Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
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Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
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Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?
Mr. Speaker, I encourage Canadians to have a look at Destination Canada's amazing marketing campaign. I am confident that they will be as proud as I am of the work that Destination Canada does in promoting our nation, our culture, our diversity, our cuisine. There is so much that our nation has to offer. Yesterday's announcement was a good-news announcement for more open and transparent government. Our advertising rules are in line with the commitment that we promised Canadians. I know Canadians are proud.
Mr. Speaker, this week the government tabled the supplementary estimates (A), seeking Parliament's approval for important investments in Canadians and their communities. These estimates raised the bar once more on openness, transparency, and accountability. Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board please tell this House about the steps the government is taking to allow Canadians to more easily track how the government spends its money?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Canada took another step to make the government more open, more transparent, and more accountable. We look forward to working with members in the House. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. We have a Prime Minister who people want to meet and get to know. This is an exciting time. We should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The very day that they announced new rules to keep politicians out of government ads, they broke the rules with the Prime Minister's own vanity project. The arrogance and hypocrisy of this is just astounding. Will the Liberals pull this government-funded advertising, or are they still entitled to their entitlements?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly believe that more should be done and could be done in partnership with indigenous communities to support the success of indigenous students. That is why we are working with indigenous students, parents, educators, and many groups to uncover how we can best do that. We have applied many resources and supports to help post-secondary indigenous students across this country. We are going to continue to do that, because we believe our indigenous young people are worth investing in. As Canadians we will be investing.
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members should try consultations. They might like it. They may enjoy the process of engaging with Canadians and listening and having an exchange of ideas. That is what this process is about. I welcome the member to do that. I have yet to hear a single proposal of how they would modernize or improve our electoral system. I do not even know what their question to Canadians would be. Instead, work with us on trying to find that better way, that better system, and ensuring that the Canadian population gets the voting system it deserves.
Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear that we are committed to making sure that Canadians have access to health care services where they need it, which includes palliative care. We are investing in home care. We have committed to investing $3 billion in home care. We have spoken with colleagues in provinces and territories to make sure that palliative care is part of that package.We will make sure that Canadians have access to palliative care where they need it, and we will make sure it is accessible across this country.
Mr. Speaker, we are far from the Liberals' supposedly sunny ways. Choosing our new voting system is up to Canadians, not a partisan Liberal committee.Why is the government proposing a rigged parliamentary process when the best solution in this case is a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government took another step for a more open and transparent government by delivering on our commitment to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize communication. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising.We are proud of the work that Destination Canada does. We are excited to welcome people from around the world, especially the U.S., for our 150th celebrations next year. Everyone is welcome to come visit Canada.
Mr. Speaker, this gives me a good opportunity to inform my hon. colleague that we got all the terms and conditions we demanded.The first thing is the headquarters. The headquarters will remain in Boucherville, Quebec. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. We will continue to have a high level of employment in companies in Canada.What is more, we will keep the Rona banner and give the chain the opportunity to provide products to Rona and Lowe's across Canada, the United States, and
Mr. Speaker, it is a fully responsible conviction to do everything we can to be sure that these individuals will be banned in Canada and that the sanctions will be appropriate. It is why I have proposed a way to do it and the committee has accepted it. Why during 10 years did the Conservatives do nothing but double-talk?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Fredericton for his concern and his question.Aid to civil authority is one of the key responsibilities of the Canadian Forces. The joint task force transported 367 evacuees to safety and 173 firefighters in and out of the affected area. The air task force conducted one search and rescue mission, eight reconnaissance flights, and eight night surveillance flights.I want to thank the men and women who took part in this effort, and I am happy to say that they all returned safely.Canadians know that when the Canadian Forces are needed, they will be there for them.
Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans are Canadian heroes, and they and their families take great interest in changes to legislation that provide them with the benefits they deserve. On the Veterans Affairs departmental website, the background information on the budget changes for veterans is left blank.Why is the minister hiding information from Canadian veterans?
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more with the member that this process should not be partisan and that we need to work across the aisle to find compromise and work together, but the fact of the matter is that more than 60% of the Canadian population said the status quo was not going to work. I would ask members to start coming up with ideas. It is not enough to just say that they want the system to stay as it is. Canadians have not accepted that. They say they want our institutions to modernize. Be part of that process, give us ideas, make sure we are able to change the system so that Canadians are enfranchised and their voices are heard.
Mr. Speaker, farmers, especially in the Prairies, need better access to interswitching to get their crops to market. This was identified as a key issue in the Emerson report. But extended rights under the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act are set to expire on August 1 of this year. This means that many farmers could lose access to markets this season, which would lead to severe hardship.Will the government commit today to legally extend these rights for fair rail access before the House rises in the summer?
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, we promised to change the way that the government does advertising. We committed to eliminate partisan government advertising and to modernize its communications. Yesterday, and this is good news, the Government of Canada took another step to make government more open, and more transparent and accountable. The policy announced yesterday relates to paid advertising. This video is not paid advertising. Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is in line with the government's new policy. We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Alfred-Pellan asked a good question. This gives me an opportunity to mention that I was in Montreal last week, along with the Minister of Infrastructure, to speak to our Quebec counterparts. As a result of these positive and constructive discussions, we will soon be able to sign an agreement.Speaking of agreements, this morning, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced $18 million for the Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, with Minister Hélène David and Alexandre Taillefer.That is what you call delivering the goods.
Mr. Speaker, again, the government's lack of vision is undermining our democracy. True to Liberal form, the government is proposing a rigged parliamentary process.Why is the government refusing to hold a referendum on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for this question.Today, the minister approved the sale of Rona to Lowe's. Our government is pleased that companies like Lowe's continue to invest in Canadian companies. We know very well that a more innovative Canada needs to include competitive Canadian companies that are connected to global value chains, which in turn help our economy grow and strengthen the
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite is not advocating any new ideas. It is advancing the status quo. We had a referendum on the status quo during the last election. More than 60% of Canadians voted no. They did not want to continue with the status quo. They wanted change. That is exactly what we are going to make sure happens in this process.I want to work with the hon. member across and with all Canadians on finding a system that is going to achieve exactly that, enfranchising Canadians, giving them the power to have their say in a more fair way. I am excited. Let us work together.
Mr. Speaker, since budget day, the NDP has been pushing to have all parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan included in extended EI benefits. More recently, even the Conservatives who cut EI have joined our push for fairness.Yesterday, it was revealed that according to the government's own formula, Edmonton and southern Saskatchewan should be included. Why has the government not made extended EI benefits available to all laid-off workers in Alberta and Saskatchewan?
Mr. Speaker, the government does not need any lessons from the NDP about official languages. Official languages are the basis of who we are. We have always shown respect for official language minority communities. I have the opportunity to meet with members of these communities across the country and we commend them for their courage and determination to continue living and working in their own language.We will continue to stand up for the francophone minority outside Quebec and the anglophone minority in Quebec. We are there for our minorities and we do not need any lessons from the NDP.
Mr. Speaker, Destination Canada's social media marketing campaign is completely in line with the new government's policies.We are proud of the role that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders play in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. This is an exciting time with huge opportunities for the tourism industry. I support Destination Canada's independence in choosing the best possible marketing campaign to showcase Canada.
Mr. Speaker, in all honesty, if they are going to repeat the same question, I am going to have to repeat the same answer.During the election campaign, we promised to change the way the government does advertising. We committed to eliminating partisan government advertising and to modernize communications. Yesterday's announcement did exactly that. Destination Canada's marketing campaign is totally in line with our new rules, and Canadians will be proud and should be proud.
Mr. Speaker, if the Prime Minister believes that his amazing and innovative new consultation process will win the consent of the people to change the voting system in this country, he should have no trouble winning a referendum on his plan. The trouble is that it is not at all clear that he either has that support or ever will have that support. He wants to ensure that once Canadians find out what his plan actually is they will not be able to say no. The new voting system needs the democratic consent of Canadians or else, by definition, it is not democratic. Why will the Prime Minister not hold a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy that the member is going to be participating in the all-party process. He is going to have an opportunity to travel with the committee and pose questions. We have gone further than our normal committee process in ensuring that parties that are not recognized as parties in the House are included, because we feel that the voice of the Bloc and the voice of the Green Party are incredibly important to have at the table. That is why we have taken that measure.I look forward to that dialogue. I look forward to working on that with the member to modernize our electoral system.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I do enjoy working with the member.There is an expectation by Canadians that changes to legislation are explained and available online through the Parliament of Canada website. However, on the legislation to implement the budget changes for veterans, no background information is available.Can the Minister of Veterans Affairs explain why this key information is being kept from Parliament and not disclosed to the veterans it affects?
Mr. Speaker, as I already indicated, I do not know about that particular issue. I do not have an answer for the hon. member right now, but I believe that kind of information is needed. We do need to share it. I will look into it and bring an answer back to this House.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly are making progress. In fact, in this year's supplementary estimates (A), there was funding for 33 items that have been announced in this year's budget, and that's compared with 11 last year and six the year before. Therefore, this is just the beginning. We look forward to working with all parliamentarians to better align the budget and the estimates processes to provide Canadians with far greater transparency and openness in government spending.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the government is going on and on saying all the right things but doing exactly the opposite.Yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board introduced rules to prevent elected officials from using government advertising for partisan purposes. What do you know? The Prime Minister was the first to break the rule. Destination Canada is a crown corporation, and it made a video with the Prime Minister.Will the government acknowledge that it broke yet another of its promises to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, we are within the 100 days to find a framework with our American partners on softwood lumber. The issue remains a very important priority for this government. We are aware. We are consulting with industry members. We are consulting with our provincial counterparts. We are obviously working with the Americans.As the Minister of International Trade said yesterday in this House, it is not just about getting an agreement; it is about getting a good agreement for this country, and that is exactly what we will do.
Mr. Speaker, in my response to a question from the member for New WestminsterBurnaby on May 19, 2016, my remarks may have been inadvertently inaccurate. I would like to correct them.In my original response I was referring to legal procedures and ongoing civil court actions launched by the Canada Revenue Agency relating to the KPMG case.
Mr. Speaker, it is really interesting that when the House had to vote on this issue a year ago, the government insisted that the word explore was in the motion. Why the government did it was because the government knew what I am saying today. The Conservative government knew that an existing law allows us to ban these individuals for their wrongdoing against Mr. Magnitsky, but they did not say that at that time. They were playing double games. Not this government. We have responsible convictions and we will always be frank about the issues.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of International Trade rose in this House, not to offer solutions or an update on the progress of a new softwood lumber agreement, but to pass the buck, point fingers, and try to assign blame away from the mismanagement of the Liberals on this file.When will the Liberals take responsibility for Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?
Mr. Speaker, I have been very clear that the consultation process that is going to happen is going to reach out to every corner of this country. The idea that the only form of valid consultation is a referendum is an interesting concept to hear from the members opposite. They never advocated this policy before. When they created the unfair elections act, it was not as if they even consulted in many instances with their own caucus, let alone Canadians.I would suggest that they give this a try and work on trying to find a better system, and that they engage with us in this dialogue with all Canadians on modernizing our electoral system and enfranchising Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, what weakened our democratic institutions and our democracy was the violations that we saw, the abuses that we saw, things that we saw in the Senate, the unfortunate scandals that took place with members abusing the Canada Elections Act. Canadians wanted that to end. They wanted something different. That is what they have asked of us. They have asked to end that way of doing democracy and have something more open, more inclusive. That is the process that we are engaging in. If the member wants to see that kind of new way, if he wants to see that stronger democracy, here is his chance. He can participate in the committee and engage in talks with Canadians from coast to coast. Let us make it
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the work that Destination Canada, its partners, and tourism industry stakeholders do in stimulating economic growth. For the first time in over a decade, overnight visitors to Canada increased by 7.5%, outpacing the international growth of 4.4%. These visitors spent $16.8 billion while in Canada, contributing to the livelihood of over 190,000 small and medium-sized tourism businesses and supporting over 637,000 jobs. The tourism industry is important for economic growth. We support tourism.
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member cares about veterans, and I know that she wants to make it better for all veterans. This should be a non-partisan issue that we can all work on together to make things better for our veterans.I did not know there was something missing from the website, but we will take that under advisement. If there is something missing, we will fix it and make it right.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have always supported the various bills introduced by the NDP regarding the bilingualism of Supreme Court judges. However, now that they are in government, they have changed their minds. They are not going to support my bill. The Department of Justice supposedly told them that they cannot take action. Nevertheless, many experts have clearly indicated that the government's argument does not hold water. Parliament can legislate on this matter.Will the Liberals show some transparency and release the legal opinions they are relying on to justify their inaction?
Mr. Speaker, we were happy to engage in a dialogue, but Canadians need to have a chance to have their say on whatever the results are in a referendum.Listening to Canadians is at the heart of a healthy democracy. Despite those being the words of the minister, it is obvious the Liberals have no intention to actually listen. The Prime Minister has been quite clear about his preferred voting system, and he has stacked his committee with a Liberal majority, so the fix is already in. If the Liberals were serious about listening to each and every vote, they would give a referendum. Why will they not hold one?
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, this government responded quickly to the spike, the sudden, sharp jump in unemployment rates in 12 regions in this country. Certainly, as the numbers have increased in the Edmonton area, we know that in Saskatchewan there was a jump of 0.1%. Most of that was in part-time jobs. However, that data is fresh. We are analyzing it. I would encourage my colleague to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, we know there is more to do to provide Canadians with end-of-life care.Canadians have told us that they want to stay independent and receive care at home, including at the end of their lives. As part of the new health accord, our government has committed to providing $3 billion over the next four years to improve home care, and this includes palliative care.In collaboration with provinces and territories, we will move forward on shared health priorities, including examining ways to integrate and expand access to palliative care at home.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague always knows how to make us laugh.He knows very well that the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal government have always viewed history as absolutely essential, since it is part of our identity and our values. However, we also look at history to make projections and to build a stronger Canada. That is what we are doing.Moreover, Canada must also be celebrated. That is why we are organizing major festivities across Canada to celebrate our 150th anniversary together, in each region and province.
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted, with any sharp, sustained jump in EI numbers in a particular region, changes have been made.We were quick and decisive in the 12 regions. Certainly the new numbers, and the spike created by the forest fires in Fort McMurray, have again changed those numbers. They are being analyzed.I will encourage the member across to stay tuned.
Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberal government approved the sale of Rona, Quebec's leading renovation chain, to U.S. retailer Lowe's. However, the guarantees obtained by the minister are extremely vague. One of the conditions is to maintain a significant level of employment in its Canadian operations. That means absolutely nothing.Is the supply chain for SMEs, which creates thousands of jobs, in danger? How many jobs is the minister saying will be lost in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to closing the gap in health outcomes for first nations and Inuit Canadians. In budget 2016 we outlined our historic investment of $8.4 billion to improve the socioeconomic conditions of indigenous people and their communities. We are investing more than $270 million this year to support the mental illness needs of first nations and Inuit communities, including mental health promotion, addiction, suicide prevention, and counselling.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals should probably stop listing their campaign promises, because it is just reminding Canadians that they keep breaking them. Would they really have us believe that a crown corporation used no taxpayers' dollars to create this advertising? Apparently, the new rules do not apply to the Prime Minister. The Liberals are the masters of do as they say and not as they do.When will the Liberals apply the new rules to the Prime Minister's puff piece?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are looking to their governments for leadership to advance availability and quality of palliative care within the broader scope of how we address Canadians' needs at the end of their life. This is why we are committed, as I mentioned earlier, to improving palliative care as part of the new health accord, supported by a long-term investment of $3 billion over the next four years.Recently, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers of health agreed to work individually and collectively on improving home care to better meet the needs of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the party opposite has proposed no ideas. The reality is that I do not know what they would hold a referendum on. When we look at the election and we look at the problems that Canadians saw with our democratic systems, including the scandals in the Senate, the disenfranchisement from the unfair election act, and the scandals that happened with violations of the Elections Act, we know that is why the Conservatives lost. That is why Canadians said this had to be the last time we saw those kinds of violations and that we needed a new system of governance and we needed to modernize our system. That is exactly what we are going to do. I engage them in this. I ask them to participate in finding that better way, that better system.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Browder also had interesting things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs' colleague on the bill. He said that the Minister of International Trade favours it very strongly.Mr. Browder also said, We have had discussions with others in the cabinet who also said this [bill] was a no-brainer.Will the Minister of International Trade stand in the House today and confirm his friend's statement that when it comes the time to vote, she will support our Sergei Magnitsky act?
Mr. Speaker, if I understand the first part of the parliamentary secretary's response, he said that there will never actually be a proposal unless the opposition parties come up with it, and that the government will not actually be coming forward with any proposal ever. That will be a problem.Let me suggest an alternative narrative. There is a process to design a new system, designed by the Liberal PMO. The timeline is controlled by a Liberal minister. The proposal or whatever is approved will be done through the Liberal majority on the committee. The outcome will be decided by the Liberal cabinet. At some point, Canadians should have a say. Why can Canadians not vote yes or no on the Liberal proposal, which will come eventually, in a referendum?
Mr. Speaker, there is yet another broken promise from the Liberals. Just yesterday, the President of the Treasury Board said, We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads. The rules include that the advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, member of Parliament or senator. Yet, in the same breath, they are defending a video that stars the Prime Minister.Why would the Liberals break their own rules for the Prime Minister's special vanity advertising project?
Mr. Speaker, the government has announced an ambitious plan for social infrastructure, green infrastructure, and public transit. We know that these new funds will be disbursed quickly and efficiently, since the plan is based on the municipalities' priorities.Nevertheless, can the minister tell us where we stand on infrastructure in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, all the talking points in the world do not change the fact that the Liberals broke their promise. These new rules come with a whole bunch of Liberal-sized loopholes. The rules will not apply to taxpayer-funded online promotional videos featuring who? Featuring the Prime Minister.When will the Liberals admit that this self-promotion on the public dime is not what they promised and not what they advertised last October. Will they now close all of these self-serving Liberal loopholes?
Mr. Speaker, if that is true, that the government cares about palliative care, it should have told its members on the justice committee.This week the justice committee shot down almost all opposition amendments on Bill C-14, including this one, [that if someone] consulted a medical practitioner regarding palliative care options and were informed of the full range of options.Can the minister explain why Liberals shot down a very modest amendment requiring that patients simply be informed about palliative care options?
Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, this government has increased the sanctions against Russia compared with the former government. The fact is that it is not only the law as it exists that would ban these individuals from coming to Canada, but regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act. This government is looking forward to that study and that report from the committee.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of breaking promises, the MP for LondonFanshawe has a lot to explain in her riding. But let us answer about the Magnitsky case. There are two issues here: banning the individuals, and the sanctions.On the first point, foreign nationals and their family members who are involved in human rights violations cannot enter Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Second, regarding sanctions, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development will be looking at that as part of its review of the Special Economic Measures Act, and the government
Mr. Speaker, I will give the minister this: she knows a lot about advertising. She said the same thing three times, but that does not make it true. This is clear as day. Yesterday, the government clearly said that advertising must be devoid of any name, voice or image of a minister, Member of Parliament or senator. Has the Prime Minister changed jobs? No, he is still the Prime Minister of all Canadians, but he broke a rule made by the President of the Treasury Board. Why is the government yet again blathering on about lofty principles but doing exactly the opposite? That is so typical of the Liberal Party.
Mr. Speaker, the only flag we are waving is the Canadian flag, and we are waving it proudly.We have every intention of coming away with a good agreement with our American partners that serves our industry across this country, as well as the particular provincial industries. We are aware of the various aspects and elements of this file. It is a complex file, but we have been working hard at it since day one.
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder, who has been fighting to preserve Sergei Magnitsky's memory, joined the all-party support for my Conservative colleague's private member's bill, but he did not have great things to say about the Minister of Foreign Affairs.When it comes to seeking justice, Mr. Browder said that the minister is wrong and that his lack of action is an excuse. He doesn't care about the morality of the issue...he just doesn't want to rock the boat.It is just another example of the Liberals' so-called responsible conviction policy.
Mr. Speaker, this is how a proposal is going to come. A proposal is going to come by our engaging Canadians in all 338 ridings, going coast to coast and listening to them, and working with the member opposite and all members in the House on compromise, middle ground, and in understanding how we can modernize this system. I do not accept the cynical approach of the member, saying from the outset that it is impossible to find consensus. Let us work together. Let us find that better system. Let us ensure we find that right path and in doing so we will get a better voting system for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of life and death, and Canadians need to know they have options.Since the Liberals have steadfastly refused to support meaningful conscience protection, the situation in palliative care is about to go from bad to worse. Palliative care doctors are speaking out. Many do not want to be involved in assisted suicide. Sadly, some will even leave the field of practice if they are not given the opportunity to opt out.Protecting conscience for individuals and institutions will keep beds open and keep doctors at work. Why did the government reject a meaningful conscience protection amendment?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a complete show of bipartisanship, the Conservative member for SelkirkInterlakeEastman stood shoulder to shoulder with both the current and former members for Mount Royal. Irwin Cotler, a man who garnered much respect from both sides of the aisle throughout his career said, It is now the responsibility of this government to adopt this legislation.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs listening to the advice from Vladimir Putin instead of Irwin Cotler?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health told the House that she is working toward a plan to increase access to mental health services. This is the time for action. Does the minister not understand that people in my community of La Loche, in Cross Lake, and in so many other communities do not need work on a plan? They need mental health care workers, now.Will the Liberals immediately provide the necessary mental health workers for La Loche and Cross Lake?
Mr. Speaker, Sergei Magnitsky was a lawyer who, after accusing Russian officials of theft, was arrested and tortured in prison. He later died in that very prison. Since that time the United States has passed a law seeking justice for Mr. Magnitsky. In Canada, such a law was adopted by all parties until yesterday.Why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs breaking a Liberal campaign promise by opposing justice for Sergei Magnitsky?
Mr. Speaker, there you have it. The minister just gave Lowe's the go-ahead to buy Rona. He alone had the power to turn promises made by Lowe's into legal obligations, but he did not do so. He decided that the American giant's words, which are legally worthless, were good enough.That is the problem with Quebec being part of Canada. We are entirely dependent on a guy from Toronto to care enough to protect our economy, but he is just not stepping up, and Quebec's economy is suffering as a result.Why did he not turn the promises that Lowe's made into legal obligations? Is it because he cannot do his job or because he could not care less about Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, I will give a simple answer to his question.Lowe's has made firm commitments in connection with its purchase of Rona. As I have said, the head office will remain in Boucherville. Canadians will continue to play an important role within Rona's senior management. Canadian suppliers will have opportunities to sell not only to Rona, but also to the entire Lowe's chain in the United States and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, the government is not very reassuring. Maybe it needs help from a Quebec hardware store to tighten the screws on its loose guarantees. The government essentially keeps saying what Lowe's told us in its purchase offer in February. However, it could well have required tough terms and conditions.Can the minister try again and tell us what new job protection conditions he was able to get? Can he be transparent and release his department's review and approval of the sale?
Mr. Speaker, they broke a promise, a promise that was in the Liberal platform.The Liberal platform was clear: they promised to appoint an advertising commissioner to ensure that government advertising was non-partisan. That is not what they announced yesterday. They waited six months and spent millions on government advertising, just like the Conservatives always did.When will the government keep its promise and appoint an advertising commissioner?
Mr. Speaker, we want to talk about grain production, and for the 2015-16 grain shipping year, it is estimated to be the second largest on record. The performance of the grain handling and transportation system has kept pace or exceeded the record levels of performance seen last year. Given the challenges faced by western Canadian rail systems in the winter of 2013-14, the statutory review of the Canada Transportation Act was accelerated by one year and asked to give grain transportation priority consideration.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions wants to change the rules of democracy without holding a referendum because that democratic instrument apparently is an outdated, 19th century tool. The minister thinks that she has the authority to change the rules without a referendum because she campaigned on this issue.By that logic, Quebec would have the right to independence without a referendum, making the Clarity Act null and void. Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs throw out his Clarity Act?
Mr. Speaker, it has been months since we have had a jump in EI in Edmonton, and it has been months since the government excluded Edmonton region from the EI extension. It is not an issue associated with the fire recently in Fort McMurray. We have raised this issue several times with the government. When we finally received a response from the Liberals, it was nothing but a flippant talking point and non-answers. The Liberal MPs from Edmonton have failed to represent their hard-working constituents in the Edmonton region. We know workers in the Edmonton region qualify. Why is the minister forcing them to wait for the EI extension?
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the media believe it will be built on compromise and middle ground. Let us go over some of the comments that have been made on the Liberal plan to change the way that Canadians vote. National Post columnists said that the minister is adrift in a sea of platitudes, and also that the Liberals were on top of their game with electoral reform doublespeak. The Globe and Mail said, [I]t's built for Liberal control.Can the Liberals just cut the charade and answer the question? Will they give Canadians a chance to have a say in a referendum, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Bill Browder has been fighting for human rights and justice in memory of Sergei Magnitsky, who was murdered in prison after exposing a tax fraud scheme by Russian officials.The Liberals promised a Magnitsky act, but now they are refusing. Browder says that the Liberals are giving the same old excuses he has seen in so many countries, and our foreign affairs minister is wrong.How can the Liberals keep claiming that Canada is back while they break their promises and cast serious doubt on their commitment to upholding human rights?
Mr. Speaker, fewer than one in 10 indigenous people in Canada have a university degree. This is not because the demand is not there. It is because the funding is not there.During the campaign the Liberals promised to put $50 million into the post-secondary student support program every single year. How much money was in its budget this year? None.The Liberals promised a new relationship with indigenous people, so why are they blatantly breaking their promise and failing to support indigenous post-secondary education?
Mr. Speaker, this reform is off to a bad start. The government wants to use its majority to change democracy. However, this should not be a partisan issue. Changing the way we vote cannot be left just to experts and parliamentarians. The people should decide.How can the government think it has a legitimate right to impose a voting system without a referendum, when it received less than 40% of the vote in the last election?
Mr. Speaker, it looks as if the Liberals' war on history is going according to plan. First, they ordered the citizenship guide to be rewritten so that new Canadians would learn less about Canadian history. The government then announced that Confederation and Canadian history will not be themes of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Now we have learned that Canada's only museum that is fully dedicated to Confederation is being shut down due to a lack of federal support, this on the very eve of the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Why this ruthless Liberal war on history?
Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals promised Canadians $3 billion towards palliative care.Sadly, the Prime Minister's priority is not health care. Zero. There are zero new dollars in the budget for health, and the $3 billion for palliative care has become another broken Liberal promise.Will the Liberals keep their promise to Canadians of $3 billion for palliative care, as they rush into their assisted suicide agenda?
Mr. Speaker, I suppose that one of the reasons the previous Conservative government never did what the member is now asking for was because it knew that the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act already had the power to ban these individuals from entering into Canada. Why did the Conservative government not say that at the time? It was the truth and that government hid it.
Mr. Speaker, the clock continues to tick down and we are going into a U.S. election. That response is simply not good enough.Hundreds of thousands of forestry jobs are on the line, yet instead of working hard to resolve the softwood lumber dispute, the Liberals are waving the white flag. Canadian companies need this agreement to be signed immediately in order to create good-paying jobs from coast to coast. Why are the Liberals planning to fail by failing to plan?
Mr. Speaker, New Brunswickers and Canadians across the country want to help the people of Fort McMurray in northeastern Alberta who are still suffering from the tragic forest fires.With Base Gagetown in the riding I represent, I am reminded daily that the women and men of the Canadian Forces are no exception. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence update this House on the contributions being made by the Canadian Forces to the firefighting efforts?