Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
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Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?
Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the excellent work done by workers at the Davie shipyard. We remain involved in discussions, negotiations, and reviews. We cannot discuss the details in the House, but I can assure my colleague that the discussions are ongoing.
Mr. Speaker, I think the Prime Minister does not get it either, and I will tell him why. The Prime Minister just indicated that raising the price is going to make people make better choices. Imagine my surprise when I read today that the Prime Minister has his food prepared at 24 Sussex and then driven across the street, 700 metres away, to his residence. Leadership starts at the top. Is it acceptable that while he tells families they have to make better choices, he chooses to have his food driven across the street? Is this just do as I say not as I do?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to report on the progress to date and the engagement on the recognition of indigenous rights and the implementation framework.In over 67 round tables, we have met with over 1,000 people, and 500 of those were women. It is very interesting that, as the member pointed out, some want this done today, because it is all there in volume 2 of RCAP, and some want us to take longer. We are going to do this the right way, and we are going to do it as soon as we can.
Mr. Speaker, I am awfully glad the hon. member had a supplementary question, because there are so many things the Conservatives did to attack our electoral system that I needed more time. In fact, the parliamentary secretary to their prime minister went to jail for breaking election rules. The Conservatives attacked our democratic system; the Liberals are strengthening it. That is what Bill C-76 would do, making it easier for Canadians to vote, while strengthening our democratic system. More people voting is good for our democratic system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his question and continued advocacy when it comes to skills training. Yesterday, I was proud to announce agreements between the federal government and the Government of Ontario that will make it possible for Canada to invest over $6 billion in Ontario workers.These agreements represent an increase in funding of over $800 million and will have 180,000 more Canadian Ontarians get the jobs and skills training they need to succeed. These agreements will increase access to training programs, work placements, employer-sponsored training, job search assistance, career counselling, and
Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are talking about two completely different systems.We are very proud of the commitment our government made to welcome 50,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. We will ensure that these Syrian refugees adapt to our reality and to our country. We will give them every means to succeed in our society. We need these people and we know that they actively contribute to our society. We will do everything we can to ensure that they have the services they need to succeed in our society.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite's commitment on gender equality. Surely, this is something we can all work to advance together.As for the member's question about gender-based analysis being conducted, we apply an intersectional gender lens to all items coming before cabinet. I am sure she has had a chance to look at the price on pollution and the GBA+ that was done on that piece of policy. Yes, we are so proud that after 151 years, budget 2018 was the first to have that lens applied to all spending.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the member for Scarborough North for his great work in helping give more Canadians a safe place to call home. I would also like to congratulate him on his French.The $17 billion announced yesterday is going to create wonderful partnership opportunities for all levels of government, as well as the private and social sectors. It is also going to help construct or renovate homes for 300,000 families.Working together, we will provide more safe and affordable housing to middle-class families and those working hard to join it.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that just this week we released a report, and I am happy to provide a copy of the report, that showed clearly that putting a price on pollution worked. It is a cost-effective way of reducing emissions, and we can do it while growing the economy.Canadians are wondering what the party opposite would do on climate change, because for a decade it did nothing.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I offer my most sincere condolences to every member in this House, but in particular to members of the Conservative caucus who have lost one of their own. For Gord's wife, Claudine, and his two sons, Chance and Tristan, as well as all his many friends and all his parliamentary colleagues, our thoughts are with them.On the member's question, our government is committed to supporting Canadian thalidomide survivors. We announced in budget 2018 that we will expand the thalidomide survivors contribution program to ensure that more survivors receive the financial support they need. We will have more good news to share shortly on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, our government welcomes international investment that will benefit the Canadian economy, but not at the expense of national security. The Investment Canada Act contains a multistep review process that includes a national security review, which we always follow for all international investments in Canada. It is a rigorous process. It is undertaken with the government's national security agencies, and we rely on their very good advice.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the NDP is trying to create conflicts and conspiracies where there simply are none. We continue to work in a collaborative, respectful fashion with our partners south of the border to ensure the integrity of Canadian borders, the integrity of our immigration system. We continue to rigorously apply all the rules and laws associated with the immigration system in Canada. We continue to reassure Canadians that everything is done responsibly and properly, both in keeping with the law and with our values of openness and welcome around the world.
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's democratic institutions with Bill C-76, and we are increasing Canadians' trust and participation in our electoral process. We are increasing the transparency of the electoral process. We are making elections more accessible to Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities. We are making the electoral process more secure and ensuring that political parties protect the privacy of Canadian citizens. Our government is strengthening the democratic institutions that the Conservatives actually attacked throughout their time in government.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada lost, yet again, in a challenge we made in Federal Court against a secret chapter 11 tribunal that had overturned a very fair, full, and robust review of the Digby Neck quarry. The company, Bilcon, went from losing to the Nova Scotia Conservative government to the federal Conservative government. It went for $570 million. It looks like it is now going to get it.Will the Prime Minister agree that it is time to work with the United States in these renegotiations and get chapter 11 out of NAFTA?
Mr. Speaker, I absolutely agree. We need to do more to reduce single-use plastics, which are ending up in our oceans. It is a travesty. I have gone to the High Arctic, and I have actually seen birds with pieces of plastic inside them. We know we need to do better. We need to be doing that in conjunction with provinces and territories. We are convening a meeting with provinces and territories to make advances so we can have a robust regime to stop this from happening.
Mr. Speaker, that line of reasoning is quite simply Conservative propaganda. The fact of the matter is that we are changing the wording of the legislation to make it more effective, to put in place an offence that is more familiar within our criminal justice system and has a greater likelihood of success in terms of proving the offence and getting a conviction. We want success on that front, not just bafflegab.
Mr. Speaker, this question was written by Gord Brown, the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, who had anticipated asking it in the House this week: Mr. Speaker, after leaving thalidomide survivors to suffer for 18 more months, the government stated in this year's budget that it would finally find help for them. That was two months ago. They are still in agony, waiting for relief. What steps has the Prime Minister taken since the budget was presented, and when will the money flow to those long-suffering Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I know the Conservatives' approach is to not let the facts get in the way of a good political argument, but allow me to remind the member opposite that B.C. has had a price on carbon pollution for almost 10 years, and it has led, quite frankly, to growth in the economy while they have reduced and while they have shown leadership on the environment. That is exactly what we know will work right across the country. We are putting a price on carbon pollution so we can grow the economy in cleaner ways. Everyone gets that except the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud of Bill C-64. We are the first government to take concrete action to deal with the issue of abandoned and wrecked vessels. In fact, I went to British Columbia, to my colleague's riding of Ladysmith, if I am not mistaken, and announced that nine boats are going to be removed from the water there. We will be doing this on a regular basis. We are also going to ratify the Nairobi convention, which is another powerful tool to deal with owners so they take responsibility for their vessels.
It is true, Mr. Speaker, we did nothing at all. We did so little, in fact, that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 2.2%. Even without imposing the Liberal carbon tax, greenhouse gas emissions still dropped. That is the Conservative record. The Liberal carbon tax is yet another example of the Liberals' insatiable appetite for taking money out of taxpayers' pockets.Could the Prime Minister explain to Canadian families why they will have to pay more for everything they buy because of the Liberal carbon tax and how a tax will reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
Mr. Speaker, after saddling taxpayers and future generations with debt as only Liberal governments have always had the nerve to do, the Prime Minister and his ministers are now censoring their spending. Canadians deserve better and are entitled to clear answers about every penny the Prime Minister spends. They deserve to know when the government will balance the budget.Why should MPs give the government more power and carte blanche to spend taxpayers' money without telling Canadians where their money is going?
Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canada's biggest strength is its resilient, hard-working people. Innovation and technology continue to change the way we live and work. The people of Kitchener Centre, Ontario, and Canada are facing new challenges and new opportunities.More than ever before, opportunities must be available to acquire the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Can the minister tell the House what our government is doing to ensure that Ontarians and all Canadians get the skills they need?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon we will resume third reading debate on Bill C-48 on the oil tanker moratorium. The debate shall continue tomorrow.On Monday, we will start report stage and third reading of Bill C-65 on harassment. Tuesday will be an allotted day.Next Wednesday, in accordance with the order adopted on April 26, the House will resolve itself into a committee of the whole following question period to welcome the athletes of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic and Paralympic Games. Afterward, the House will proceed with debate at report stage and third reading of Bill C-21, an act to amend the Customs Act. Next Thursday, we will only begin the debate of Bill C-76, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act. As members have heard in this House numerous times, we are committed to seeing more people participate in democracy. I have always committed to ensuring that there is a reasonable amount of time to debate and also to ensure that the committee can do its work. Therefore, I look forward to hearing from all parties how much time is needed so that we can continue to ensure that legislation is advanced in a timely fashion.Just quickly, Mr. Speaker, I want the opposition House leader and all colleagues to know that this is our parliamentary family, and we are always going to be here to work together. We know that in the days and weeks and years to come, there might be times that we need to lean on each other, and we will always be here to do that, and I know the opposition does the same. We sincerely appreciate those kind words today. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members.
Mr. Speaker, our border has become a sieve. The government must suspend the safe third country agreement to stop the chaos with asylum seekers at our borders. Even the Association québécoise des avocats et avocates en droit de l'immigration is calling for this. Section 10 exists so that the agreement can be suspended if necessary. We do not even need permission. Will the government step up and suspend the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, by putting a price on something we do not want, pollution, we encourage industry, consumers, and all Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and seek alternatives. Putting a price on carbon works. It creates clean economic growth, it creates alternatives, and it creates innovation while ensuring that the money collected from the carbon tax is given back to taxpayers across the country. That is our plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan so they are attacking others.
Mr. Speaker, we work regularly with our partners in the United States to secure our borders. We have regular discussions on security and on the integrity of our immigration systems. This is part of being responsible neighbours and partners in keeping North America safe. With respect to our immigration process, we will always defend the integrity of our values and our laws, and we can assure Canadians that we are enforcing and will continue to enforce Canadian laws to the letter with respect to regular and irregular immigration.
Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to see Canada once again taking a leadership role by acceding to the Arms Trade Treaty, which is a key step toward preventing conflict caused by the illicit arms trade. Our two countries, Canada and the United States, have historic ties, and it is essential that such matters be addressed through NATO or NORAD. Bill C-47 will give us higher, more rigorous standards regarding the way Canada regulates its arms sales to foreign countries.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, Canada is an open and welcoming country. In the past week, a number of parties have proposed different ideas regarding the safe third country agreement. I think this shows that they do not understand the agreement.The safe third party agreement is a very important tool used by Canada and the United states to work together to process asylum claims. It is an essential part of our immigration system. Once again, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stated that the agreement is still being complied with. We will continue to work in collaboration with the United States.
Mr. Speaker, we are aware of the situation and we will continue to monitor what is happening. We will take action if we need to. For the time being, we are just monitoring the situation.
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the very serious issue of human trafficking, I am pleased to report to the hon. gentleman that this was a major topic under discussion among G7 ministers of security about a week or 10 days ago.There was complete consensus among the seven countries, plus the European Union, plus Interpol, that this was an agenda topic for the leaders of the G7 to reinforce. We intend to keep this very prominently on the agenda. To make sure that is the case, the Prime Minister has appointed a gender equality advisory council to reinforce the message.
Here is the thing, Mr. Speaker. Women bear a disproportionate cost of child care. The minister often talks about how there is gender wage gap. However, the minute we start asking if price elasticity for carbon is different for different genders, the Liberal gender budget no longer applies.To women who are filling up their tank at $1.60 a litre this week, with more price hikes on the way, could the minister explain why his virtue signalling intersectional gender lens gender budget has produced a sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, plastics are entering our waters, entering our food chain, and ending up on our dinner plates. This is a global issue, but Canada has no national policy, and the Liberals' oceans protection plan does not even mention the word plastic. How can the Prime Minister say he wants to lead the G7 discussion on ocean plastics, when he has done nothing about it? My motion, Motion No. 151, addresses this regulatory and legislative gap. Will the Prime Minister support my motion and take immediate action to clean up plastic pollution in our waters?
Mr. Speaker, today my office has made data preservation requests, and I am compelling Cambridge Analytica, SCL, AggregateIQ, and any third-party vendor to produce information related to the Cambridge Analytica Facebook data breach. We are also working with the U.K. Information Commissioner, who has already raided the offices of Cambridge Analytica and seized data. We are also working with the Privacy Commissioner in Canada, who is already working on the file, working on Canadians' behalf to see what is really going on with Canadians' data breach.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians did see was this. The Prime Minister recently visited Vancouver. When he was asked about the $1.60 a litre gas price that people there were suffering under and how much that carbon tax would add to it, he essentially said Let them eat cake, that if they changed their behaviour, they would not have to pay so much in gas prices and taxes. Why does he not come clean and tell them how much the cake he is trying to sell them will cost?
Mr. Speaker, before I ask the Thursday question, I do want to just express my gratitude to the government House leader and to all our Liberal and our other colleagues for the way they responded yesterday after the sudden passing of our colleague, Gord Brown. I thank them for their response.In regard to the business coming up, I want to specifically ask, if I could, about Bill C-76. There are some rumours that the government may be deciding to try to fast-track the bill in some way or another, so I hope that the government House leader can please clarify that the government will indeed not do that. Given the potential impact of Bill C-76 on our democracy, it is very important that sufficient time be allotted. In fact, the House would welcome a commitment from the government that respects the intent of a Liberal motion introduced and previously proposed by the House leader's colleague, the Liberal member for Coast of BaysCentralNotre Dame. This Liberal motion, proposed on April 10, 2014, sought to limit the government's ability to shut down debate on a bill regarding elections and our democracy. That was a Liberal motion. I would ask if the government House leader could give us the update on what the business of the week will be, keeping that in mind and respecting the need we all have to debate important bills around democracy with sufficient time.
Mr. Speaker, we advocated on behalf of Mr. Diab at every level on his return to Canada. We are very glad he is back in Canada with his family. We have read the reports on the involvement of government officials in his extradiction. This obviously happened under the previous government. This matter is worth looking into.
Mr. Speaker, there is a significant concern from members of the Assembly of First Nations that the Liberals' planned indigenous rights legislation will come far too late to matter, and that there will not be enough involvement from first nations people in Canada. The minister has said that laws in Canada must fully respect the rights of first nations people. Therefore, can the minister tell us when the Liberals are meeting with every first nation and when their legislation will be introduced?
Mr. Speaker, the national housing strategy is a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians, particularly the most vulnerable Canadians, a place to call home.Yesterday in Toronto, #TorontoStrong, the government announced the details of one of the key pillars of the national housing strategy: the national housing co-investment fund.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this co-investment fund will help the federal government work with its partners to move forward on the housing priorities that matter to Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the cost of fuel in British Columbia is now more than $1.60 per litre. It is the highest in North America. This problem is being caused by substantial uncertainty surrounding the future of the industry, but it is being compounded by a carbon tax. When the Prime Minister was asked in Vancouver on Monday, he lauded the price of fuel, claiming he was demonstrating leadership by having Canadians pay more. Does the Prime Minister actually believe that the already historically high gas prices are not high enough?
Mr. Speaker, on this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the work that journalists do around the world in order to protect democracy. We also remember those who lost their lives defending facts, getting to the truth, and shedding light on stories that would have remained buried without them. Sadly, countless journalists around the world put themselves in harm's way to keep the public informed. We will always defend journalistic freedom and we oppose all violence, intimidation, censorship, or unlawful arrests meant to silence journalists.
Mr. Speaker, one of the many promises the Liberals made to indigenous peoples was indigenous languages legislation. This announcement was made to the chief of the Assembly of First Nations nearly two years ago. Yes, it has been two years. A few days ago, a request for tenders showed up on the government's site to draft this legislation to promote and preserve indigenous languages.Can the Prime Minister assure us that this legislation will not be doomed to the same fate as his promise on electoral reform?
Mr. Speaker, what I find interesting is that the Conservatives promised that they would also tackle environmental challenges and that they would do so by means other than carbon pricing. They have the right to present an alternative vision to Canadians, today and in future elections.We have been clear: we will put a price on carbon pollution because we know that is how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow the economy. They have no proposals, they did nothing for 10 years, they have no alternative solutions. All they do is attack others.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows full well that we are talking about two completely different systems. I would appreciate it if he were more truthful with Canadians.We have taken meaningful action when it comes to illegal border crossings. We invested $173 million in the last budget. That is quite a contrast from the previous government, which cut more than $400 million from border management budgets. We have also taken steps with our partners, including the different provinces, such as Quebec and Ontario, to ensure that people who cross the border irregularly are processed as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, we recognize today, on World Press Freedom Day, how important it is to support our strong, independent media and to encourage journalists to continue to hold those in power, here and all around the world, to account. We know that the media world and the press world are facing significant challenges in the transition into this digital era. That is why we are working with them to ensure that, whether it is tens of millions of dollars for a small publication or increasing the funding to CBCRadio Canada, which the previous government cut, these are things that we are very much continuing to do. We will continue to help them transition into a digital world.
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. gentleman misunderstands the effect of the legislation.What is in the existing law is a provision that is virtually impossible to enforce. What we have done is propose wording that would change that to more familiar criminal procedures that have a greater likelihood of success in stopping the very conduct he complains about.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we are seeing the same old, same old from the Conservatives. They look for any way to attack politically, but when it actually comes to the issues that matter to Canadians, they do not act. For 10 years they did nothing on protecting the environment, and what that actually led to was not only did we not protect the environment, but we did not grow the economy in ways that are sustainable for the future. The lowest growth rate in almost 70 or 80 years, since the Great Depression: that is what the legacy of their government was.
Mr. Speaker, in just 10 years, newspaper ad revenues have plummeted by 45% while ad revenues for web giants spiked by 358%. Still, the government refuses to charge them sales tax.The media's struggle to compete with web giants is jeopardizing freedom of the press in Canada. In Quebec alone, nearly one out of every two jobs in print media have disappeared, to say nothing of the outright closures. Unions and professional associations have called on the Prime Minister to take action.How does he plan to deal with this crisis?
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the NDP asked the Prime Minister whether his government was in talks with the Trump administration to create a de facto invisible wall and send asylum seekers back to the United States. He was at such a loss for words that he accused the NDP of fearmongering. Come on.Has the Prime Minister been paying attention to what we have been saying since January 2017?Do the Liberals plan on expanding the safe third country agreement, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, I do not know how many times I can repeat it. Polluting is not free. It is a tax on future generations. I see lots of young people sitting out there wondering what the Conservatives are going to do to tackle climate change. The answer is, apparently, nothing. We understand there are real costs on Canadians. There are real costs of floods, droughts, and forest fires. It is a tax on future generations to do nothing. That is why we are acting on climate change. I do not know why the Conservatives will not.
Mr. Speaker, of course the Liberals are aware of this. Anyone can ask the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices. However, only one person can order it to do so and that is the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.Every year, oil companies conspire to pick our pockets. Every year, we ask the federal government to step in. Every year, the federal government leaves Canadians high and dry. Today, we wrote the minister demanding that he take responsibility.Will the minister finally order an investigation into the eminently suspicious process of gasoline pricing?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would like to remind the House that the Competition Bureau is an independent agency, ans as such, it will be following its own processes.As previously stated, the government will continue to monitor the situation.
Mr. Speaker, at committee, CBSA officials stated that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border would be more dangerous. The Minister of Immigration has said that it is not a workable solution. The parliamentary secretary to public safety stated that it would only drive asylum seekers further underground. A Liberal member has warned that this Conservative idea would make Canada a one-man island where we do not allow others in.Will the Prime Minister just clearly state that applying the safe third country agreement to the entire Canadian border is off the table?
Mr. Speaker, our priority since day one has been to help the Canadian middle class and those working hard to join it. We will continue to advance an agenda that seeks to improve NAFTA, including on issues such as trade and gender, trade and indigenous peoples, labour, environment, and investment.As we work toward modernizing NAFTA, we will vigorously pursue and defend Canadian interests, but we will not be negotiating in public. We are looking for a good deal for Canada, one that will continue to make North America competitive for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, we have heard from vulnerable Syrian refugees. They lack resources, such as language training or the ability to find a job in Canada. One woman was begging for someone who could teach her English, and many more are using food banks.We know these resources will be stretched further with the influx of illegal border crossers who also use these services. How is that fair?
Good sentiments, Mr. Speaker, but the industry right now is crying out for help here in Canada. In order to make informed decisions, people need to have access to a free press, and we have less and less of that here in this country. It is troubling to see how the crisis affecting the Canadian media industry has progressed lately. In 10 years, ad shares for newspapers dropped by 45%, and those for the American web giants increased by 358%, and the current government still persists in giving them a 10% to 15% tax advantage by exempting them from collecting sales taxes. Organizations representing journalists have called on the federal government to take action
Mr. Speaker, spring is finally here. The days are getting warmer, people's minds turn to their vacations, and we see the return of a phenomenon that is wholly without scientific basis: when the mercury rises, so does the price of gas. Nobody can discern a causal link between the two, but they inevitably rise together, peaking just before summer break.In the face of such a mystery, some suspect the oil companies of scheming to raise the price of gas. Will the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development order the Competition Bureau to investigate gas prices?
Mr. Speaker, as all G7 foreign ministers agreed to last week, Canada is committed to permanently ensuring that Iran's nuclear program remains exclusively peaceful and in line with its non-proliferation obligations and its commitments under the joint comprehensive plan of action. We strongly support the International Atomic Energy Agency and its crucial monitoring and verification work to help ensure Iran's compliance with this joint comprehensive plan of action as well as other commitments, which include safeguards and other obligations. We are a key supporter of the IAEA and have provided $11.5 million to support its
Mr. Speaker, marine plastic pollution needs action, not meetings.As another busy boating season begins in B.C., the abandoned vessel problem remains unsolved. Coastal communities have been calling for a comprehensive solution for a decade. They are done waiting. Following the NDP's lead, Parliament agreed to fast-track Bill C-64 to committee. However, since it was sent back to the House on March 2, the government has dropped anchor on the bill. Will the minister commit to amending the bill to include what coastal communities actually want, and stop stalling?
Mr. Speaker, the chair of Aecon and one of its chief financiers wrote an editorial in The Globe and Mail praising the Aecon takeover by a Chinese state-owned enterprise. They said it would be as amazing as the takeover of Australia's John Holland Group, the same John Holland Group that has been involved in the botched construction of a children's hospital in Australia, with asbestos in the roof, shoddy construction, lead in the water, and inexperienced contractors. Will the Prime Minister listen to his corporate insiders, who would gain from this takeover, or will he listen to Canadian national security officials and cancel the deal?
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned the government fought relentlessly to extradite to France a Canadian citizen, Hassan Diab, even as the case was crumbling in the face of scant and unreliable evidence. Mr. Diab spent over three years in near-solitary confinement in a French prison without ever being charged with a crime. Does the Prime Minister really think we can rely on an internal departmental review, which by definition lacks independence? Will he launch a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this grave injustice and find ways to reform our unacceptable extradiction laws?
Mr. Speaker, actually, we did three things. We saw greenhouse gases go down. We reduced taxes. We saw growth go up.The current government refuses to tell us what this new carbon tax will cost Canadians. We know it will increase the costs of gas, home heating, groceries, and other basic essentials that form a larger part of the household budgets of low-income people than for the rich. In other words, it is a regressive tax that will transfer money from those people who can least afford to pay. Why will the government not come clean and put an end to the carbon tax cover-up?
Mr. Speaker, over 45,000 privately sponsored refugees are waiting in the backlog to come to Canada.Instead of prioritizing the world's most vulnerable, people crossing into Canada from one of the safest countries in the world are getting bumped ahead of the line. The Prime Minister has opened the door wide open to illegal border crossers with his tweet, but will not lift a finger to help those playing by the rules.Could the Prime Minister explain to those who have been waiting in refugee camps for years how this is fair?
Mr. Speaker, it is really important to it make clear in the House that greenhouse gas emissions only went down twice under the previous government: one, because the Ontario government closed coal-fired plants, and the Conservatives cannot take credit
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Canadians are beginning to learn that the Prime Minister has trouble with the facts. Under the Conservative government, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 2.2% and the economy grew by 16.9%. That is the reality. He has a hard time with the facts, but he also has a hard time telling Canadians the truth because he knows very well that the Liberal carbon tax is going to drive up consumer prices for all Canadians and for all Canadian families. He is covering that information up.Why will the Prime Minister not come clean with Canadians, why is he not being honest with them, and why does he not tell them how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, first the Prime Minister tried to change Canadians' electoral system without letting them have a say. Then he tried to silence the opposition in Parliament. Now he is trying to change the elections law to benefit the Liberal Party. He wants to use voter information cards as a proof of address when, in the last election, nearly one million erroneous cards were mailed out. Canadians have seen through his tricks before, and they will once again.Why does the Prime Minister want to see Canadians show ID to buy marijuana, but not in order to vote?
Mr. Speaker, we have a climate plan. We are going to stick with it. One day maybe Canadians will even see what the Conservatives want to do.
Mr. Speaker, a Canadian company is once again attempting to deliver helicopters to the Philippines, but this time it is going through the United States. I have repeatedly asked the government to close the loopholes that allow Canada to avoid scrutiny by exporting arms via the United States. The government's refusal to control that type of sale may be making it possible for Canadian arms to be used in the commission of human rights violations.Why is the government refusing to tighten controls over arms exports to the United States?
Mr. Speaker, our government listens to Canadians at every step of the way. We have done it since we were elected, and we will continue to do it. As regards the Investment Canada Act, there is a multistep process in place that includes a national security review. We will never compromise national security, and investments are accepted in Canada at this level only when they are a net benefit to the Canadian economy. All of those principles will abide.
Mr. Speaker, the uranium nuclear deal provided billions of dollars to Iran and granted it access to the SWIFT financial system, which experts agree have helped Iran fund terror operations across the Middle East. This week Israel revealed intelligence that shows that Iran lied about the extent of its nuclear program when the 2015 deal was struck. Since this agreement was built upon the sands of deception, will this government work with the atomic energy agency and our allies to have the deal with Iran revisited?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of giving Parliament the information it deserves, I have an idea on how the government could do exactly that. The government has admitted, through its officials, that it has calculated how much its carbon tax would cost the average Canadian family, but for some reason it will not release it to Parliament, or worse, to the people who have to pay that tax.Will the government relent today and end the carbon tax cover-up, and tell Canadians what this tax will cost them?
Mr. Speaker, they can enforce what they want. It is a question of political will. That is it. Canada recently took part in a joint police operation with its allies to combat international terrorism, specifically that perpetrated by ISIS. The purpose of the operation was to undermine the power of the terrorist group's propaganda machine by seizing countless software programs and Internet servers all over the world. The operation was laudable and necessary, but in matters of counterterrorism, we must attack on all fronts.Why is the Liberal government eliminating criminal penalties for terrorists right here on Canadian soil in Bill C-59?
Mr. Speaker, the federal budget says that all public policy will have a gender-based analysis applied to it. Yet, after five rather awkward minutes of questioning, the finance minister would not answer whether a gender-based analysis had been done for the carbon tax. This was because he was hiding the fact that one had been done. Indeed, it says that the Liberals have produced a sexist carbon tax.My question is for the Prime Minister. Why has he used his gender budget to gender budget his way to greater inequality for women with his sexist carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, leave it to the Liberals to claim to fix a problem but instead make it worse. There have been numerous claims about millions of dollars in foreign funding being funnelled into third party groups in the last election. Conservatives have raised this problem time and time again. What do the Liberals do? They do absolutely nothing. Under their new legislation, foreign funds can still flow into Canada to influence our elections.Why do the Liberals not do something that is not just window dressing and actually protect the integrity of our elections?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his answer. I would like him to confirm something since my second question had to do with an unfilled position.Is my colleague confirming that a special advisor has been appointed to the Privy Council Office to address human smuggling and illegal migration?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians applauded, too, when the Conservatives were defeated.We will not take lessons from a party that paid a $250,000 fine for breaking the law, that used robocalls to send people to the wrong polls
Mr. Speaker, the Cambridge Analytica scandal continues as the company and its parent, SCL, have folded up operations, but the main players have just put a new name on the door, Emerdata, and they have disturbing connections to both the Chinese government and international mercenaries. This morning, at the ethics committee, we received an urgent letter from the data security firm UpGuard urging legislators to ensure that the potential data trail of electoral crimes is not erased. To the chair of the ethics committee, what steps will he take to ensure that the data is obtained from host servers used by SCL's Canadian operation, AggregateIQ?
Mr. Speaker, it is actually hard to understand whether the member opposite thinks it is a good thing or a bad thing that we look at the gender impacts on all our policies. We did that to carbon pricing, like we do with all the policies. I want to point out that when the party opposite was in government, it closed 12 out of 16 regional offices of Status of Women Canada. Where was the gender-based analysis of that?
Mr. Speaker, last week, an unknown number of ISIS computer servers were seized in Canada. According to the Minister of Public Safety's own department, terrorists such as ISIS continue to use the internet to recruit new members and radicalize people.It is therefore shocking that the Liberals have actually removed criminal penalties for promoting terrorism in their new national security bill. When the threat on Canadian soil is so real, why are the Liberals removing criminal penalties for the promotion of terrorism?
Mr. Speaker, let me continue. One, emissions went down because the Ontario government phased out coal. The Conservatives cannot take credit for that. Actually, they can take credit for a recession that was created by them. Let us be clear
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I understand that during debate in this House, sometimes questions may be asked and answers may come out not exactly how ministers would hope. During question period today, though, I think you will find, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, when giving an answer, provided a few reasons why the emissions numbers dropped during our time. One of the claims the minister made during that answer was that it was the Canadian government that was the cause of the worldwide economic crisis and depression. I would like to give her an opportunity to set the record straight and just say that maybe she was wrong in her facts.
Mr. Speaker, when Australian construction firm John Holland was bought by a Chinese state-owned enterprise, the result was a children's hospital built with asbestos in the roof and lead in the water. Despite this, China's envoy to Canada said that it would be immoral for Canadians to question the takeover of Aecon by the same Chinese state-owned enterprise that built the botched hospital. Does the industry minister agree that it is immoral to question the takeover of Aecon, or will he take the concerns of Canadians seriously?
Mr. Speaker, we respect Parliament and we respect the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In contrast, it was the Conservatives who had to be taken to court by the PBO to get information. It was the same Conservatives who called the PBO unbelievable, unreliable, and not credible. Of course those are the same Conservatives who took millions of dollars from a border infrastructure fund to build gazebos and fake lakes hundreds of kilometres away from the border. The Conservatives were the first government in the British Commonwealth to be found in contempt of Parliament for not giving Parliament the information it deserved. We will take no lessons from the Conservatives.
Mr. Speaker, the issue of human trafficking is one that we have raised not only with the G7, but also in the context of the policies of the Government of Canada in relation to violence against women, both domestically and internationally. In broadening out the scope of this very serious topic, it is not only focused upon trafficking, which is in itself serious, but a broad range of issues, which is the topic or the series of topics being addressed by the gender equality advisory council.
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-76, our government is making it easier for Canadians to vote, and tougher to break the rules. The defeated Harper Conservatives, on the other hand, made it tougher for Canadians to vote, and they broke the rules. We will not take lessons from the defeated Harper Conservatives
Mr. Speaker, what is the Prime Minister's word worth? That is what Davie shipyard workers are wondering. He promised them four ice breakers in January, and they are still waiting.It is his responsibility to make this happen and to keep his word. Elected officials in Chaudière-Appalaches are frustrated with the Liberal government's inaction and are calling for immediate action.Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise and why is he making Quebec and Davie shipyard workers wait?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have always worked hard to ensure the safety of Canadians.In 2010, we appointed a special advisor on human smuggling and illegal migration, but that advisor retired in 2016. That position has remained vacant ever since. That just shows yet again that the Prime Minister does not take illegal border crossings seriously.Why is the Prime Minister unable to take this crisis at our borders and in Quebec seriously?