Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?
Mr. Speaker, this government was elected on a promise to help grow the economy. This government was elected on a commitment to create good-paying jobs for Canadians. This government has built a team of hard-working Canadians that are committed to delivering on the mandate that we have been given, the mandate we will continue to work on, and I am proud of the team that we have.
Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. The economy is sluggish. Canadians are losing their jobs and having a hard time putting money aside.What is this government's priority? Reimbursing the moving expenses of two employees of the Prime Minister, one of whom is his best friend.Now that we know everything we need to know about the Prime Minister's judgment, can the Liberals stop thumbing their noses at everyone? People do not pay taxes to give money to the Prime Minister's best friends. When will they stop wasting Canadians' money?
Mr. Speaker, we are going to try this again. It should not be too surprising that the Prime Minister's best friends learned how to stick taxpayers with the bill. After all, Gerry Butts and Katie Telford learned directly from the Wynne/McGuinty Liberals. In the race to spend and misuse taxpayer money, the Prime Minister is clearly now in the lead. When will the Prime Minister explain how he justified giving his best friend Gerry $126,000?
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the diverse team we have built. I am proud of the people who have chosen to come and work with our team to ensure that we can advance the mandate Canadians have given us. Let us talk about some of the work that these hard-working Canadians have done. They have helped Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and create quality jobs and wealth for Canadians. That is exactly the kind of work Canadians expect. That is exactly the kind of work we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, I have been working with all of my partners across the country on a comprehensive plan to address the opioid crisis in this country. That includes making sure all of the pillars of drug policy are addressed, including harm reduction. One of the most effective mechanisms of harm reduction is supervised consumption sites. I have instructed my department to make sure there are no unnecessary barriers in place. We are addressing the legislation and look forward to dealing with it appropriately to make sure those sites will be available for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I have been very fortunate to work with my colleagues from Hamilton EastStoney Creek and Hamilton WestAncasterDundas who have been very engaged on this file.We have been working very closely with Hamiltonians. We understand the importance of steel and the importance of manufacturing, and it is part of our innovation agenda as well.We are working very closely to find any solution to advance this agenda. We will make sure that any decision we make will be in the best interests of Hamiltonians.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that we have formed a team of passionate, hardworking, and highly skilled Canadians to give the public the change they voted for. The Canadians who are part of our team helped us and are helping Canadian businesses to grow, innovate, and export to create good jobs and wealth for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance and making sure that we have a system that is fair for all Canadians.Let me be very clear. Most middle-class Canadians pay their fair share of taxes, but a few wealthy individuals are not doing the same, and that must stop. That is why our government invested $444 million to give the CRA the best tools to combat tax evasion.
Mr. Speaker, what this renewed and stable relationship with China allows for is an airing of concerns and difficulties faced by both countries. The fact that we now have an ongoing dialogue in which we can highlight concerns we have about consular cases, and indeed, in some cases, resolve them, and the fact that the Chinese can bring up issues they have requests or questions about is what a strong relationship is all about.As I have reassured Canadians many times, as I have said to the Chinese leadership, and as I am happy to say in the House, Canada has very strong principles around the rule of law, around extradition treaties, and we will not bend those principles for anyone.
Mr. Speaker, the rules that are in place were written by the previous government. What I find kind of fascinating is the Conservative criticism of the rules that they themselves drafted while in government.
Mr. Speaker, we now know that the exorbitant moving expenses for two employees in the Prime Minister's Office were for the chief of staff and the Prime Minister's best friend. Knowing how much was spent does not make it more acceptable. Having the right to claim something does not give anyone the right to abuse taxpayers' dollars and spend recklessly.How can the Prime Minister justify these expenses to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, it has been my incredible privilege to hear from organizations, front-line workers, people who in fact work from an enforcement lens, and people who support survivors on the ground, all summer long. In fact, many of those conversations have been so heartfelt and moving that it has brought me and my staff to tears.We are very excited about what we have heard. We are very excited about the collaboration across government to come up with a federal gender-based violence strategy that will ensure that women and girls have the full opportunity to participate in this country, regardless of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, across the country Canadians are struggling to find work. Imagine a mom who has lost her job and facing a mortgage payment without any idea of how she will come up with the money. Imagine that same mom waking up this morning to find out the Prime Minister gave $200,000 to his friends to move from Toronto to Ottawa to work in his office.With so many Canadians struggling for work, how can the Prime Minister possibly justify these incredible payouts?
Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of Canadians, Canada's best and brightest, have applied to come and serve in Canada to help deliver the mandate that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their homes and move with their families and children to Ottawa. In those instances, the vast majority of those costs had to do with real estate and legal fees. Any relocation was done in accordance with the law. However, let us look at the work that Canadians are doing, that our team is doing. We are working to grow this economy for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Mr. Speaker, earlier the government House leader admitted that the bulk of over 200,000 dollars' worth of moving expenses for two senior PMO staffers was for real estate fees, which means that those were for very high-value properties.I am wondering this. There are hundreds of thousands of people out of work in my province right now, and those people expect us to use good judgment, not to try to bend the rules for opportunism. If one of those families who are out of work right now looked into the Prime Minister's eyes and asked, Was it good judgment to sign off on $200,000 of real estate fees for top staffers?, what would
Mr. Speaker, our government is working with our international partners to address this threat, and that co-operation will continue. We will continue to gather and share more and more data. The Canada Revenue Agency is processing the information coming out of the Bahamas in co-operation with its partners and through court orders, as needed.
Mr. Speaker, we are in a position to make key decisions when Canadians believe that the process is fair and transparent, unlike the process we have been working with for the last 10 years when not one kilometre of pipeline was built to tidewater.I do not know what words we would use to describe it if we were to follow that same process, but we are looking for a better path, and that better path includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities and working across the country, so that when a decision is taken, Canadians will say that was a process that worked.
Mr. Speaker, in my discussions around the health accord, I have been talking to health ministers across this country about how we can make sure that prescription medications for all Canadians are affordable, accessible, and appropriately prescribed. One of the opportunities that we have taken is for the federal government to join the pan-Canadian pharmaceutical alliance. This is a means of negotiating bulk purchasing of medications. It will already realize annual savings in the order of $700 million per year.I look forward to further discussions with my colleagues to make sure that other steps are taken to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
Mr. Speaker, they do not get it.When my constituents talk to me, they speak of things like the economy, jobs, the huge Liberal deficit, and safety. That is what is important to Canadians. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is busy doling out public funds to his friends. Typical Liberal Party behaviour.Does the Prime Minister realize that he was not elected to reimburse his best friend's moving expenses? Can the Prime Minister start being responsible and show some discipline when it comes to managing money that belongs to Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of International Trade says she is prepared to defend the softwood lumber industry before the courts. A good thing, too, because Quebec's lumber producers want free trade, not a bad deal.The last softwood lumber dispute happened on the Liberals' watch, and Quebec paid the price. Our businesses went bankrupt, our workers lost their jobs, and our regions nearly collapsed.This time, will the government pledge to liberate Quebec softwood lumber from tariffs and quotas?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from LaurentidesLabelle for his important question. The Agency is sensitive to situations involving fraud. In this type of situation, the Agency usually sets up special teams to centralize the cases and ensure fair and equitable treatment. Therefore, I encourage the taxpayers affected to contact and work with the Agency.We will work with the individuals involved to solve their problems as information comes to light. We are following this situation very closely.
Mr. Speaker, we take the health and safety of Canadians with the utmost seriousness. We have in place a strict regime for access to medical marijuana, which includes testing of products to make sure they are safe and free from contaminants. There are, however, dispensaries in this country that are illegal. It is not the responsibility of the government to regulate illegal products. We will continue to make sure legal products are safe for consumption, and we will put in place a mechanism to make sure all marijuana is safe for consumption.
Mr. Speaker, we continue to respect the concerns indigenous peoples have on a wide range of issues, because we continue to listen, consult, and work in partnership with them.We know that we need to move forward on both protecting environmental stability and on protecting economic growth. Canadians expect that. Indigenous Canadians expect that. We will continue to work with the kind of respect we have always shown towards indigenous Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we learned yesterday that the over $200,000 the Prime Minister signed off on was to move his two closest friends here to Ottawa, spending over $200,000 to do so. His excuse, his justification, was the rules made me do it. That is not sufficient.My question is for the Prime Minister. Does he think it is appropriate to spend over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to engage in a renewed relationship with first nations, with indigenous peoples, and that is exactly what we are doing. We committed to holding consultations. We want to understand their concerns and work with them to open up economic opportunities that will benefit them.We will continue to honour the process and partner with indigenous peoples to build and create a better future for them. That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister owes Canadians and this House some straight answers. He needs to answer for his lack of judgment. The Prime Minister gave over $200,000 in moving expenses to his BFFs. People in Alberta are losing their jobs and homes, yet the Prime Minister gave six-figure relocation payouts to his buddies. Can the Prime Minister stand in his place and justify to struggling Albertans why he thinks his friends deserve these absolutely egregious payouts?
Mr. Speaker, during the campaign we committed to making significant improvements to Canada's national security framework by improving existing legislation, strengthening the accountability, and enhancing counter-radicalization efforts.My question is for the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. Can the minister please update the House on the government's efforts to ensure that both our national security and our rights and freedoms are protected?
Mr. Speaker, in the case of the higher numbers within the Prime Minister's office, the vast majority of the costs are associated with real estate fees and legal fees and are consistent with the rules.
Mr. Speaker, it is a real shame to see the extent to which people are willing to play politics with the lives of the most vulnerable people in the world. This government recognizes that acknowledging genocide should be done on the basis of extraordinary facts and wise counsel internationally, not just on political grandstanding by members like the member opposite.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations and women's organizations from across the country have been calling for a national action plan to end violence against women.While the government took some good first steps this summer, its scope does not seem to include policing, education, or women's shelters. How can we plan to end gender-based violence if we are not going to talk with the police, if we are not going to include policing? Why is the government adopting such a narrow scope in its approach to this vital work?
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago I met with a large and energetic group of Spanish seniors at the Davenport-Perth community centre. Last Friday, I met with agencies in Davenport that service the Portuguese community, a community that makes up almost 30% of my riding. One of the key issues raised by both groups was the high price and the lack of affordability of prescription drugs for many seniors. Can the Minister of Health provide an update on what she is doing in consultation with the provinces to reduce the price of drugs for seniors?
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the closure of Western Feedlots and certainly concerned, but what a day for Canadian agriculture. What a day for the canola farmers in western Canada. What a day for the beef producers, the ranchers in our country. We have gained access to the Chinese market and that is vitally important for the Canadian farmer.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I was very pleased to table in this House a national security green paper, which is intended to stimulate public debate as we proceed with unprecedented national security consultations to let Canadians, at long last, have their say about how to keep our country safe and how to safeguard its open, inclusive, and democratic character at the same time. This is in addition to other measures, like the counter-radicalization initiative, parliamentary scrutiny through Bill C-22, and other measures that we will put before this House. This is an absolute priority for our government, and we are moving as quickly as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up to speak to the process that we have introduced in terms of Supreme Court of Canada appointments, an open and transparent process that respects the custom of regional representation, that speaks to functional bilingualism, that speaks to appointing and identifying high-quality jurists who will fill the next seat. It also speaks to the principle of diversity.I look forward to working with the independent advisory board to make recommendations to the Prime Minister, and I know there will be highly qualified jurists on that list from Atlantic Canada.
Mr. Speaker, as this is my first Thursday question as House opposition leader, I want to congratulate the new government House leader, although I want to say maybe the former one got out just in the nick of time. I congratulate her and very much look forward to working with the new House leader.Could the minister advise the House what business the government intends to call for the remainder of this week and next week?
Mr. Speaker, Canadian steel producers are world class, and we recognize this. We are working with our international partners to address the issue of global overcapacity. That is why we are finding ways to curtail excess capacity and illegal dumping within our borders.This is something that was also raised in the North American leaders summit in Ottawa. This is an important issue for us. We will continue to make sure we address this in a meaningful way.
Mr. Speaker, there is an overdose epidemic gripping our nation. This year alone, 2,000 Canadians are expected to die. Stakeholders are unanimous that opening supervised injection sites is one way we can start saving lives immediately, yet the government has refused to amend Conservative legislation that the former Liberal health critic said was designed to block new sites. Will the Liberals listen to the evidence and amend Bill C-2 so that we can take action and start saving Canadians' lives?
Mr. Speaker, as I said, we need a relatively strong relationship to discuss all sorts of issues with the Chinese government.The reality is that our discussions on consular, economic, and human rights issues have already paid off. The reality is that we have a relationship that enables us to hear the questions and concerns of the people of China, while defending and upholding our human rights principles and protecting the values that are so dear to us here in Canada. That is what we will always do.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear in supporting our post-secondary institutions and helping businesses commercialize their R and D investments with those institutions. That is why we put forward a strategic investment fund of $2 billion that will help colleges and universities across Canada. That includes institutes like this that had funding in the past, and we will continue to work with them with funding opportunities going forward, as well. We have not neglected a region. In fact, we have made significant investments to help diversify the region, to grow the economy, and to create good-quality jobs.
Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.The Minister of Justice said that the government was running roughshod over aboriginal title rights, but now she has been silenced.Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?
Mr. Speaker, those rules came into effect in 2004, under Paul Martin. Regardless, that answer is not good enough.The Prime Minister's own letter to his cabinet instructs them to use taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence.Again I ask the Prime Minister, is using over $200,000 to move two people from Toronto to Ottawa using taxpayers' dollars with the utmost care and prudence?
Mr. Speaker, that is unbelievable. They are using Mike Duffy's excuse.Yesterday brought yet more job losses for Albertans. Dozens are losing their jobs at Western Feedlots Ltd. with its closure, a key part of the western beef industry. Company president Dave Plett says that recent government policies like Bill 6 and the carbon tax have contributed to the decision to close its operations.With yet more proof that carbon taxes kill jobs, will the government please reconsider its ideological determination to impose a job-killing carbon tax on Albertans?
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and political staff since the 1970s. The current rules were written in 2008. In the cases in question, the vast majority of the costs had to do with legal and real estate sales fees. When it comes to the higher expense claims coming from the Prime Minister's Office, the vast majority of the costs pertained to real estate and legal fees, and the claims were made in accordance with the regulations.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. All that was achieved without the participation of the agriculture minister. Here are the results of the Prime Minister bringing his friends here. Alberta energy investment is lost. Agricultural jobs are disappearing. Industries are being hammered. The government's carbon tax scheme is being blamed, and the Liberals have already said that Canadians will be punished with ever-increasing carbon taxes. This is how they destroy an economy: one Liberal policy at a time.When will the Liberals remove their bull's eye from the western Canadian economy?
Mr. Speaker, it is totally unacceptable for any public service employee to go without pay for work performed. That is why we have worked so hard putting in place additional measures to deal with the situation we are facing. Right now, additional employees have been hired. We have put in place measures to make sure people who face hardships are being helped. We are doing everything we can to fix a problem that is not of the employees' making, but it is one that we will fix.
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows full well, this is a longstanding policy, one that has been in place for years, decades even, and that the former Conservative government updated a few years ago. We applied all the principles and rules.The reality is that the former government still does not understand that voting against tax cuts for the middle class and a tax hike for the wealthy is good policy. It is disappointing that they voted against Bill C-2.
Mr. Speaker, I find it pleasing that the member opposite actually highlighted all of the extraordinary things we have done for Canadian families.We stopped the Conservative program of sending child benefit cheques to millionaire families. Instead we are giving them to the nine out of ten Canadian families that need more help.The members opposite actually voted against decreasing taxes for the middle class so we could raise them on the wealthiest 1%. That shows how out of touch the members opposite continue to be.
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of families have had their universal child care cheques cancelled, their tax-free savings accounts clawed back, their tax credits for their music lessons or their soccer camps ended. All of this to pay for Liberal spending. Now we find out that spending included $220,000 to move two members of the Prime Minister's staff from Toronto to Ottawa, and this was a special deal signed off by him.How can the Prime Minister possibly justify this to families whose child care cheques have been cancelled?
Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China. If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that farmers in Alberta, like farmers across the country, are pleased with the news that we have settled the canola issue with the Chinese and that we have also made progress on bringing bone-in beef to China. It is the hard work this government is doing to create opportunities for our farmers and small businesses across this country to engage with the growing Chinese market that we are so pleased with today.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change that Canadians voted for. Some people had to sell their home and move with their families and children to Ottawa. Any relocation was done in accordance with the relevant rules and directives.
Mr. Speaker, the government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. It is important to note that these are the same rules that also apply to the military, the RCMP, and the public service. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, on the heels of the Panama papers, there has been another leak of information involving Canadian banks and companies. Apparently, the minister's strategy is not working. We have a new government, but still no action to combat tax havens. Canada currently has a tax information exchange agreement with the Bahamas. However, it does not appear to be working.Following yesterday's revelations, does the Minister of National Revenue plan to review the agreement to ensure that there really is an effective exchange of information that will allow Canada to get tough on tax cheats once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, I am rising on a point of order today with respect to Standing Order 108(2). Today at the health committee, I attempted to move a motion that was tabled with the committee's clerk in June. The motion stated That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee immediately undertake a study into the governments rejection of an expert-panels decision to locate the future Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus on federal land across the street from the existing Hospital; and that the Committee call the Ministers of Environment, Heritage, and Agriculture and Dr. Mark Kristmanson, CEO of the National Capital Commission (NCC), to discuss the matter.Normally, a local hospital issue would not be in federal jurisdiction, but this arises because the government has now inserted a federal agency into the decision of where to locate the hospital and the federal Minister of Environment has interfered and blocked the hospital's construction in her own riding. Thus, there is a federal connection to the future construction of this hospital location. However, the chair of the committee ruled that the subject material was outside the jurisdiction of the committee, meaning that a hospital is out of the jurisdiction of the health committee. The chair then ruled the debate out of order and prevented even a vote on the motion, which was moved before the committee.In accordance with Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2), committees are masters of their own domain, and they can study any topics they choose and that are referred to them by the House. As well, the health committee's own website states that it may also study matters the committee itself chooses to examine. Therefore, there is no legitimate reason for the motion to have been ruled out of order. The committee, being master of its domain, ought to have been allowed to debate and then vote on the substance of the motion itself rather than having the chair arbitrarily shut down the debate before it even occurred. This matter is of immense importance to the people of the national capital region. The existing Civic campus, which represents the amalgamation of three hospital sites, is now almost 100 years old. It is falling apart. It is desperately in need of replacement. After a nine-year process, a site for its future construction was selected immediately across the street on federal land. There was a broad consensus among hospital board and management members that this was the right place to put the hospital. It was a decision accepted by the previous government. There were no objections made to that site by the now-governing party during the last election; yet suddenly and arbitrarily the member of Parliament for the riding in question and minister for the region slammed on the brakes and blocked the hospital's construction.Now I am asking for that member to come before a parliamentary committee and be accountable for her decision to delay the provision of health care in her own riding. Unfortunately, the Liberal majority is shutting down the debate and preventing any transparency in regard to that decision-making, by banning this motion from even being voted upon.Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a violation of Standing Orders 108(1) and 108(2). It falls to the Speaker to intervene when Standing Orders of the House are violated by chairs of committees, which are of course creatures of Parliament. This city needs a new hospital, and it is not the role of the federal government to stop the construction of that hospital. That is precisely what is happening and it is time that the Liberal Minister of Environment came before a committee and explained why she has done this to her community.Every day that goes by, Ottawa moves further down the list of priority sites for a future hospital. With dwindling provincial health care resources available for the construction of hospitals, we in Ottawa are losing our place on that list and putting the health care of our people in some jeopardy. All I am asking for is that there be a debate and a vote on the motion and that the Minister of Environment come before the committee to explain her decision to block the hospital and that we have clear answers so that the residents of Ottawa can have accountability for the decisions that affect the health of the next generation of local residents.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday's announcement of a potential deal to buy U.S. Steel Canada provides light at the end of a long tunnel for thousands of current and former workers in Hamilton, but the deal is far from complete and the federal government needs to do its part.The Prime Minister promised to help when he needed their votes, but the Liberals have done nothing since to help Hamilton steelworkers and pensioners, with everything on the line.When will the minister sit down at the negotiations and ensure protections for these jobs and pensions?
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the member as well and congratulate her on her new role.This afternoon, we will continue with the Conservative Party motion. Tomorrow, we will proceed with Bill C-4, the union bill.I have had discussions with opposition House leaders to find agreement on the handling of the debate at report stage and the third reading of this bill. I would like to thank them for their co-operation. We will continue this debate on Monday as well, in the hope of concluding third reading debate at the end of the day.On Tuesday, we shall commence second reading debate of Bill C-22, which establishes a national committee of parliamentarians. I expect that debate to carry over to Wednesday and I hope we can conclude the debate on Friday so that we can get the bill to committee early next week.Lastly, next Thursday shall be an allotted day.
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the mayor of Quebec City, Mr. Labeaume, identified four priorities for his city, one of which was the Institut nordique du Québec.The Liberals promised to provide funding for the institute. On February 22, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track, but it is slow in coming. The north has really been neglected by the Liberals. The Prime Minister never visits the north, the north is no longer represented in cabinet, and there is no funding for the institute responsible for studying the north.When will the government provide funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?
Mr. Speaker, 17 pipeline projects were approved under the Conservative government. I just want to make sure that is perfectly clear.The job crisis in Alberta has only got worse with the announcement yesterday that Western Feedlots will be closing its gates next year, meaning another 85 Albertans are out of work.It goes deeper. With Western's 100,000 head of cattle off the market, this will be devastating for Alberta's barley growers and its beef processors.The main reason for the closure, according to Western Feedlots, is the impending NDP and Liberal carbon taxes. When will the Liberal government admit that its job-killing carbon tax is an attack on
Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Encana is investing $1 billion to double its oil well capacity. Oh, but that is in Texas.Low oil prices are not the reason that investors are being scared away from Canada. It is inaction and bad policy by the Liberal government. There are 125,000 Alberta energy workers unemployed. These are families who are struggling to pay their mortgages and struggling to put food on the table.When will the Liberal government finally make key decisions to show investors that Canada, like Texas that does not have a carbon tax, is open for business?
Mr. Speaker, here is the reality, rather than conjecture.We have announced a high-level national security and rule-of-law dialogue as part of comprehensive discussions on expanding our relationship with China. The U.S. and the U.K. are holding similar dialogues. Canadian officials have met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss counterterrorism, law enforcement, consular matters, and rule of law; and as part of those discussions, conversations on extradition were held. It was stressed that Canada is governed by very high standards. The promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of Canadian foreign policy.
Mr. Speaker, the promotion and protection of human rights is an integral part of our foreign policy and a key aspect of our relationship with China. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs raised human rights concerns with their direct counterparts at every possible opportunity, including the most recent visit to China.These are not easy conversations to have. They represent a policy of engagement, which is a far cry from the policy of retreat and isolationism of the previous government.
Mr. Speaker, these are the answers from last year, not from this Parliament. New records from the Bahamas are showing that three of Canada's big banks are setting up thousands of offshore companies in well-known tax havens: Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Isle of Man, Panama, and now the Bahamas. We have tax agreements with all of them, and we are supposed to get this information from all of them, but instead we are getting it from media leaks. Enough of the same old platitudes. Can the minister finally get to the root of the problem on tax havens?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister keeps repeating that millionaire families like his do not need the government's help. However, he needed taxpayers' help to pay his children's nannies.We now know that his staffers received hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of moving from Toronto to Ottawa.Can the Prime Minister explain why these expenses are not an abuse of public funds?
Mr. Speaker, I would take this opportunity to remind the member opposite that he is actually still in Ottawa and not in Alberta.
Mr. Speaker, in the same document the member has quoted, it also states that this government has raised the bar on transparency. We will continue to raise the bar. Let me remind Canadians that any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Supreme Court appointment process is an insult to Atlantic Canada. The Liberals are upending a 141-year constitutional convention guaranteeing Atlantic Canadian representation on the court.Of the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada, is there not one who is prepared to stand up against this Liberal attempt to shut out Atlantic Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.Canadians pay for health care when they pay their taxes, and they should not have to pay a second time. That is why we support the Canada Health Act. The deductions set out in the act are a last resort. We will continue to work with the provinces and territories to strengthen our universal public health care system.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister once said that the Chinese dictatorship is something that he admired. We now learn that that was not a slip of the tongue. It is a fundamental principle of Canadian democracy that one does not send people to be tortured or killed. Canadians agree on that. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch confirm the systematic use of torture and frequent executions in China. The immigration minister sees the profound moral problem of an extradiction treaty with China. Why does the Prime Minister not?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. We are working very hard on this file. We know where Quebec's industry and workers stand on the issue. The Conseil du patronat du Québec acknowledged the Minister of International Trade's efforts on behalf of Quebec's forestry industry. The workers we talked to in the Saguenay region said the same thing.We are working very hard on this file to reach an agreement that is good for Canada and for Quebec.
Mr. Speaker, whether it is here or in Alberta, I will always fight for people's interests, including against the carbon tax. On a different matter, yesterday I put a motion to this place, the same as Conservatives proposed as a vote last June, to recognize that the crimes against humanity being committed by the so-called Islamic State against the Assyrian, Yazidi, Shia, and other religious minorities of Mesopotamia, constitute genocide. This has been recognized by the European Parliament, the U.S. Congress, and the British House of Commons.Why did the government, yesterday, again reject this motion, a second timeonce in June and then again yesterday? Will it not recognize the reality of this genocide against these minorities?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are still waiting for answers on the Liberal foreign policy flip-flop with China. The immigration minister said in August that Canada would never negotiate an extradiction treaty with China while China maintained the death penalty. Only weeks later, the Liberals timidly announced an agreement to begin negotiations for an extradition treaty.The Liberals deny that strings were attached to China's sudden, long-overdue release of Kevin Garratt.Exactly what is the explanation?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, this is a policy that was put in place by her government, and similar policies have been there since the 1970s when Prime Minister Trudeau was in office. The fact is that we followed all the principles and rules in place, both in the policy and the administration of the policy. I can point out that the Prime Minister's Office is now significantly smaller than it was under the previous Conservative government.
Mr. Speaker, we built a team of passionate, hard-working, extremely qualified Canadians to deliver the change Canadians voted for.The government has had a relocation policy for public servants and ministerial staff since the 1970s. The current rules in place were written in 2008 and have been followed by every minister's office since. Any relocation was done in accordance with the guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of British Columbia understands about carbon pricing. The Conservative Government of Alberta understands about carbon pricing. The newly elected Progressive Conservative Government of Manitoba understands about carbon pricing, and across the other way, this government understands about carbon pricing and taxing pollution. We know that the NDP understands the importance of carbon pricing. The Green Party understands the importance. The Bloc understands the importance. Who does that leave?
Mr. Speaker, again, we are witnessing complete mismanagement by the Liberals with regard to the marijuana file. Over a year ago, the minister was told that marijuana being sold at illegal dispensaries was laced with both pesticides and fungicides, yet the minister sat on the report and did absolutely nothing. The complete mismanagement on this file and the minister's continual display of horrendous mismanagement is putting Canadians' safety at risk.I would like the minister to answer for us today. When will she take the safety of Canadians seriously? When will she take action on this file?
Mr. Speaker, when this government claimed that it would be open and transparent, Canadians families did not expect it to openly waste their money.With all due respect to the Liberal Party, giving over $200,000 to an employee and a friend of the Prime Minister is completely unacceptable. It was unacceptable in the time of the sponsorships and it is still unacceptable.When will the Prime Minister understand that Canadian families' money is not his money?
Mr. Speaker, is that why we had to go to The Globe and Mail to actually find out these answers? Canadians want to know why Liberals gave $1.1 million to Liberal friends. The justice minister doled out $114,000, and the foreign affairs minister forked out another $146,000. Worse still, the Prime Minister gave his millionaire friends $200,000 to move from Toronto to Ottawa. When will the Liberals tell us exactly how they justify spending this money?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have abandoned former Stelco workers, and they failed to stand up for the sector against steel dumping.China's unfair trade practice is hurting Canada's steel industry and putting tens of thousands of good jobs at risk.The Canadian Chamber of Commerce and local chambers, like mine in Windsor-Essex, have urged the government to act, but so far the Liberals have only offered hollow words.With the Chinese premier visiting today, will the Liberals finally act on unfair steel dumping?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are well aware of China's imperfect justice system, the rigged trials, the brutal incarceration, the torture, and the executions. Our allies, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, do not have extradition treaties with China. The Prime Minister naively says that Canada has high standards and rigorous processes, but Canada has no control over what happens in Chinese prisons. The Chinese have many ways of killing prisoners.Why are the Liberals suddenly humouring China, given its cruel justice system?
Mr. Speaker, after sending his Minister of Health to intimidate the Government of Quebec by threatening to impose fines, the Prime Minister is now trying to give the Quebec government a lesson in morality. Canadians are tired of governments that point the finger and accuse each another. That takes some nerve. Rather than acting like a pyromaniac firefighter, could the Prime Minister stop taking sick people in Quebec hostage, restore the health transfers with no strings attached, and forget this bright idea to impose a fine on sick people in Quebec?
Mr. Speaker, they are working hard to oversee 10% unemployment in central Alberta for the first time in decades. The Prime Minister's BFFs made like bandits, selling their million dollar Toronto homes and raking in over a half a million dollars each personally in profit, yet the Prime Minister personally chose to give $200,000 of taxpayer money to his millionaire friends. The Prime Minister's impaired judgment is astounding and is, frankly, shocking. Can the Prime Minister tell struggling Alberta families exactly why he thinks his entitled millionaire BFFs deserve these outrageous payments?
Mr. Speaker, the Mont-Laurier region has been hit hard by suspected fraud.The police is investigating a payroll services company, which has filed for bankruptcy, and its managers. Nearly $600,000 in payroll deductions from about 80 SMEs and organizations were not remitted to the federal and provincial governments. My team, MLA Sylvain Pagé, the CFDC, the CLD, the Chamber of Commerce and others are helping the businesses affected.Can the Minister of National Revenue explain how the Canada Revenue Agency can help the people in the Upper Laurentians deal with this difficult situation?
Mr. Speaker, people are dying every day and that is a serious matter. The Liberals should honour their commitments now.While the minister does not have a problem paying a fortune to move his staff, who are his friends, the Liberals are unable to pay the public servants who work tirelessly for Canadians. A report commissioned by the government recommended that the deployment of Phoenix be slowed down. However, the minister did not even read it. Fifty-five thousand public servants are waiting to be paid what they are owed.Why did the minister not do her homework before the Phoenix system was rolled out in its entirety?