Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
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Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
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Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.
Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the MP for Saint BonifaceSaint Vital for standing up for the interests of westerners across the country. I am very happy to see that CP has come to an agreement with its union partners. Our government respects the collective bargaining and important role played by organized labour. In our two and a half years in government, not once have we had to introduce back-to-work legislation. Today's agreement shows that when companies treat their workers as partners not opponents, a fair deal for all is possible. This agreement is good news for CP, it is good news for workers, but most of all, it is good news for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for LavalLes Îles for his question.We are determined to ensure the full participation of all Canadians in our democratic processes. Elections Canada's Advisory Group for Disability Issues made recommendations to improve the democratic participation of Canadians with different types of capabilities. More than 90% of these recommendations are in our elections bill. As we know, Canada is at its best when everyone is included.
Mr. Speaker, I was very touched by the welcome I received from the people of Charlevoix when I went there a few weeks ago to thank them for their openness and commitment, as well as the welcome they are preparing for the people who will be visiting us from around the world.I know that there are concerns, but the people were enthusiastic and positive about the fact that we are inviting the entire world to come see the extraordinary region of Charlevoix with its magnificent landscape and even more magnificent people.I look forward to sharing this beautiful region that I love so much with the entire world 10 days from now.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon there will be a vote on my bill to ensure that Canadian laws respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a principle that the Prime Minister supported.This government has a fundamental constitutional obligation to uphold the honour of the Crown in its relations with the indigenous peoples.How does imposing the pipeline expansion despite strong and growing opposition from indigenous peoples uphold the honour of the Crown?
Mr. Speaker, once again Canadians across the country find it humorous that the Conservatives are suddenly standing up for fair elections after what they did in their time in government to make our elections less fair and to try to lean them in their favour. Fortunately, Canadians saw through that and relegated them to where they are right now. We are happy to be moving the Elections Act proposals to committee, where all parliamentarians will be able to make proposals and debate them. We are open to amendments. We are looking forward to strengthening our Elections Act in a way that serves Canadians, not the Conservative Party of
Mr. Speaker, the desire of the Conservatives right now to play politics with an issue that they have been trying and failing to get done for 10 years is really disappointing.We have always recognized in Canada that public investment is part of our natural resource sector. The great Peter Lougheed demonstrated that to great advantage for Alberta for many years.We are going to continue to invest in ways that support and stand up for Albertan workers and workers right across the country as we grow the economy.
Mr. Speaker, as the world becomes increasingly digital, we want to ensure all Canadians are set up for success. In Vancouver, we announced $3 million for the Neil Squire Society to develop an open-source assistive technology model across Canada that will greatly reduce costs for persons with disabilities. This is part of our $22.3 million accessible technology program, which will help overcome barriers and give all Canadians an equal opportunity to obtain good jobs for today and tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, the NDP still does not understand that we cannot choose between what is good for the economy and what is good for the environment. They have not understood a thing.Our historic plan to achieve our Paris targets includes a pipeline to get our resources to new markets. We know that getting our resources to new markets, securing a better price, and securing jobs across Canada will translate into pricing pollution across the country, protecting our oceans, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions
Mr. Speaker, it is almost as if the Conservatives want the next election to be fought under the same rules by which they had tilted the electoral system in their own favour in the last Parliament. Canadians rejected that. They wanted a real fair Elections Act, which is not what they got. That is why we are moving forward to improve our electoral system so that it is fairer for all Canadians, and to make sure that our system is reformed in a way that Canadians, parliamentarians, and Elections Canada recommend.
Mr. Speaker, it would be good if the Prime Minister would put as much passion into talking about the environment as he has talking about buying a pipeline. Let's not kid ourselves. By deciding to invest $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money in the Kinder Morgan pipeline, the government is nationalizing it. Champions of the environment do not buy pipelines. Champions of the environment do not choose to make taxpayers assume the financial and environmental risks associated with a pipeline. Champions of the environment invest in clean energy.What risk assessments did the government conduct before getting out its chequebook for Kinder Morgan?
Mr. Speaker, once again, we know that the Conservatives revert to type whatever chance they get. They try to sling mud, especially when there is good news for Canada, good news for our democracy, and good news for our economy on the table. The approach the Conservatives have of trying to scare and divide Canadians and to hurl insults at each other simply does not work. We are looking forward to working at committee with all members of this House to ensure that the fair elections reform actually moves in the right direction. Canadians said very clearly under the Conservatives that they did not appreciate it when the Conservatives tried to tilt things in their favour.
Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, we can disagree and still be respectful of one another, especially when we discuss issues that are important to Canadians.We understand just how important it is to defend the economy while protecting the environment. We will continue to do so. We will defend jobs across the country. We will cut our greenhouse gases. Canadians expect as much from us. We will always do so.
Mr. Speaker, our government committed to doing things differently when it came to building a strong economy, supporting the middle class through good quality jobs, and supporting a strong labour movement. The rail sector is integral to our economy, and many Canadians rely on this industry for their livelihoods. While previous governments intervened in the collective bargaining process, we have taken a different, more fair, and balanced approach.Could the Prime Minister update the House on the status of the negotiations between CP Rail, TCRC, and the IBEW?
Mr. Speaker, what the NDP fails to understand is that every year we were losing $15 billion, because we were prisoners of a single market for our oil resources. Accessing new markets will allow us to grow our economy and create good jobs while we invest in the things that matter. In regard to indigenous leadership, let me point out this quote: I am happy the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister...are delivering on their promise that the [Kinder Morgan] Expansion Project will be built, and that construction will get underway this summer. This is good news for First Nations & all Canadians. That is Ernie Crey, Chief of Cheam First Nation.
Mr. Speaker, we have been consistent in demonstrating that we understand that growing the economy and protecting the environment must go together. As we move forward on a national plan to reduce climate change, at the same time, we also defend Canadian jobs right across the country, particularly in Alberta. We are happy to move forward on demonstrating that we understand what the Conservatives and the NDP simply do not: there is no choice to be made between the environment and the economy when it comes to creating good jobs for Canadians and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, we have moved forward on strengthening our immigration system, investing in more capacity to analyze and look at files.We know the backlogs that the Conservative government created in family reunification, in spousal sponsorship. We are pleased that we have dropped spousal sponsorship down from the over two years it took under the previous government to 12 months. We also know there is more to do.We are going to continue to keep Canadians safe. We are going to continue to make sure that we are applying the rules properly. We are going to continue to be compassionate and efficient.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in an interview, the Prime Minister indicated that the reason the government intervened and decided to nationalize a pipeline was because the Liberals recognized that there was too much uncertainty for Kinder Morgan and it was in the national interest. There is another pipeline that was in the national interest, and that was the energy east pipeline. It would have provided jobs, competitiveness for New Brunswick, and more certainty, for sure, with respect to supply.What I would like to know is, will the Prime Minister promise to enter into negotiations to provide the same level of certainty for energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud that this government has made historic investments in culture, such as supporting the CBC and investing in the Canada Council for the Arts.We are investing in our creators. We support them and we are helping them flourish around the world. As for the NDP's desire to increase taxes on Canadians, as I said, this is not something we will do. The NDP can keep insisting on it, but we will not increase taxes on Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-76 is a generational overhaul of the Canada Elections Act for the 21st century.In 2014, Elections Canada struck its Advisory Group for Disability Issues to provide advice about accessibility. All Canadians have the right to participate fully in the electoral process.Can the Prime Minister update the House on the measures introduced to ensure that more Canadians can vote?
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology of this particular band of Conservatives forgets the long and storied history of public investment in our national resource sector. The great Progressive Conservative leader Peter Lougheed understood that well and made significant public investments in our natural resources to get to where we are today. The Conservatives are now letting their ideology get in the way of securing and creating good jobs for Albertans, and indeed for all Canadians. That is what we are focused on. That is what we will continue to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit irresponsible for the member to set up false dichotomies like that. Of course we continue to be extremely proud of the investments we are making in partnership with indigenous communities across this country to build houses, roads, community infrastructure, and hospitals. We know we have lots more to do, and we will continue to do it. It would help if we were not losing $15 billion every year because we cannot get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. That is why we are moving forward on growing the economy while protecting the environment, which will enable us to do even more for all our partners across the country.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that the Liberals jeopardize investment in Canada at every turn, and the U.S. is poised to supply 80% of the world's growing oil and gas demand. Banks, economists, and investment firms have been warning for months that investment is leaving Canada. The Canadian Energy Pipeline Association said that uncertainty and potential implications of further...seismic regulatory changes are driving energy investments out of Canada.Canada does not need nationalization. Canada needs certainty and to be able to compete. When will the Liberals stop undermining Canadian energy investments?
Mr. Speaker, welcome to the bailout economy. When Porter Airlines wanted to extend the runway at the Toronto downtown airport the Liberal government said no, which led to the cancellation of $2 billion of Bombardier planes. The government said, We have to bail out Bombardier. The government wrapped this western pipeline in so much red tape and taxes that it became uneconomical, and it says, We have to bail out the pipeline. Why does the government not just stay out of the way in the first place?Will the Prime Minister admit that his economic policy is that if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving
It is not debate, my friends. Maybe I could finish first.
Mr. Speaker, Cindy Blackstock said that Canada could have funded the underfunding of first nations' education, water infrastructure on reserves, and early childhood programs; ensured that no sick child was air transported alone in the north; and more. Instead, the Liberals bought a pipeline. Yesterday the Auditor General confirmed that the Liberals have ignored crucial data on the well-being of first nations across Canada. Now that we know the Liberals have billions of dollars to spend, when can first nations, Métis, and Inuit expect the same investment?
Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the day after we are actually getting this important pipeline for new markets built, the Conservatives are pivoting to try to talk about old news and other issues. We are securing investments in Alberta and good jobs for Albertans, and indeed all the Canadians who work in the oil sands industry, for years to come. It is no wonder the Conservatives are flailing about. We are going to continue to stand up for Albertan jobs, for Canadian jobs, while we protect the environment for future generations. That is the commitment we made, and we are keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, employment opportunities for all Canadians are critical for growing the economy. Canada's success depends on our ability to leverage our diverse talent pool. Canadians living with disabilities have the same ambitions as all other Canadians. They want opportunities to find good, well-paying jobs, make a contribution to their communities and the economy, and build a better life for themselves and their family. Can the Prime Minister please explain what the government is doing to ensure Canadians living with disabilities have the tools and skills needed for success in the new digital economy?
Mr. Speaker, I realize that the Conservatives are concerned about the fact that we are reversing the unfair changes they made to our election legislation. They tried to rig the election in order to win. Fortunately, it did not work. We are currently working with all parties and Elections Canada to ensure that the next election will unfold with better rules that will benefit Canadians and not the partiesleast of all the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be worthwhile to remind the House and remind Canadians, and indeed remind the NDP, that they celebrated Rachel Notley's approach to protecting the environment and growing the economy just a few years ago, yet they forgot that part of that plan involved three elements: one, an absolute cap on oil sands emissions; two, a price on carbon that would apply to the Alberta economy; and three, getting our oil resources to new markets. That was integral to Rachel Notley's approach. That is what they have done. That is indeed what we have done to demonstrate that the economy and the environment go together.
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Quebeckers know that we need to leverage our natural resources and that all levels of government regularly invest in natural resource projects to do just that.With respect to what we are doing, we consulted Canadians and we strengthened the approval and assessment process for this pipeline project. We are proud that what we are building will open up new markets for us and help us achieve our greenhouse gas reduction targets.
Mr. Speaker, never in the history of Canada have we had a prime minister with such contempt for the oil sector and for Canadian workers as our current Prime Minister.Remember when he was in Calgary and said we need to phase out Alberta oil? Then, in Paris, he said it was not happening fast enough. Later he even said that higher gas prices were exactly what he wanted. Perhaps that is what he wants, but that is not what Canadians want. What is his latest bright idea? It is to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. My question for the Prime Minister is very simple.How much is the Kinder Morgan project going to cost taxpayers in the long run because of the Liberal Prime Minister's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, I grew up spending my summers on the B.C. coast and I have deep connections with British Columbia, so I too am concerned about the nature of our coast. That is why we have invested $1.5 billion in a world-class oceans protection plan to ensure that we are keeping our pristine and effective environment, and our strong ecosystem, safe from accidents and disasters. This is something that we take very seriously, and we have made the investments to demonstrate that.
Mr. Speaker, I do not have enough time in 30 seconds to respond to all the misinformation in the question from the member opposite. The fact is that the opposition are continuing to try to stoke fear and foment division between new Canadians and the newest Canadians and Canadians who have been here for many generations. That is completely irresponsible. Quite frankly, it was the kind of politics of division that were rejected by Canadians in the last election. We are going to continue to be compassionate and open. However, we will also apply our immigration system in its entirety, and all the rules and laws that apply to it.
Mr. Speaker, yet again, the Conservatives are peddling fear and division, fear of immigrants and newcomers, for political gain. That is utterly irresponsible. I can assure all Canadians that we are applying all of our immigration laws and claim review procedures, that we are keeping Canadians safe, and that we have the capacity to address the challenge of irregular arrivals. I can assure Canadians that we have the situation under control.
Mr. Speaker, the Marathassa leaked 2,700 litres of bunker fuel into Vancouver's English Bay, costing the city more than half a million dollars to clean it up. Three years later, Vancouver is still fighting for reimbursement, but the government is only offering 30¢ on the dollar, leaving taxpayers on the hook. No wonder British Columbians are so concerned about a Kinder Morgan oil tanker spill.Now imagine a toxic dilbit spill with no technology in place to clean it up. Who will the minister leave on the hook to clean up that disaster?
Mr. Speaker, tens of billions of dollars of investment in the energy sector have already left this country, and now the Prime Minister is telling Canadian taxpayers that they are going to have to pay for his mistakes. He is writing a cheque for $4.5 billion for an existing pipeline. Not a single centimetre of new pipeline will be built with this bill to the taxpayer. It is going to a Texas-based company that is taking that money out of Canada. Why is it that when the Liberals are in power, taxpayers have to pay $4.5 billion for something they could have gotten for free?
Mr. Speaker, since the member brought it up, let us remind the House what Rachel Notley, the NDP Premier of Alberta, actually said about this pipeline: This is a major step forward for all Canadians. We have met the deadline. This project has more certainty than ever.... We have demonstrated that despite the actions of one province trying to block this pipeline, the project, which is in the national interest, and the jobs that will be assured and defended through this project are an integral part of our plan to fight climate change and grow the economy for future generations. That is what Canadians expect.
Mr. Speaker, when Rachel Notley announced her plan for the environment, NDP members here in Ottawa applauded her approach and commended her for her vision. However, today, they are forgetting that Rachel Notley's plan to combat climate change was a three-pronged approach, which included limiting greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands, putting a price on carbon in Alberta, and building a pipeline to get Alberta's resources to new markets.That is the plan they applauded. What they are forgetting today is that the environment and the economy go hand in hand.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period on Monday, the hon. member for Milton cited a statistic that 600 individuals had crossed the border irregularly last weekend. That would be May 26 and 27. This number is definitely much higher than what is understood to be the case, and I am
Mr. Speaker, it is very distressing, as a former Cape Bretoner, that the government takes for granted the 32 seats it was delivered in the last election. I will tell members why.As the Prime Minister stands up here and says that I am talking about old news, it is not old news. Yesterday the mayor of St. John indicated that he wanted to have the energy east pipeline opened up again. A pre-eminent business leader in New Brunswick said exactly the same thing. Indeed, the member for Saint JohnRothesay told his local newspaper this morning that he is going to tell the Prime Minister that we have to get this going again.Is the Prime Minister going to listen to his own member and get this going again?
Mr. Speaker, here are some more facts. Let's see what the Prime Minister has to say about this.What happened on January 26, 2016, February 13, 2018, May 24, May 25, and May 28? The Prime Minister and all the Liberal members opposed motions in favour of Trans Mountain. Those are the facts.Because of this failure, Canadians will have to fork over $4.5 billion. That money could have been used to reduce taxes or provide better services.How much will this failure end up costing?
That is quite the track record, Mr. Speaker. The northern gateway project was not approved and energy east did not go ahead because of Liberal measures.Now, the Liberals are proposing to impose a Liberal tax on carbon and to send $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money to Texas. Again, I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister.How much will the Kinder Morgan project end up costing taxpayers because of the Liberal government's ineptitude?
Mr. Speaker, the great Peter Lougheed probably had to do that because Pierre Elliott Trudeau was in the process of destroying the entire energy sector. I was living in Alberta during the national energy program. The Prime Minister was living in a publicly funded mansion at the time. It is time that he got in touch.We had private sector money to build this project. Now we have a $4.5 billion expense and no pipeline to show for it.When will the Prime Minister finally get the job done?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are completely lost in their arguments.By purchasing a pipeline that will take our oil to new markets outside the U.S., we are actually standing up for jobs and workers in the natural resource sector in Alberta and across the country. It is what the Conservatives tried to do for 10 years, but they failed because they did not understand that the environment and the economy must go hand in hand.We are proud of the work we are doing to protect the environment and access new markets to grow our economy, and we will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Liberals gave us notice that they are attempting to ram through a 300-page omnibus criminal justice bill. I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he thinks it is a good idea that committing crimes as a gang member, kidnapping a 12-year-old, or forcing marriage for children under the age of 16 are crimes that could be punishable by a mere fine. When does the Prime Minister think that a fine could be appropriate for such serious crimes?
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the Conservative government's track record. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried to do everything they could for Alberta's economy, but they failed because they did not understand that environmental protection and economic growth must go hand in hand.By putting a national price on carbon and by demonstrating that we understand that we can defend the economy while creating growth, we were able to approve and begin construction of a pipeline that is vital to our economy.
Mr. Speaker, I must have missed the part where she said that we should nationalize a 65-year-old pipeline with four and a half billion dollars of Canadians' money. The Liberals do know it is not legal to smoke weed until August, right? This idea makes no sense at all. When he was asked about why he bailed out a Texas oil company, this is what the Prime Minister said: it was too risky for a commercial entity to take on. What? If it is too risky for an oil pipeline company to build an oil pipeline, why is it okay for the Canadian public to pick up all that risk? Liberals have to learn one thing and one thing finally, that bailing out Texas oil companies is no way
Mr. Speaker, only the Liberals would dump $4.5 billion on a 65-year-old pipeline and call that an energy strategy. Only the Liberals would try to force through a pipeline, and tankers, through traditional first nations territory and call that reconciliation. Only this Prime Minister would call himself a climate change leader and then be willing to spend $15 billion on a diluted-bitumen pipeline to China. He is about to say, The environment and the economy must go together. Does he know what else must go together? It is making a promise to the Canadian people and then actually keeping it.
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives tried for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the United States, and they failed, and now that we are actually securing access to new markets, securing Canadian jobs, and securing Alberta jobs, their ideology is getting in the way. I remind them that the great Peter Lougheed knew that public investment in resource development is essential to move forward as a country. That is exactly what we are doing for Alberta and for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, last week the people of Little Grand Rapids, Manitoba, were terrified. It is an isolated community where 630 people crowded into a smoke-filled school gym that was being hosed down from the outside because the forest fire was already in their community. They asked for help, and it was not until the last minute that government stepped up. Why did it take government so long to listen to those calls for help? Will the government recognize that instead of investing $4.5 billion in a pipeline, we should be investing in all-weather roads to first nations and improving the lives of first nations people?
Mr. Speaker, according to a recent CBC/Radio-Canada story, the Minister of Immigration is beginning to wake up. The article indicates that the minister is in talks with his American counterparts to modernize the safe third country agreement. However, the change he is proposing would do nothing to stop the influx of illegal migrants crossing Canada's border at various unofficial entry points like Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.Will the Prime Minister impress upon the U.S. government the need to close the loophole in the the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party tried to build a pipeline to new markets for 10 years and it failed. For the past two and a half years the Conservatives have been telling us to move forward and make sure that a pipeline takes our oil to new markets.Yesterday, we succeeded. We ensured that we will develop our resources so they can be exported to new markets, and we have a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Paris targets.I understand why the Conservatives having nothing to say. We were able to accomplish what they could not.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the Prime Minister does not care too much for any opposition, but we are here to hold the government to account and to stand up for the interests of Canadians whether he likes it or not. It is evident that he is trying to ram through his new electoral legislation using closure, time allocation, or whatever other trick he has up his sleeve. Will the Prime Minister commit today to allowing Bill C-76 the proper due diligence and study that Canadians know it deserves?
Mr. Speaker, to date, the only thing standing in the way of getting Canadian energy to foreign markets is that Liberal government. Now the Prime Minister is trying to characterize the belief that when a private sector company wants to use shareholder money to build a pipeline, that is somehow rigid ideology. Well, when a Texas-based company wants to bring $4.5 billion of investment into Canada, the Conservatives will support that investment and not ask taxpayers to pay for his mistakes.
Mr. Speaker, we are the ones talking about energy and the environment and they are the ones abandoning the environment for the economy. That is clear. The other thing that is clear is that the Premier of Alberta keeps her promises. We really take issue with the government breaking the promises it made to Canadians.The Liberals do not seem to realize that they have decided to take on a risk that Kinder Morgan clearly no longer wanted to bear. Let us be clear: what the government bought for $4.5 billion is a pipeline that was built in the 1950s. Expanding the pipeline will take an additional $7-billion to $15-billion investment. Can the government tell us what fiscal impact this nationalization will have on Canadian taxpayers?
Mr. Speaker, what we have seen here is the Conservatives trapped by their rigid ideology and therefore unable to protect jobs and create jobs for Albertans. For 10 years, they tried, and failed, to get a new pipeline built to markets other than the United States. They were unable to do that. What they seem not to understand is that public investment has always been part of developing the resource sector. We are proud to make sure we are supporting the growth in the economy, the good jobs for Albertans and all Canadians, while we protect the environment.
Mr. Speaker, after long consultations and the Netflix fiasco, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has now admitted that her half-baked cultural policy was simply an interim policy awaiting further consultations by the CRTC on the future of our culture.The CRTC will release its report tomorrow, and rumour has it that the minister is going to engage in consultation instead of taking action. That would be the third in three years.Will the Liberals finish their term with the exact same cultural policy as the Conservative Party: nothing except a tax break for web giants?
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not find amusing are the games and tricks being played by this Prime Minister while trying to ram through this legislation. He talks about being open to amendments in committee and wanting to have debate while they are in the middle of trying to shut it down and make sure there can be no amendments and no opportunity for debate. That is just plain wrong. It is time this Prime Minister understood that Canada is not a dictatorship and that Canadians will not stand for his garbage. Will he stand up today and let us know that he is going to respect the rights of Canadians and allow a
Mr. Speaker, I would respectfully propose that it is the Conservatives who are now attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of energy workers across this country by standing in the way of this pipeline. We are actually moving forward on this pipeline to get our resources to new markets in a way that also will allow us to reach our climate agreements under the Paris accord. This is what for 10 years they were unable to do. This is what for two and a half years they have been shouting at us to do, and now that we are actually doing it, no wonder they are completely lost. This is a sad day for the Conservatives but a good day for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, these are the facts. Canadian taxpayers are going to pay $4.5 billion because of our Prime Minister's lack of leadership. He is going to use $4.5 billion to buy an existing pipeline. The $4.5-billion price tag does not include the pipeline expansion or the creation of new jobs. The $4.5 billion is going to go straight into the pockets of a U.S. corporation that will invest our money in other countries.I have a question for the Prime Minister. How much will his failure end up costing?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals gave $4.5 billion in Canadian tax dollars to Kinder Morgan to build pipelines in the United States, Canada's biggest energy competitor. The Prime Minister killed northern gateway, energy east, and Pacific NorthWest LNG and imposed an offshore drilling ban, a tanker ban, and a carbon tax. No other major oil producer in the world is hampering itself with these damaging policies, but the Prime Minister is ramming through even more red tape. Oil and gas investors warn that it is suffocating the sector, but we all know that he wants to phase them out. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadian energy workers?
Mr. Speaker, respecting indigenous communities includes listening to all indigenous communities. I know that there are indigenous communities that are opposed to this pipeline, but there are also indigenous communities that are in favour of it and the opportunities for development that come with it.We are working with all the indigenous communities to respond to their concerns and to allay their fears. We will continue to work toward reconciliation in partnership with the indigenous communities while building an economy that works for everyone and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself said that the Kinder Morgan pipeline is too risky of a project for the private sector, so what did he do? He took $4.5 billion out of taxpayers' pockets to buy a 65-year-old pipeline. If this project was too risky for a private company, why would he decide to make Canadians assume that risk? Talk about a moronic decision. How can the Prime Minister justify throwing our money away on such a risky project instead of investing in the energy transition?
Mr. Speaker, the democratic reform bill has not even become law. In fact, it has just started to be reviewed at committee, and all Canadians deserve to be heard, yet the Prime Minister has already instructed Elections Canada to implement this bill. I remind the Prime Minister that our democracy does not belong to him or his rigid dictator ideology. It belongs to Canadians. Without blaming Stephen Harper again, how can the Prime Minister justify telling Elections Canada to implement this bill before we have had a chance to hear from Canadians and before it becomes law?
Mr. Speaker, am I dreaming, or did the government just shove a pipeline down our throats? That is a most bitter Kinder Surprise, indeed.Who did the Minister of Finance consult before deciding to use $4.5 billion of our money to buy himself a pipeline? That is utterly ridiculous.Where in its platform did the Liberal government say it would nationalize a dirty oil pipeline? What is next? Nationalize Enbridge? Nationalize energy east?The government needs to do the right thing and backtrack on this.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's legacy, when it comes to the energy sector and the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who work in it, has already been established. Not only has he driven out tens of billions of dollars of investment, but he has killed several important energy pipeline projects. Energy east would have brought western Canadian energy to eastern markets, displacing foreign oil and creating jobs in New Brunswick. However, the Prime Minister killed that project by imposing a double standard on Canadian energy from which foreign oil was exempt.Why is the Prime Minister opposed to energy east?
Mr. Speaker, we have just seen this government's arrogance.The Prime Minister wants to impose electoral reform on Canadians and he could not care less about the House. He asked Elections Canada to implement the changes contained in a bill which has not yet been passed.Why does the Prime Minister have so little respect for parliamentarians on both sides of the House?When will he finally act like a prime minister, and not just like the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, a partisan leader, and withdraw the unacceptable request he made to Elections Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has made the choice to kill thousands of jobs in Canada and give preferential treatment to foreign oil over domestic Canadian production. Energy east was not the only pipeline that he killed. He killed the northern gateway project, which would have taken Canadian products to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets. He ignored the dozens of first nations communities that supported it all along the way.Will the Prime Minister just admit that killing these projects is just part of his plan to phase out the energy sector?
Mr. Speaker, obviously criminal justice reform is an issue that was avoided and actually went in the wrong direction under 10 years of Stephen Harper. We were pleased to move forward in a way that focuses on protecting Canadians, supporting victims of crime, and ensuring adequate punishment consequences for those who commit those crimes. We continue to take very seriously our responsibility to ensure that our Criminal Code is up to the standards that Canadians expect of it. I am very much looking forward to seeing this bill debated at committee.
Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, taxpayers never had to pay for pipelines to be built. Four major pipelines were approved and constructed without a cent of taxpayers' dollars. When we approved the northern gateway pipeline, which would have brought Canadian energy to deepwater ports accessing Asian markets, the Prime Minister killed it. He has created the scenario where taxpayers have to pay for his mistakes.Why has he waited so long and created this problem
Mr. Speaker, we all know that it is essential for us to get our resources to markets other than the United States. The Conservatives know that, but they were unable to do it for the 10 years they were in power. They were shouting at us to get it done for the past two and a half years, and when we finally ensure and secure access to new markets for our oil resources, they do not know what to say. The fact is that their ideological approach and their playing of politics is getting in the way of Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's irresponsible tweet started a flood of illegal border crossings. Over 25,000 people have responded to his open invitation.The Liberals have broken our immigration system. Downloading this problem onto our municipalities and backlogging legal immigrants is not fair and it is not compassionate.The immigration minister now claims that he is open to modernizing the safe third country agreement. Will the Prime Minister now act responsibly and commit to closing the loophole that is allowing these illegal crossings?
Mr. Speaker, I really want to believe the Prime Minister, but his minister says otherwise. The minister was not candid with the parliamentary committee on the subject of illegal migrants. He said they would be arrested and deported, yet he knows full well that the appeal process can take as long as 10 years. He insists that these people are not welcome, yet he rushes to give them expedited work permits and helps them to settle in communities all over Canada. He also refuses to reveal the true number of illegal migrants who have already been deported from Canada. The minister obviously knows the figures. He needs to stop dodging and tell Canadians.Would the Prime Minister agree?
Mr. Speaker, I reviewed Hansard from the same date, Monday, May 28, and I also reviewed the original article that was being quoted. Unfortunately, I indicated that 600 migrants came across this past weekend alone. I would like to ask to change the record to indicate that it was not 600 this past weekend; it was 600 one weekend in April.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to hearing from an Albertan who actually knows Peter Lougheed's history and understands the timelines involved.Let me get back to the fact that we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian resources, we are going to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, and we are going to continue to stand up to protect the environment. This is what the Conservatives hav tried to do for years but were unable to do. This is what they have been shouting at us to do for two and a half years. Now they are playing politics, but we are actually delivering on what Alberta needs. They do not know what to do and so they make things up.
Mr. Speaker, the rigid ideology that the Conservative Party is showing is costing jobs for Albertans. The Conservatives failed for 10 years. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order. Progressive Conservative leaders like Peter Lougheed understood that public investment in our resource sector was important to get our resources built and to markets. For 10 years, the Conservatives tried, and failed, to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. We are standing up for Alberta and Canadian jobs.
Mr. Speaker, every year, Canada loses $15 billion because we are prisoners of a single market. We need to develop our resources and export them to new markets that are not the United States. That is exactly what we are doing. For 10 years, the Conservatives failed to do that. For two and a half years, they have been shouting at us to do it, and now that we are doing it, they are angry and they have no idea what to do because we are standing up for jobs for Albertans in the oil fields. This will strengthen the Canadian economy for years to come while protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I can assure Canadians that our immigration system continues to be applied in its entirety.All newcomers, whether regular or irregular, continue to be subjected to all the usual security processes and analyses. We know that Canadians expect our system to be comprehensive, and I can assure them that it is. We continue to apply all the usual rules, principles, and laws.
Mr. Speaker, I am prompted by the previous point of order. I wanted to rise in the House today, Mr. Speaker, to indicate that on Monday
Mr. Speaker, imagine receiving a letter from the government saying a husband and his wife are not well matched. Imagine the reason cited is because the wife is three years older than the husband. Imagine the marriage being in question because the wedding was not big enough.Mr. Baig's wife received that letter.The government routinely sends these letters out to spousal sponsorship applicants from Pakistan to tease out a response. Offensive and insulting do not even begin to describe this.What action will the Prime Minister take to rectify this systemic issue?
Mr. Speaker, across the country, people are talking about the pipeline investment we made yesterday, but the Conservative Party is actually talking about old news. The Conservatives cannot talk about the news that we had, which moves forward on protecting jobs for Albertans, standing up for Albertan workers and, indeed, workers from across the country who get benefits when we get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They tried, and failed, for 10 years to get our resources to markets other than the U.S. They failed, and we got it done. No wonder they cannot talk about it.