election promise to not go ahead with this pipeline?

Mr. Speaker, for the last two years, Canadians have not actually attended this meeting. I attended a meeting with my coalition partners, I got to meet with Defence Secretary Fallon in London, and I got to meet with my counterparts in many different countries.More important, Canadians expect us to be responsible. That is why I am taking the time to ensure that we get this right, to ensure that we take the fight to this horrible enemy, and to ensure that we not only do it from a military manner, but also to bring in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development so we get this mission right.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have not yet brought in one new program to create even a single job. I know of a shovel-ready, massive stimulus project that would create thousands of new jobs all across this country and would not cost taxpayers a cent. It is energy east. We know the Liberals have a habit of saying different things in different parts of the country, so will the regional minister for Saskatchewan assure the House that he clearly supports the energy east project? Will he stand today and denounce the Liberal mayor of Montreal's divisive statements?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to this question, although obviously it is under tremendously tragic circumstances. I want to say first of all how deeply I grieve with all Canadians for the tragedy that took place in La Loche. Immediately upon hearing the news, I spoke to the folks at the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ensure that they were sending crisis workers to the community, and they did so immediately. I have been in touch on a daily basis with the folks in Saskatchewan. I have committed to people in that community that the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch will continue to provide support for mental health needs in the community in the days and months to come.

Mr. Speaker, the matter of mental health needs in first nations and other indigenous communities is a pressing matter that I will pay full attention to. I agree with the member that up until now there have been inadequate resources and serious gaps in terms of the health outcomes and the opportunities that first nations and Inuit children have to access these resources. We will do everything in our power to make some changes in that area, and I will work in the months and years to come to make it so.

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are appalled by the horrendous attacks in Jakarta and Ouagadougou. The families of the Canadian victims can count on our full humanitarian and consular assistance, including repatriation of remains. I am personally deeply aggrieved by the sudden end to the lives of the teachers who went to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to help a school. Let us carry on the victims' work by fighting terrorism wherever it rears its head and by doing good wherever it is needed.

Mr. Speaker, major projects will proceed if Canadians feel that they have been heard and if Canadians feel as if the process enjoys their confidence. It is possible in Canada to look at environmental protection and economic development at the same time. That is the commitment of this government, and that is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, Quebec has made it legal to charge ancillary fees for publicly insured health care services, even though this practice violates the Canada Health Act. It is unacceptable for a person's access to health care to be determined by the size of his wallet. I wrote to the minister in November to inform her of this situation, but I have still not received an answer.What is the minister going to do to protect the accessibility of the public health care system across the country?

Mr. Speaker, last week leaders from the Jewish, Sikh, and Muslim communities wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicating their strong support for the Office of Religious Freedom. They wrote that the office “has proven an effective advocate...raising our country's profile as a world leader in human rights promotion on the international stage.” This office is bringing people together internationally and here at home. Will the minister commit today to keeping this vital office open?

Mr. Speaker, we have said all along that there will be a transitional process that will govern those major projects that are currently under review. That process will embody the principles that will be necessary if we are going to get approval of these very important projects for Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. In an odd way, we are taking the member's advice.

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite peculiar that the hon. member does not realize that when we talk about the resourcefulness of Canadians, we include the natural resources sector and the people who work extremely hard to innovate, to create technologies, to build on science, to ensure that while they are working hard we are creating the very best of value to everything we have to offer the world. Resourcefulness is at the heart of everything Canadians do and will continue to be as long as we are in government.

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Prime Minister should stop using his cell phone for selfies with Leo DiCaprio and pick it up and call Denis Coderre and fight for natural resources. There are almost 100,000 people out of work in this sector. Does the Prime Minister understand that his lack of leadership on this issue is creating divisions in the country?

Mr. Speaker, what a difference six months makes. In July, Canada was hosting a anti-ISIS meeting in Quebec City, and now we were not even invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris. The Liberals' incoherent and indecisive messaging has diminished Canada's reputation on the world stage. When will the Prime Minister provide Canadians and our allies with a detailed strategy to defeat ISIS, and will he leave our CF-18s in the fight?

Mr. Speaker, I have just met with my provincial and territorial colleagues and have reiterated to them that our government fully supports the principles of the Canada Health Act, which are meant to ensure that all Canadians have reasonable access to medically necessary care based upon need and not based upon the ability to pay. I am committed to working with my provincial and territorial colleagues to uphold the Canada Health Act. I will continue to discuss this with my provincial and territorial colleagues in the months to come.

Mr. Speaker, following her defeat as a Liberal Party candidate, Mary Jean McFall was appointed to be the chief of staff to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Ms. McFall is also a member of the family that owns Burnbrae Farms. In 2010, federal regulations showed that she owned nearly 140 million dollars' worth of egg quota under supply management.Since the Minister of Agriculture has to deal with supply management issues every day, why does he think it is acceptable for his chief of staff to have a $140-million personal interest in a company that is directly connected to supply management?

Mr. Speaker, the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso found out through the media that their loved ones had died. It was not until 48 hours after the attack, after the official opposition intervened, that they finally got a call from the government.Since the attacks, we have not seen any compassion from the Prime Minister. His call to the husband of one of the victims was not worthy of a prime minister. The mother of another victim even said, and I quote, “I'm ashamed of my Prime Minister.”How does the Prime Minister justify his attitude towards the families of these victims and his government's bungling?

Mr. Speaker, Veterans Affairs is working hard to rectify many of the situations that she has put forward. We are going to be reopening offices. We are hiring more front-line staff. We are going to get a handle on our mental health issues. We are ensuring that our front-line staff is delivering the services in a timely manner for our men and women who have fought for this nation. I can assure the member that we are working hard and we will see a better Veterans Affairs going forward than the one we saw under the former government.

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces and the air force are clearly doing an important job.However, we believe that by reworking its approach Canada will be an even stronger and effective combatant in the fight against this horrible terrorist group. In fact, coalition members frequently ask us to provide training and to do more in other important areas to counter terrorism. We will do so together with the Iraqis and all our allies on the ground, with courage and determination.

Mr. Speaker, my chief of staff has a strong agricultural background and is a pillar of her community. From day one in my office she was subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and any recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner will be followed in detail.

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the importance of the resource economy to Canada. We know that 20% of our country's GDP is embedded in the natural resource sector. We are committed to developing this sector in a responsible way because we understand that tens of thousands of people are now suffering because of low commodity prices, not only in Alberta and Saskatchewan but in New Brunswick as well. We understand the importance of developing the sector responsibly. We also understand that the consequence of this downturn has a real impact on people. We understand that and we recognize it—

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his hard work. I, too, am a daughter and a granddaughter of farmers and ranchers. I am delighted to report to the House that on December 18, the U.S. Congress repealed this discriminatory legislation.We have heard a lot about western jobs today, but I am really—

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to have Michael Wernick as the new Clerk of the Privy Council. Mr. Wernick has had a long career in the public service. We look forward to working with him to renew the professional and non-partisan public service.

Mr. Speaker, with all this chatter about Davos, I wonder if everyone has forgotten that the previous Prime Minister used that foreign and lofty perch to cut the retirement benefits of Canadians. It may have had something to do with his earlier retirement. However, my question is to the Minister of Fisheries.Right now there is an abandoned derelict vessel of great concern locally. I think that Canadians across this country are concerned about derelict vessels. The Kathryn Spirit was abandoned by its Mexican owners and no one is making sure that the toxic material within does not leak into Lac Saint-Louis. Could the Minister of Fisheries give us an update please.

Mr. Speaker, first, I hope the hon. member for Battlefords—Lloydminster will join with me in supporting and cheering the repeal of COOL. When it comes to TPP, the former government negotiated the deal in secret without consulting with Canadians. We are keeping our promise to listen to Canadians and to consult on this deal. Since being sworn in, I have been part of more than 70 consultations on this issue. Today, I wrote a letter to my colleagues in the House and in the Senate asking committees to study it. The Conservatives did not—

Mr. Speaker, this is a lesson to a new minister: never ask a question to which he does not know the answer. In fact, our government saw four major pipelines built across Canada, two of the pipelines to the U.S., with approximately 1.25 million barrels of oil per day flowing safely and responsibly to market. That is what our government did on this side of the House, and that is a fact.We want to see more pipelines built. They create jobs and investment. Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call his friend the mayor of Montreal, and tell him to smarten up and start standing up for Canadians jobs?

Mr. Speaker, today we are in mourning and we offer our sincere condolences to the community of La Loche.We must do more, though. Too many young people in our northern communities are growing up without hope, and they need support. The Conservatives blithely made cuts to health care services. Now, Health Canada is regularly turning down requests for mental health services for first nations, even though these services are available to other Canadians.Will the minister put an end to this discrimination and finally help those who need these services?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to find a responsible way to move these resources to international markets. They want to determine the safest, most economically advantageous and environmentally responsible way of moving them. The only way that these resources will move across the country is if the people of Canada have public confidence in the decisions that got us there. That is our commitment. That is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, meeting with our coalition partners is extremely important. That is why in my first two weeks of taking on my mandate I hosted the Halifax security conference, where I got to meet with my counterparts from all over the world. More important, meeting with political leaders is actually to get the ground truth on the ground. That is why I went to the region twice within two months. That is how serious we take this mission.

Mr. Speaker, we are building the Canadian economy, and the Canadian economy will be built with large projects if they have the public confidence of Canadians. They have not had the public confidence of Canadians, which is why we are committed to modernizing the National Energy Board, and that modernization will proceed with a set of principles. The set of principles will include meaningful consultation with indigenous Canadians, a respect for the environment in all decisions, and an understanding that moving these resources to—

Mr. Speaker, having grown up in a large farming household, with all the opportunities and challenges that it provides, I have a strong place in my heart for this country's agricultural sector. I recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a cattle producer in my riding who operates a large feedlot. His biggest concern was the discriminatory U.S. country of origin labelling policy and its effects on his operation.A WTO arbitrator recently ruled that Canada could levy more than $1 billion in tariffs in retaliation for the discriminatory response. Would the Minister of International Trade update the House on this recent development regarding this situation?

Mr. Speaker, as opposition to TransCanada's energy east pipeline project grows, mayors in and premiers of western provinces are attacking Quebec, calling this pipeline Quebec's contribution to the Canadian economy and threatening that they will demand that Quebec pay back equalization payments. They are acting as though they own Quebec, in the name of Canadian unity. Quebec has different values and has made different environmental choices. It is up to us Quebeckers to decide what happens in our own backyard.Will the Prime Minister respect Quebeckers' right to say no to having a pipeline go through their national territory?

Mr. Speaker, of course I will be at that meeting in New Zealand. I am pleased to report to the House that I met with many of the TPP ministers at the WTO ministerial, which was held at Davos.We are working very closely with the other TPP countries and consulting with Canadians. This is an important issue and we are working hard on it.

Mr. Speaker, in bad economic times, those who have the least suffer the most. In the upcoming budget, choices will have to be made. Helping families and fighting inequality must be a priority.The parliamentary budget officer has confirmed that the Liberal tax plan primarily helps the wealthy and that most Canadians, including the lowest-paid workers, will get absolutely nothing from the Liberal plan.Will the Prime Minister accept the NDP's proposal, which the parliamentary budget officer—

Mr. Speaker, I think one of the main priorities and mandates of the Canadian Coast Guard is to protect our marine environment. I want to take this opportunity to assure the member, all members of this House, and the public that the Kathryn Spirit is not discharging any pollutants. In fact, the Quebec ministry of environment has confirmed that there is no risk of contamination. We will continue to work with our partners to mitigate any risks that fall within our jurisdiction.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals decided to sign the very controversial trans-Pacific partnership with no changes, but there have been no consultations.Does the Prime Minister really think that people will fall for this? Does he think they will not realize that this is spin-doctoring and that he has no intention of changing a single thing? This will kill tens of thousands of good manufacturing sector jobs. It looks like the only factory that will keep operating at full capacity in Canada is the one that spits out the Prime Minister's platitudes, hollow words and clichés.

Mr. Speaker, the recent attacks in which seven Canadians lost their lives were terrorist attacks. Reality is catching up with the Prime Minister. He has to realize that we are not bystanders and that the terrorist threat is real.Canada should not be on the sidelines when it comes to the international coalition. Canada must keep up its air strikes in order to root out terrorism. Training and humanitarian assistance are not enough to deal with these terrorists.Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadians and tell them that we will continue to have an important role in the fight against ISIS?

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats oppose this deal without reading it and without consulting with Canadians. We promised during the campaign to consult with Canadians and that is what we are doing. That is why since being sworn in as minister, I have already had more than 70 meetings about the TPP. That is why, today, I have written to my colleagues in the House and asked that our trade committee study the deal carefully.The NDP knows, notwithstanding the posturing we have heard today, that signing and ratifying are very different things, and in trade deals technicalities really do matter.

Mr. Speaker, one of the major obligations of the Government of Canada is to make sure our resources end up at tidewater responsibly, and to do that we have to have processes that have the confidence of Canadians. If we had had the confidence of Canadians, these major pipelines might have been built a long time ago, but there is none of that. However, after we get through with a consultation process that has substance, includes indigenous peoples, and understands environmental issues, we will have a better chance than that government had.

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years we have watched Canada not have the kind of growth to create opportunities for Canadians, which is why we were elected on a commitment to create investment in our communities, to create jobs for Canadians. Part of what I was doing in Davos was talking to leaders like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Mary Barra of GM about the challenges they are facing, and to Axel Weber of UBS, to draw in people in investing, from companies like Ubisoft, GE, and Unilever, who are already tremendously invested in Canada. We are working hard every day to create jobs for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians mandated us to provide real change to the Senate without opening up the Constitution.I was pleased to announce at the beginning of December, with the House leader, the implementation of a new merit-based assessment process that is public, made available online. In a few months, for the first time ever, Canadians will be able to apply to become senators. That is real change.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for my chief of staff to have a strong agricultural background. As I said before, she is subject to the Conflict of Interest Act. Also, any recommendations provided by the non-partisan Ethics Commissioner will be followed.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud western Canadian, I will stand up for jobs in Alberta, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.If this were question and answer period, I would ask opposition members how many major pipelines they built in 10 years. The answer would be zero.The reason they did not build major pipelines is that their process did not have the public confidence of Canadians. We are talking to Canadians now, and what comes after these consultations will be Canadians' confidence in delivering these resources to market in a sustainable way.

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to convening a parliamentary committee to study this and to consult broadly with Canadians.I would like to take this opportunity to remind the members of this House that 100 years ago this week, the women of Manitoba secured the right to vote for women, and that is worthy of celebration.

Mr. Speaker, I would not mind having the member's voting record: the number of people who have voted for him over these last 27 years. I am sure one of the many reasons they vote for him is that he listens to them and he is responsive to what they have to say. This government will be responsive to what Canadians tell us about moving these resources to market responsibly. That is the way we develop public confidence, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, just like COOL, the heavy lifting has been done on TPP. Canadian business may welcome the minister's statement in the last couple of days. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Canadian Agri-food Trade Alliance and Canadian manufacturers have been telling the minister to ratify TPP to maintain our strong portion of global supply chains.If she really thinks she is Canada's chief marketing officer, when will she listen to these stakeholders and ratify this important agreement?

Mr. Speaker, the advisory board will be guided by a public, merit-based criteria that will allow it to assess the nominees according to those rules.For the first time we have opened the doors and we are reaching out to the provinces with the vacancies to be filled. Again, that is real change. It is the kind of historic change that we have not seen in the Senate for some time. We are confident it will enhance the public's confidence in this important democratic institution.

Mr. Speaker, freedom of religion is something that we will fight for very strongly. The way we will do it is something that the government is considering. All rights must be supported together. If we isolate them, they will be weaker; if we bring them together, they will be stronger. It is the approach that government will take in order to protect freedom of religion and all human rights everywhere that Canada needs to be.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to thank my colleague for all of her hard work in this area. I am also pleased to tell the House that, as of today, 13,800 Syrian refugees will have arrived in Canada.However, more important than the numbers, we have done this well, the world has noticed, and Canadians can take great pride in welcoming 25,000 people from a vicious civil war into our wonderful country of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, the government seems to forget that the pipeline is the safest and most environmentally friendly way to transport oil. It is important, and it is part of the equation. We know that it is very important to Quebec's economy. We are talking about 3,000 jobs and economic spinoffs of more than $1 billion. Quebec's economy and Canada's economy need this project. When will the Prime Minister take his position seriously? When will the Prime Minister take responsibility and call the mayor of Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to consult with Canadians in Winnipeg and in Halifax, and in two weeks in Vancouver. My first trip outside of Ottawa was to Calgary, where I had an excellent conversation with industry leaders who had just come to the realization that if we are to determine the best way of getting our resources to market, we will need government, environmentalists, indigenous leaders, and industry.If we are not able to accomplish that, we will have the record about which the people across should not be very boastful.

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the Liberal Party's proposal, which will be central to our budget and involves giving a new family allowance to Canadian families. This will put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families. The NDP criticized this proposal during the election campaign, but we want to put more money in the pockets of Canadians who really need it, and that is exactly what we are going to do with the family allowance for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we all welcome the opportunity to study this again. Of course, the former chair of the trade committee for the House of Commons had hearings while that negotiation was going on. We welcome the minister's epiphany on the road from Davos to signing the TPP, but there is also a meeting of TPP ministers the day before that signing that is also very important as they study prospective new partners in the TPP. Has she been invited to that meeting, or have we been left out just like we were in Paris?

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the people of Mississauga—Erin Mills in the House today. In my riding and across the country, Canadians have shown their willingness to help those who suffer and find themselves displaced from their homes and their countries. People have responded more than positively to the government's commitment to take in Syrian refugees. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship update the House on the number of Syrian refugees who have arrived on Canadian soil?

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to represent the people of Mississauga—Erin Mills in the House today. In my riding and across the country, Canadians have shown their willingness to help those who suffer and find themselves displaced from their homes and their countries. People have responded more than positively to the government's commitment to take in Syrian refugees. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship update the House on the number of Syrian refugees who have arrived on Canadian soil?

Mr. Speaker, we all welcome the opportunity to study this again. Of course, the former chair of the trade committee for the House of Commons had hearings while that negotiation was going on. We welcome the minister's epiphany on the road from Davos to signing the TPP, but there is also a meeting of TPP ministers the day before that signing that is also very important as they study prospective new partners in the TPP. Has she been invited to that meeting, or have we been left out just like we were in Paris?

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the Liberal Party's proposal, which will be central to our budget and involves giving a new family allowance to Canadian families. This will put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 families. The NDP criticized this proposal during the election campaign, but we want to put more money in the pockets of Canadians who really need it, and that is exactly what we are going to do with the family allowance for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to consult with Canadians in Winnipeg and in Halifax, and in two weeks in Vancouver. My first trip outside of Ottawa was to Calgary, where I had an excellent conversation with industry leaders who had just come to the realization that if we are to determine the best way of getting our resources to market, we will need government, environmentalists, indigenous leaders, and industry.If we are not able to accomplish that, we will have the record about which the people across should not be very boastful.

Mr. Speaker, the government seems to forget that the pipeline is the safest and most environmentally friendly way to transport oil. It is important, and it is part of the equation. We know that it is very important to Quebec's economy. We are talking about 3,000 jobs and economic spinoffs of more than $1 billion. Quebec's economy and Canada's economy need this project. When will the Prime Minister take his position seriously? When will the Prime Minister take responsibility and call the mayor of Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to thank my colleague for all of her hard work in this area. I am also pleased to tell the House that, as of today, 13,800 Syrian refugees will have arrived in Canada.However, more important than the numbers, we have done this well, the world has noticed, and Canadians can take great pride in welcoming 25,000 people from a vicious civil war into our wonderful country of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, freedom of religion is something that we will fight for very strongly. The way we will do it is something that the government is considering. All rights must be supported together. If we isolate them, they will be weaker; if we bring them together, they will be stronger. It is the approach that government will take in order to protect freedom of religion and all human rights everywhere that Canada needs to be.

Mr. Speaker, the advisory board will be guided by a public, merit-based criteria that will allow it to assess the nominees according to those rules.For the first time we have opened the doors and we are reaching out to the provinces with the vacancies to be filled. Again, that is real change. It is the kind of historic change that we have not seen in the Senate for some time. We are confident it will enhance the public's confidence in this important democratic institution.

Mr. Speaker, just like COOL, the heavy lifting has been done on TPP. Canadian business may welcome the minister's statement in the last couple of days. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Canadian Agri-food Trade Alliance and Canadian manufacturers have been telling the minister to ratify TPP to maintain our strong portion of global supply chains.If she really thinks she is Canada's chief marketing officer, when will she listen to these stakeholders and ratify this important agreement?

Mr. Speaker, I would not mind having the member's voting record: the number of people who have voted for him over these last 27 years. I am sure one of the many reasons they vote for him is that he listens to them and he is responsive to what they have to say. This government will be responsive to what Canadians tell us about moving these resources to market responsibly. That is the way we develop public confidence, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to convening a parliamentary committee to study this and to consult broadly with Canadians.I would like to take this opportunity to remind the members of this House that 100 years ago this week, the women of Manitoba secured the right to vote for women, and that is worthy of celebration.

Mr. Speaker, as a proud western Canadian, I will stand up for jobs in Alberta, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.If this were question and answer period, I would ask opposition members how many major pipelines they built in 10 years. The answer would be zero.The reason they did not build major pipelines is that their process did not have the public confidence of Canadians. We are talking to Canadians now, and what comes after these consultations will be Canadians' confidence in delivering these resources to market in a sustainable way.

Mr. Speaker, it is important for my chief of staff to have a strong agricultural background. As I said before, she is subject to the Conflict of Interest Act. Also, any recommendations provided by the non-partisan Ethics Commissioner will be followed.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians mandated us to provide real change to the Senate without opening up the Constitution.I was pleased to announce at the beginning of December, with the House leader, the implementation of a new merit-based assessment process that is public, made available online. In a few months, for the first time ever, Canadians will be able to apply to become senators. That is real change.

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years we have watched Canada not have the kind of growth to create opportunities for Canadians, which is why we were elected on a commitment to create investment in our communities, to create jobs for Canadians. Part of what I was doing in Davos was talking to leaders like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Mary Barra of GM about the challenges they are facing, and to Axel Weber of UBS, to draw in people in investing, from companies like Ubisoft, GE, and Unilever, who are already tremendously invested in Canada. We are working hard every day to create jobs for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, one of the major obligations of the Government of Canada is to make sure our resources end up at tidewater responsibly, and to do that we have to have processes that have the confidence of Canadians. If we had had the confidence of Canadians, these major pipelines might have been built a long time ago, but there is none of that. However, after we get through with a consultation process that has substance, includes indigenous peoples, and understands environmental issues, we will have a better chance than that government had.

Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats oppose this deal without reading it and without consulting with Canadians. We promised during the campaign to consult with Canadians and that is what we are doing. That is why since being sworn in as minister, I have already had more than 70 meetings about the TPP. That is why, today, I have written to my colleagues in the House and asked that our trade committee study the deal carefully.The NDP knows, notwithstanding the posturing we have heard today, that signing and ratifying are very different things, and in trade deals technicalities really do matter.

Mr. Speaker, the recent attacks in which seven Canadians lost their lives were terrorist attacks. Reality is catching up with the Prime Minister. He has to realize that we are not bystanders and that the terrorist threat is real.Canada should not be on the sidelines when it comes to the international coalition. Canada must keep up its air strikes in order to root out terrorism. Training and humanitarian assistance are not enough to deal with these terrorists.Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadians and tell them that we will continue to have an important role in the fight against ISIS?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals decided to sign the very controversial trans-Pacific partnership with no changes, but there have been no consultations.Does the Prime Minister really think that people will fall for this? Does he think they will not realize that this is spin-doctoring and that he has no intention of changing a single thing? This will kill tens of thousands of good manufacturing sector jobs. It looks like the only factory that will keep operating at full capacity in Canada is the one that spits out the Prime Minister's platitudes, hollow words and clichés.

Mr. Speaker, in bad economic times, those who have the least suffer the most. In the upcoming budget, choices will have to be made. Helping families and fighting inequality must be a priority.The parliamentary budget officer has confirmed that the Liberal tax plan primarily helps the wealthy and that most Canadians, including the lowest-paid workers, will get absolutely nothing from the Liberal plan.Will the Prime Minister accept the NDP's proposal, which the parliamentary budget officer—

Mr. Speaker, I think one of the main priorities and mandates of the Canadian Coast Guard is to protect our marine environment. I want to take this opportunity to assure the member, all members of this House, and the public that the Kathryn Spirit is not discharging any pollutants. In fact, the Quebec ministry of environment has confirmed that there is no risk of contamination. We will continue to work with our partners to mitigate any risks that fall within our jurisdiction.

Mr. Speaker, of course I will be at that meeting in New Zealand. I am pleased to report to the House that I met with many of the TPP ministers at the WTO ministerial, which was held at Davos.We are working very closely with the other TPP countries and consulting with Canadians. This is an important issue and we are working hard on it.

Mr. Speaker, as opposition to TransCanada's energy east pipeline project grows, mayors in and premiers of western provinces are attacking Quebec, calling this pipeline Quebec's contribution to the Canadian economy and threatening that they will demand that Quebec pay back equalization payments. They are acting as though they own Quebec, in the name of Canadian unity. Quebec has different values and has made different environmental choices. It is up to us Quebeckers to decide what happens in our own backyard.Will the Prime Minister respect Quebeckers' right to say no to having a pipeline go through their national territory?

Mr. Speaker, having grown up in a large farming household, with all the opportunities and challenges that it provides, I have a strong place in my heart for this country's agricultural sector. I recently had the distinct pleasure of speaking with a cattle producer in my riding who operates a large feedlot. His biggest concern was the discriminatory U.S. country of origin labelling policy and its effects on his operation.A WTO arbitrator recently ruled that Canada could levy more than $1 billion in tariffs in retaliation for the discriminatory response. Would the Minister of International Trade update the House on this recent development regarding this situation?

Mr. Speaker, we are building the Canadian economy, and the Canadian economy will be built with large projects if they have the public confidence of Canadians. They have not had the public confidence of Canadians, which is why we are committed to modernizing the National Energy Board, and that modernization will proceed with a set of principles. The set of principles will include meaningful consultation with indigenous Canadians, a respect for the environment in all decisions, and an understanding that moving these resources to—

Mr. Speaker, meeting with our coalition partners is extremely important. That is why in my first two weeks of taking on my mandate I hosted the Halifax security conference, where I got to meet with my counterparts from all over the world. More important, meeting with political leaders is actually to get the ground truth on the ground. That is why I went to the region twice within two months. That is how serious we take this mission.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want to find a responsible way to move these resources to international markets. They want to determine the safest, most economically advantageous and environmentally responsible way of moving them. The only way that these resources will move across the country is if the people of Canada have public confidence in the decisions that got us there. That is our commitment. That is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, today we are in mourning and we offer our sincere condolences to the community of La Loche.We must do more, though. Too many young people in our northern communities are growing up without hope, and they need support. The Conservatives blithely made cuts to health care services. Now, Health Canada is regularly turning down requests for mental health services for first nations, even though these services are available to other Canadians.Will the minister put an end to this discrimination and finally help those who need these services?

Mr. Speaker, this is a lesson to a new minister: never ask a question to which he does not know the answer. In fact, our government saw four major pipelines built across Canada, two of the pipelines to the U.S., with approximately 1.25 million barrels of oil per day flowing safely and responsibly to market. That is what our government did on this side of the House, and that is a fact.We want to see more pipelines built. They create jobs and investment. Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call his friend the mayor of Montreal, and tell him to smarten up and start standing up for Canadians jobs?

Mr. Speaker, first, I hope the hon. member for Battlefords—Lloydminster will join with me in supporting and cheering the repeal of COOL. When it comes to TPP, the former government negotiated the deal in secret without consulting with Canadians. We are keeping our promise to listen to Canadians and to consult on this deal. Since being sworn in, I have been part of more than 70 consultations on this issue. Today, I wrote a letter to my colleagues in the House and in the Senate asking committees to study it. The Conservatives did not—

Mr. Speaker, with all this chatter about Davos, I wonder if everyone has forgotten that the previous Prime Minister used that foreign and lofty perch to cut the retirement benefits of Canadians. It may have had something to do with his earlier retirement. However, my question is to the Minister of Fisheries.Right now there is an abandoned derelict vessel of great concern locally. I think that Canadians across this country are concerned about derelict vessels. The Kathryn Spirit was abandoned by its Mexican owners and no one is making sure that the toxic material within does not leak into Lac Saint-Louis. Could the Minister of Fisheries give us an update please.

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased to have Michael Wernick as the new Clerk of the Privy Council. Mr. Wernick has had a long career in the public service. We look forward to working with him to renew the professional and non-partisan public service.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his hard work. I, too, am a daughter and a granddaughter of farmers and ranchers. I am delighted to report to the House that on December 18, the U.S. Congress repealed this discriminatory legislation.We have heard a lot about western jobs today, but I am really—

Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the importance of the resource economy to Canada. We know that 20% of our country's GDP is embedded in the natural resource sector. We are committed to developing this sector in a responsible way because we understand that tens of thousands of people are now suffering because of low commodity prices, not only in Alberta and Saskatchewan but in New Brunswick as well. We understand the importance of developing the sector responsibly. We also understand that the consequence of this downturn has a real impact on people. We understand that and we recognize it—

Mr. Speaker, my chief of staff has a strong agricultural background and is a pillar of her community. From day one in my office she was subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and any recommendations from the Ethics Commissioner will be followed in detail.

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Armed Forces and the air force are clearly doing an important job.However, we believe that by reworking its approach Canada will be an even stronger and effective combatant in the fight against this horrible terrorist group. In fact, coalition members frequently ask us to provide training and to do more in other important areas to counter terrorism. We will do so together with the Iraqis and all our allies on the ground, with courage and determination.

Mr. Speaker, Veterans Affairs is working hard to rectify many of the situations that she has put forward. We are going to be reopening offices. We are hiring more front-line staff. We are going to get a handle on our mental health issues. We are ensuring that our front-line staff is delivering the services in a timely manner for our men and women who have fought for this nation. I can assure the member that we are working hard and we will see a better Veterans Affairs going forward than the one we saw under the former government.

Mr. Speaker, the families of the victims of the terrorist attack in Burkina Faso found out through the media that their loved ones had died. It was not until 48 hours after the attack, after the official opposition intervened, that they finally got a call from the government.Since the attacks, we have not seen any compassion from the Prime Minister. His call to the husband of one of the victims was not worthy of a prime minister. The mother of another victim even said, and I quote, “I'm ashamed of my Prime Minister.”How does the Prime Minister justify his attitude towards the families of these victims and his government's bungling?

Mr. Speaker, maybe the Prime Minister should stop using his cell phone for selfies with Leo DiCaprio and pick it up and call Denis Coderre and fight for natural resources. There are almost 100,000 people out of work in this sector. Does the Prime Minister understand that his lack of leadership on this issue is creating divisions in the country?

Mr. Speaker, what a difference six months makes. In July, Canada was hosting a anti-ISIS meeting in Quebec City, and now we were not even invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris. The Liberals' incoherent and indecisive messaging has diminished Canada's reputation on the world stage. When will the Prime Minister provide Canadians and our allies with a detailed strategy to defeat ISIS, and will he leave our CF-18s in the fight?

Mr. Speaker, I have just met with my provincial and territorial colleagues and have reiterated to them that our government fully supports the principles of the Canada Health Act, which are meant to ensure that all Canadians have reasonable access to medically necessary care based upon need and not based upon the ability to pay. I am committed to working with my provincial and territorial colleagues to uphold the Canada Health Act. I will continue to discuss this with my provincial and territorial colleagues in the months to come.

Mr. Speaker, following her defeat as a Liberal Party candidate, Mary Jean McFall was appointed to be the chief of staff to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Ms. McFall is also a member of the family that owns Burnbrae Farms. In 2010, federal regulations showed that she owned nearly 140 million dollars' worth of egg quota under supply management.Since the Minister of Agriculture has to deal with supply management issues every day, why does he think it is acceptable for his chief of staff to have a $140-million personal interest in a company that is directly connected to supply management?

Mr. Speaker, I find it quite peculiar that the hon. member does not realize that when we talk about the resourcefulness of Canadians, we include the natural resources sector and the people who work extremely hard to innovate, to create technologies, to build on science, to ensure that while they are working hard we are creating the very best of value to everything we have to offer the world. Resourcefulness is at the heart of everything Canadians do and will continue to be as long as we are in government.

Mr. Speaker, we have said all along that there will be a transitional process that will govern those major projects that are currently under review. That process will embody the principles that will be necessary if we are going to get approval of these very important projects for Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. In an odd way, we are taking the member's advice.

Mr. Speaker, last week leaders from the Jewish, Sikh, and Muslim communities wrote to the Minister of Foreign Affairs indicating their strong support for the Office of Religious Freedom. They wrote that the office “has proven an effective advocate...raising our country's profile as a world leader in human rights promotion on the international stage.” This office is bringing people together internationally and here at home. Will the minister commit today to keeping this vital office open?

Mr. Speaker, Quebec has made it legal to charge ancillary fees for publicly insured health care services, even though this practice violates the Canada Health Act. It is unacceptable for a person's access to health care to be determined by the size of his wallet. I wrote to the minister in November to inform her of this situation, but I have still not received an answer.What is the minister going to do to protect the accessibility of the public health care system across the country?

Mr. Speaker, major projects will proceed if Canadians feel that they have been heard and if Canadians feel as if the process enjoys their confidence. It is possible in Canada to look at environmental protection and economic development at the same time. That is the commitment of this government, and that is what we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are appalled by the horrendous attacks in Jakarta and Ouagadougou. The families of the Canadian victims can count on our full humanitarian and consular assistance, including repatriation of remains. I am personally deeply aggrieved by the sudden end to the lives of the teachers who went to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso to help a school. Let us carry on the victims' work by fighting terrorism wherever it rears its head and by doing good wherever it is needed.

Mr. Speaker, the matter of mental health needs in first nations and other indigenous communities is a pressing matter that I will pay full attention to. I agree with the member that up until now there have been inadequate resources and serious gaps in terms of the health outcomes and the opportunities that first nations and Inuit children have to access these resources. We will do everything in our power to make some changes in that area, and I will work in the months and years to come to make it so.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to this question, although obviously it is under tremendously tragic circumstances. I want to say first of all how deeply I grieve with all Canadians for the tragedy that took place in La Loche. Immediately upon hearing the news, I spoke to the folks at the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch to ensure that they were sending crisis workers to the community, and they did so immediately. I have been in touch on a daily basis with the folks in Saskatchewan. I have committed to people in that community that the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch will continue to provide support for mental health needs in the community in the days and months to come.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have not yet brought in one new program to create even a single job. I know of a shovel-ready, massive stimulus project that would create thousands of new jobs all across this country and would not cost taxpayers a cent. It is energy east. We know the Liberals have a habit of saying different things in different parts of the country, so will the regional minister for Saskatchewan assure the House that he clearly supports the energy east project? Will he stand today and denounce the Liberal mayor of Montreal's divisive statements?

Mr. Speaker, for the last two years, Canadians have not actually attended this meeting. I attended a meeting with my coalition partners, I got to meet with Defence Secretary Fallon in London, and I got to meet with my counterparts in many different countries.More important, Canadians expect us to be responsible. That is why I am taking the time to ensure that we get this right, to ensure that we take the fight to this horrible enemy, and to ensure that we not only do it from a military manner, but also to bring in the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development so we get this mission right.

Mr. Speaker, the Montreal metropolitan community tabled its report based on public consultations held last fall regarding TransCanada's energy east pipeline; 82 municipalities representing four million Quebeckers are against this pipeline project.Since this project clearly does not meet the social licence requirement set by the Prime Minister, will he listen to the representatives of some four million Quebeckers and honour his election promise to not go ahead with this pipeline?

Mr. Speaker, the former Conservative government slashed environmental protections and gutted pipeline reviews, leaving out first nations on issues like climate change and cutting public participation. Last fall, the Liberals promised to reverse the damage and put in place a new review process for all pipelines, including existing proposals, but, as I speak, the Kinder Morgan and energy east reviews are continuing under the Conservatives' broken rules.Will the minister stop pushing through reviews that come from the old discredited government and make good on the Liberals' election promise to establish new, stronger rules?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and her allies have grown tired of the Liberals' incoherent messaging and lack of a concrete plan to defeat ISIS. That is why we were not invited to the anti-ISIS meeting in Paris last week.When the Minister of National Defence was first asked why he was not attending the meeting, he used his busy schedule as an excuse. Later his office confirmed that he was never even invited. When will the minister apologize for intentionally misleading Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is trying to dress up the same old Senate appointment system in new clothing.I do not know exactly who it thinks it is fooling. It has announced an unelected, unaccountable board that will be making secret recommendations for an unelected Senate, and the Prime Minister will just continue to appoint whomever he pleases.Why do the Liberals support the same old, unelected, unaccountable Senate?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for her heartfelt words and indeed add to them personally that the entire government and indeed the country stands with the community of La Loche. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the community, to the family members, and we offer all of our support.The RCMP and victim support services are working hard to make sure that we are giving the kind of support necessary to a community, not just in these difficult days, but in the weeks, months, and indeed years to come.

Mr. Speaker, the thousands of people in my province employed in the energy sector want to hear from the Saskatchewan minister. The member for Wascana has a habit of voting against his own constituents instead of listening to the people back home in his riding. He voted to keep the wasteful gun registry. He jailed farmers under the Wheat Board, and he stayed silent while his Prime Minister killed the northern gateway.It is never too late to kick the habit. Will he stand today, denounce the divisive statements of the Liberal mayor of Montreal, and stand up for Saskatchewan's energy sector?

Mr. Speaker, once again it is interesting that the members opposite are criticizing us for not getting done in 10 weeks what they were unable to do in 10 years.We are working very hard right across the country with municipal leaders and with provincial leaders to ensure we are creating the social licence, the oversight, the environmental responsibility, and the partnership with communities to get our resources to market in a responsible way, because that is what it takes in the 21st century.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to point out that if we are serious about wanting to consult Canadians and members of Parliament, which we are, we have to sign next week so that we can hold those consultations. If we adopted the NDP's approach and decided not to sign next week, that would mean not consulting people or analyzing whether this is a good agreement for Canadians. That is not what we are going to do. We will be accountable, which is what Canadians asked us to be when they elected us.

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister was swanning around Switzerland with actors and billionaires, Conservatives were back at home listening to business owners and volunteers and regular Canadians. What we heard from them is that they are increasingly concerned that the Prime Minister has no plan for the economy.Canadians are worried about their jobs, they are worried about the cost of groceries, and they are worried about their kids' futures. Infrastructure is not going to be enough. What is the Prime Minister's plan to get these people back to work?

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the premier of Saskatchewan has actually quoted the Prime Minister on this matter. We understand that to develop our resources responsibly—

Mr. Speaker, on December 10, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship told the House that he would reinstate the moratorium on deporting citizens of Zimbabwe and Haiti, but we checked, and the department has received no such instructions.When will the minister act on his statement here in the House and reinstate the moratorium? Does he understand how excruciating this is for the people who fear deportation?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the world witnessed a horrendous terrorist attack in Jakarta, Indonesia, that took the life of one Canadian and another attack in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of six Canadians. Our thoughts are with the victims' families.Can the government tell the House what it is doing to support the investigations?

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister just said is false, according to the parliamentary budget officer's findings last week.Last year, while sitting on the board of governors of Carleton University, Michael Wernick said that a group of peaceful students protesting an increase in tuition fees had “no place in a lawful democratic society”, and then he likened them to “Brownshirts and Maoists”.The Prime Minister just appointed the same Mr. Wernick to be the Clerk of the Privy Council, the highest position in Canada's civil service.Will the Prime Minister ask his new Clerk of the Privy Council to apologize for these totally unacceptable remarks?

Mr. Speaker, the goals are public but everything the Prime Minister does with them is a secret.On the subject of electoral reform, in the past two months we have seen a tsunami of editorials across the country calling for a referendum on electoral reform. The Globe and Mail summarizes this near-unanimity by stating that electoral reform would be “...the biggest ever change in Canadian democracy. It will change how members of Parliament are elected, how governments are formed and who forms them....”The Globe's conclusion was categorical: “When it comes to a change this big and this fundamental to our democracy, the only people qualified to decide are the people themselves. This has to go to a referendum.”Is not The Globe and Mail right?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question because it allows me to set something absolutely straight.We were elected on a commitment to consult with Canadians and indeed to consult with the House of Commons before a decision was made on the trans-Pacific partnership. Indeed, not signing in the upcoming step would mean that we decided, without consulting with Parliament, not to go forward with the TPP.Of course, we are open to consulting with Canadians and consulting with Parliament, and that is the step that brings us toward ratification or not. That is what it is all about, and that is our commitment.

Mr. Speaker, that minister has a whole different definition of public than the rest of us.The members of the Senate appointment board were chosen by the Prime Minister at his absolute discretion, in secret. Their suggestions are reviewed by the Prime Minister in secret. The names of unsuccessful candidates remain secret. The reasons why the Prime Minister will chose one candidate over another will be a secret.Will a pattern develop as to who is being passed over by the Prime Minister? Perhaps, but that will be a secret. In fact, it appears it will remain a secret whether the Prime Minister even uses the list or casts it aside entirely.My question is as follows. Why are these the two values at the centre of this ostensibly new process: number one, absolute secrecy; and number two, absolute authority to do whatever he wants on the part of the Prime Minister?

Mr. Speaker, by appointing Mary Jean McFall as the chief of staff, the Minister of Agriculture is disregarding rules that were intended to protect Canadians from corruption. Ms. McFall's family is the owner of the largest egg producing corporation and she herself was listed as being the owner of $140 million worth of egg quota in 2010.The minister makes decisions with regard to this family business on a regular basis. How can he justify her hiring and how can he justify this blatant conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the trans-Pacific partnership was negotiated in secret during the final days of the Conservative government. Now, after campaign promises of a more open government with real consultations, the Liberals say they will sign the Conservative-negotiated trade deal with absolutely no changes.TPP would kill 58,000 Canadian jobs, weaken supply management, hurt our auto sector, and put Canadian innovators at a competitive disadvantage. Why is the Prime Minister signing this bad Conservative trade deal without the consultations he promised?

Mr. Speaker, for months now, we have seen a growing wave of deadly attacks against Israelis by Palestinians, driven by the incitement of their leaders. Hamas and the Palestinian Authority make it clear they refuse to accept Israel's right to exist. Leaders of both entities have spoken openly of a third intifada, an uprising against Israel.Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain his outrageously vague expression of concern yesterday and tell the House why he will not explicitly condemn the incitement?

Mr. Speaker, a new study reveals the TPP will cost 58,000 jobs and worsen income inequality. Many of the jobs at risk are in my community and others like it throughout southern Ontario. In spite of the reality for these families, the minister tries to hide behind technicalities, but it is simple. If she does not support the deal, why would she sign it? Therefore, will the minister stand up for Canadian jobs, or will she sign the Conservative's bad deal?

Mr. Speaker, I know I speak for members of all parties when I express grief for the tragedy in La Loche. However, condolences are not enough. Parliament must take action, because all too often the young people feel left alone, whether it is a suicide and violence in La Loche, or the 600 young people who gave up hope in a Mushkegowuk territory and tried to kill themselves since 2009. My question is for the health minister. Her department routinely rejects requests for counselling services for mental health for indigenous youth. What steps will she take to guarantee that practice will end and will not continue, not just in the days and weeks ahead but in the years to come?

Mr. Speaker, last week, the mayor of Montreal and the metropolitan community announced that they were against the energy east project. That is bad news for the Canadian economy. We need this project for Canada's economy and for every one of Canada's natural resource sectors.What did the Prime Minister do about this while he was in Davos? Between selfies, he showed total disrespect for our natural resources industry. It is insulting and unworthy of a Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister call his old friend, Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal, and tell him that energy east is a good project for all Canadians, all Montrealers, and all Quebeckers?

Mr. Speaker, the government is profoundly moved by the victims' suffering, and the Prime Minister is as well.I want to thank the staff at our international emergency operations centre and the on-site staff in Burkina Faso, who worked heroically to help the victims' families.I can assure the House that the victims' families will continue to receive full consular assistance, including help to bring the bodies back home. We owe them that. They have suffered a horrible tragedy, and our hearts go out to them.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister went to Switzerland to hang out with the one percent, but he could not actually help running down the people back at home who are working hard every day. The natural resources sector has some of the world's leading technology, scientific innovation, and creativity, but the Prime Minister just does not get it because it is not his world. He just does not care about these jobs.Does the Prime Minister understand he is insulting Canadians right across the country when he insults the natural resources sector?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that we left this government with a $1.2 billion surplus.The Liberals cannot even tell us how high their deficit will run and how much they are going to borrow from Canadians to pay for all their promises. They have already broken their promise to limit the deficit to $10 billion.Is the Minister of Finance a bad economic manager or, worse, does he just not care about the consequences?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's veterans have suffered cuts to benefits, the closure of front-line offices and worse. Suicide rates have climbed, homelessness has increased, and yet veterans still face unacceptable waits for mental health services. The report on veterans' treatment, buried by the previous government, is still missing in action.Our veterans need help today. They should not have to wait for the minister to get around to reopening offices. When will all veterans finally get the mental health and other services they need?

Mr. Speaker, it is quite something to hear that party talk about bad economic management.We were elected on a platform to invest in Canada to ensure a stronger future, create the growth that has been lacking for 10 years now, and create jobs for the middle class and all those who want to join it.That is what we are going to do. We are working hard every day to provide Canadians with job prospects and that is what we will keep doing with our budget.

Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with my Quebec counterpart. We made a firm decision to allow these people to stay in Canada. That is what we decided, and that is what will happen.

Mr. Speaker, over 100,000 jobs now have been lost in Alberta. Housing values are dropping. People are desperate. Anyone who thinks this is only an Alberta problem is sadly mistaken, and now the mayor of Montreal has come out opposing energy east. Where was the Prime Minister? He was in Davos being star-struck by Hollywood actors.If the Prime Minister will not show his leadership, will one Liberal member of Parliament from Alberta, one of the four, stand up for western Canadian jobs?

Mr. Speaker, Hamas was listed as a terrorist group in 2002 by a Liberal government. Canada will always fight terrorism and will never do anything other than condemn Hamas terrorism. What we also want for our friend Israel is security, and for that we need a two-state solution. Any unilateral gestures, such as trying to recognize Palestine in a unilateral way instead of by the negotiations, or the settlements, are not a help for peace.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened by the news from La Loche, in Saskatchewan.On Friday, Canadians were shocked and saddened about the news from La Loche, Saskatchewan. Our hearts, our thoughts, and our prayers are with the community and with the families and friends of the victims. Could the Prime Minister update the House on any new situation with the issues that happened in La Loche?