Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
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Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
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Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?
Mr. Speaker, our government is very proud of the fact that it is our government that doubled the Canada summer jobs program, ensuring that over 70,000 kids each summer since we have taken office have had the opportunity to get good, quality summer jobs. All organizations that are approved through the Canada summer jobs program must adhere to the terms and conditions of the program. If in fact an organization does not adhere to those terms and conditions, it is not eligible for the reimbursement of that student's salary. I encourage the member to bring those concerns forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for SackvillePrestonChezzetcook for his question. The Government of Canada is determined to protect our environment and preserve our waterways so that all Canadians can continue to benefit from our oceans, lakes, and rivers. That is why I am proud to confirm that, as part of the Charlevoix blueprint for healthy oceans, seas and resilient coastal communities, the Government of Canada has committed to take measures to improve recycling systems in order to promote clean growth and create good jobs for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we are proud of our approach because it is the right one for Canadian families. We decided to invest in Canadian workers. That is very important to our efforts to grow the economy and reduce our unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in 40 years. That is good for our economy and for families. Our economy is resilient for the future.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister of Transport for answering the question on behalf of another minister, and, yes, of course I saw what an excellent job our officers are doing, and I am proud of that. The problem, though, is that they are enforcing the law, and the current law has a loophole that allows people to enter Canada through Roxham Road. That has to change. Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship confirm whether he is renegotiating the safe third country agreement to fix this problem?
Mr. Speaker, last week in Uganda, I met many LGBTI refugees. They told me about the incredible discrimination and persecution they have faced, even from the UNHCR. However, the Prime Minister has refused to make the rainbow refugee assistance program permanent, has significantly reduced the ratio of LGBTI refugees that Canada accepts, and refuses to press the UN for improvement reforms to LGBTI protection in its resettlement programs. Will the Prime Minister make the rainbow RAP program permanent?
Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question from my hon. colleague. As she well knows, it is a top priority, obviously, to ratify the CPTPP, and we are going to move quickly to introduce legislation before the House rises this summer.Canadians know that we have a good agreement that is going to open markets for them. We obviously welcome the Conservatives' offer to work with us. What we want to do is to have the best deal for Canadians from coast to coast to coast, so that workers and industries across this country understand that we will always open markets so that they can prosper today and in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. friend for her question and also thank members of the House and the great number of Canadians who have encouraged our government to continue to stand up for Canadian workers, as we are committed to doing.What the weekend told us is that the idea that there is a national security concern that the United States might have with respect to aluminum and steel industries in Canada, and the hard-working women and men who earn their living from those sectors, is in fact incorrect. We will always stand with Canadian workers and thank our colleagues opposite for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to reassure the member for Nunavut that our budgets, both in 2017 and in 2018, had significant investments for mental wellness and addictions treatment. In fact, this year alone, for Nunavut, we have investments of $8.4 million for mental health priorities in that territory.As the member may know, the funding allocations are determined in partnership with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. We are also happy, of course, to work with the Government of Nunavut to make sure that we have appropriate investments. We will continue to work with all partners, and look forward to the opportunity to working with the member himself.
Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to grow our economy and protect the environment for our children and our grandchildren. They know that a thoughtful climate plan includes regulatory measures, significant investments in clean technology and infrastructure, and a price on pollution to incent efficiency and grow the economy. As we saw in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontario voters supported parties that approved carbon pricing. We will continue to take practical cost-effective measures to tackle climate change and grow a clean economy. That is what Canadians expect us to do. I ask again ask Leader of the Opposition, through you, Mr. Speaker, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, Canadians witnessed, with shock and dismay, the U.S. administration hurl insults, verbal attacks, and threats of more tariffs at us. We are all Canadians first, and we will stand with Canadian workers and the families impacted by this escalating trade war.Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what his plan is to resolve this impasse that we have with our closest ally and trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the government will be supporting our motion. This is contrary to its expansion of Canadian presence in Iran. It is contrary to its desire to sell aircraft to Iran. It is contrary to one of its own members hosting delegations from Iran in Canada.Will the minister commit to supporting our motion and ceasing all dealings with the Iranian regime?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I am grateful to all members of the House and all Canadians, who have shown tremendous support for our government's actions in support of steel and aluminum workers.From the start, we said that the U.S. government's tariffs were completely unreasonable. We will continue to provide robust, effective support for these industries, which are so important to Canada's economy.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is clearly a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We are looking at the best ways to lead by example, reducing plastic use within government, increasing how much plastic can be recycled or reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-recyclable packaging. We recognize the important work being done by municipalities, provinces, and businesses, and we are looking to work with them to develop an effective national strategy. It is important we actually are working with others who have been doing work in this area to ensure that it is an effective and thoughtful national strategy. Prince Edward Island, Montreal, St. John's, Victoria have all taken a step forward, and we will work with them actively.
Mr. Speaker, as I said many times in the House, our government strongly supports and is fully committed to maintaining the supply management system. The Prime Minister has indicated this clearly, as have I. Cabinet ministers, caucus, and our negotiators at the NAFTA table have also indicated this very clearly.It is important to note that this is the party that fought to implement supply management, and I can assure my hon. colleague that this is the government that will defend supply management.
Mr. Speaker, our government will continue to stand up for the hard-working women and men, and not only of Newfoundland and Labrador who work in the fishery and the fish processing sector. My colleague, who represents Grand Bank, has been working on a number of proposals in partnership with indigenous communities and others, which will bring greater prosperity to his constituency and hopefully the people of Grand Bank as well. Our decision to include indigenous partners in the lucrative surf clam fishery was the right decision, and we continue to believe that this offers opportunities for reconciliation.
Mr. Speaker, after three years in office, the Liberal government is already running a $71-billion deficit, and that was before a trade war broke out with our top trading partner, the United States.Can the Prime Minister tell us whether his government will use a portion of this year's $18-billion deficit to implement measures to help the workers who will be hit by this first, or will the Liberals add more billions to the current deficit?
Mr. Speaker, getting resources to market is a responsibility for every government, but it must be done with the greatest respect for the safety and protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system by enshrining the polluter pays principle in law. Under this act, companies are liable for any faults and must have sufficient resources to respond to such incidents. We promised Canadians that we would restore confidence in our regulatory processes, and that is what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, protecting our well-managed immigration system, and meeting our international obligations.I am very glad the member opposite visited Lacolle. He got a chance to see the professionalism of our front-line staff. Maybe he also got a chance to thank them for the great work they are doing at the port of entry. In addition to that, I hope he explained to them the reason why he and his party chose to cut $390 million from CBSA, further jeopardizing border security operations.
Mr. Speaker, our Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship is in discussions with his American counterpart on the safe third country agreement. We are pleased that the Leader of the Opposition finally visited Lacolle last week. We are very proud of the fact that he said that the RCMP and the Canada Border Services officers demonstrated a high level of professionalism in running operations. We are very pleased that he has finally realized this.
Mr. Speaker, let us think about what was actually done to improve our economy. We started by lowering taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with child benefits for nine out of 10 families, giving them an average of $2,300 more after tax for their families. The kinds of things we did led to more disposable income for Canadians so they could put it back into our economy, creating growth and enabling us to be in a position where we can be resilient against challenges. That is where we are today. We are in a very fortunate situation where the right policies put us in a better position from which to deal with the challenges we face.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that any thoughtful plan to address climate change and grow a clean growth economy requires a range of measures, including regulatory measures such as limiting methane emissions and including significant investments in growing a clean growth economy through specific investments in clean technology. It also includes a price on carbon pollution, something that virtually every economist in this world will endorse.For the hon. members across the aisle, who seem to think that pricing of carbon pollution was rejected in the Ontario election, 60% of Ontarians voted for parties that approved and supported our carbon pricing.
Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud of this government. It has put youth employment, and the goal of ensuring that young students get job experience, at the front and foremost of our plan to ensure that young people have success in the workplace. We have helped hundreds of faith-based groups, not-for-profits, businesses, and public sector groups hire students. We will meet our target of 70,000 students again this year. While the Conservative Party continues to engage in a campaign of misinformation and fear, we are ensuring that 70,000 young people have good jobs this summer that will help them in their future.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to be thoughtful about how we grow our economy and how we actually address the threat of climate change. They know that a thoughtful climate plan needs to include a range of measures, some of them regulatory, such as the phase-out of coal and methane emissions, and investments in clean technology and investments in infrastructure, but a thoughtful plan also includes a price on carbon pollution. We will continue to take practical, cost-effective measures to tackle climate change. That is what Canadians expect us to do. The question I have for the leader of the opposition is, where is your climate plan?
Mr. Speaker, there are some things we could do right now that would create opportunities for Canadians who are impacted by this growing trade dispute.We could immediately ratify the TPP, the carbon tax on Canadian families and businesses could be scrapped, and we could eliminate trade barriers between provinces. These would all have positive effects.Will the Prime Minister begin working with Conservatives on these constructive solutions that will help Canadian families who will be impacted by this trade war?
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is fond of quoting the Fraser Institute with regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline. He uses that institute's data to justify his position on that issue. That same institute says that 81% of middle-class taxpayers are paying more income tax since his government took office, $800 more. Now he wants to stack on top of those tax increases a carbon tax. Before the House leaves for the summer, will he tell us how much that carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, young entrepreneurs from across Canada are in Ottawa today to receive mentorship and to learn from business leaders. I am so pleased that one of those young entrepreneurs is Coltin Handrahan from my riding. He is aggressive, and he wants to build for the future.Would the Minister of Small Business and Tourism be so kind as to tell the House what the government has in mind to give these young folks the opportunities to build a more prosperous Canada?
Mr. Speaker, two days before the Liberals bought a 65-year-old pipeline for $4.5 billion, that pipeline sprang a leak, but do not worry, said Kinder Morgan, it is just 100 litres. It turns out that the oil spill was 48 times larger than that, and thank God it did not happen over water, because these guys still do not know how to clean it up. Did anyone ever buy a used car and turn it on and it sounded real strange, but the seller cranked up the radio and said not to worry about it? That is exactly what the Liberals just did, maybe buying the biggest lemon in Canadian history. What kind of climate leader goes out and buys a 65-year-old, leaky pipeline anyway?
Mr. Speaker, there are many questions in that question, but I will answer the first one first. Getting resources to market is a fundamental responsibility of any government, but that must be done with the highest regard to safety and the protection of the environment. The Pipeline Safety Act strengthens Canada's pipeline safety system, enshrining the polluter pays principle into federal law. Companies will be held liable, regardless of fault, and be required to have the resources, up to $1 billion, to respond to incidents.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, to grow the economy, and to protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are dropping, and our economy is growing. Since we formed government, hard-working Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than the Harper Conservatives did over the same period. We are leading all G7 countries in economic growth.Addressing climate change in a substantive way is something all Canadians expect. It is something we must do for our children. We are doing it in a thoughtful way, and we are growing our economy at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, the first victims in any trade war are workers, businesses, and Canadians. The problem is that the Liberal Party's 2018 budget does not include any funding to address potential complications or crises that arise in the NAFTA negotiations.Can the Prime Minister tell us how he plans to support Canadian workers? Does he plan to impose the retaliatory tariffs originally announced for July 1 immediately, instead of waiting until then to implement them?
Mr. Speaker, last Friday, my leader and I went to Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle. We saw that there are some very fine facilities that continue to welcome more illegal entrants and a transportation service to take these illegals to the community of their choice. In our view, we have a government that instead of wanting to solve the border crisis is only providing for its long-term management and not putting an end to it.Does the minister believe that Canada should have two parallel immigration systems? Does he intend to renegotiate the safe third country agreement?
Mr. Speaker, we know that plastic waste and marine litter pose a growing threat to our oceans and marine life. The health of our oceans and seas is fundamental to the way of life of shoreline communities across the country. Healthy oceans help provide good jobs and support economic prosperity for all. We need to take practical measures to protect our environment.Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Government of Canada intends to help reduce plastic waste here in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the record that this government has had with respect to promoting LGBTQ2 rights both domestically and abroad. We have worked with the UNHCR and private sponsors to identify the most vulnerable refugees, including members of the LGBTQ2 community. We have funded the Rainbow Refugee Society for two years. We have worked very closely with them on identification of those cases. The fact of the matter is that our record speaks for itself. The record of the Conservative Party is one of a party where, when their minister of immigration was caught removing LGBTQ2 rights from the citizenship guide, it was after an uproar that he put it back in.
Mr. Speaker, you know how much I appreciate it when members speak both official languages. I will therefore give the Minister of Finance the opportunity to respond in French. Everyone in Canada will know that he speaks French very well.The question is on the Liberal carbon tax. The government knows full well how much the Liberal carbon tax is going to cost Canadian families. The problem is that the Liberals have the document in their hands and are keeping it from Canadians.Why play hide and seek with Canadians, Mr. Minister of Finance?
Mr. Speaker, again, we have said to Canadian steel and aluminum workers that this government and, in fact, all Canadians will have their backs,We have been unequivocal. These tariffs imposed by the United States are unacceptable. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that American tariffs will also hurt American workers.Our Prime Minister and our government have met with leaders of the industry to discuss how we can best support these workers. A few months ago, we told workers in their manufacturing plants that their government will have their backs. We will not stop working to support these sectors so vital to the economy of the whole country.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, addressing climate change is a critical imperative of our time. It is something that we deserve, and our children deserve, to be focused on. However, we need to do it in thoughtful and constructive ways. Our focus on growing a clean growth economy concurrently with addressing climate change with substantive proposals that include the accelerated phase out coal, reducing methane emissions, and investments in green infrastructure will enable us to grow a clean growth economy and concurrently meet our international obligations to address climate change.
Mr. Speaker, 25 youth from across our country are here in the nation's capital for Youth Can Do It. With the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada and Futurpreneur, we are helping Canada's young entrepreneurs get the mentorship, skills development, and start-up financing they need to bring their ideas to market. Budget 2017 provided $14 million to Futurpreneur so it can help even more young entrepreneurs, almost half of whom are women. I would like to thank my colleague from Malpeque for his continued support of young entrepreneurs, including the shout-out to Coltin from his riding, founder of Golden Custom Clothing.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Our government will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions. The focus of any discussions we have with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the return of Maryam Mombeini, that she is able to return safely to Canada, and on demanding answers in the death of Professor Seyed-Emami. Let me also be clear. Our government is committed to holding Iran to account for violations of human and democratic rights. That is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami. In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.
Mr. Speaker, last week the Prime Minister was asked by an American journalist about our supply management system. He said We were moving towards flexibility in those areas that I thought was very, very promising. Last week the U.S. agriculture secretary said that the Canadian government offered to allow in more surplus U.S. dairy imports as a part of NAFTA renegotiations. We need a clear answer. Will the Minister of Agriculture stand in the House today, drop the talking points, and stop making concessions in our supply-managed sectors, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Ontarians in my riding and across the province voted last week against a Liberal-imposed carbon tax. By removing the Liberal party's official status, the people of Ontario have spoken, sending a clear signal that they will not accept the Prime Minister's scheme for higher taxes.We know taxes make life more expensive for families, increasing the cost of home heating, electricity, groceries, gasoline, and much more. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing this rejected job-killing tax upon Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her effective advocacy on behalf of the people of Brampton North.In response to the commission's interim report, our government announced a commemoration fund worth $10 million over the next two years, for national, regional, and local indigenous groups and women's organizations to honour the lives and legacies of our stolen sisters. Our government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and ending the national tragedy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
Mr. Speaker, our government was elected on a platform to invest in Canadians, stimulate the economy, and protect the environment. Our plan is working. Canada's emissions are going down and our economy is growing.Since we formed the government, Canadians have created 60% more full-time jobs than Stephen Harper's Conservatives did during the same period. We also have the strongest economic growth in the G7. Our plan is working.
Mr. Speaker, this government does not speak on behalf of first nations. Why does the hon. member think he can? The billion dollars is not government money. It is the polluter pays principle in the Pipeline Safety Act.The hon. member knows that there are communities that have different points of view on pipelines, including governments that all wear the New Democratic stripe. This is the time to bind people together, not divide them.
Mr. Speaker, we certainly share my colleague's concerns. In terms of supporting Canadian workers in the sectors she identified, we view these American trade actions as unreasonable and unjustified. The Prime Minister has said to Mr. Trump, privately, everything he has also said publicly. We look forward to working with all members of the House, and more importantly, with all Canadians as well, to support workers in these sectors and show the Americans that these trade actions will, in fact, have a negative impact on American workers as well.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is under federal investigation for awarding a lucrative surf clam quota to his Liberal friends and family. His shady conduct has ensured that clam harvesting will not even happen this year, because the company he personally selected cannot even buy a boat. Meanwhile, the hard-working people of Grand Bank are losing their jobs because this minister wanted to make a few bucks for his friends.Will the Prime Minister put an end to clam scam once and for all, and stand up for the people of Grand Bank?
Mr. Speaker, Saudi Arabia is now the largest non-U.S. destination for Canadian military exports, but how many exports were sent to the U.S.? Well, we do not know, because the Canadian government does not track or regulate these exports. Today we are voting on Bill C-47, which does not address this massive loophole. However, the experts and the 23,000 citizens who recently signed a petition say that this must be fixed before Canada accedes to the Arms Trade Treaty.Will the government work with the experts and fix that bill?
Mr. Speaker, the question is, when we direct an issue to the finance minister, why does he always go hiding? This was a fiscal question, a tax question. He has already raised taxes on 80% of middle-class taxpayers, according to the Fraser Institute. That is before the carbon tax, which he wants this House to approve in his budget bill. The question, again, for the finance minister, if he is not still in hiding, is how much that tax will cost the average Canadian family.
Mr. Speaker, we are happy to talk about how we have prepared our economy for the future. What we have done is made investments in Canadians. We started from day one, saying that what we needed to focus on was making sure that we got out from the very difficult employment situation, 7.1% unemployment, left to us by the previous Harper government. Now, fast forward a couple of years, we have the lowest unemployment rate we have seen in 40 years. The investments we have made in Canadians have worked. Our growth has improved. We are in a resilient situation from which to deal with challenges. Whether they come from the south, whether they come from our ability to get to international resource markets, those are
Mr. Speaker, we are very fortunate to have provincial and territorial leaders from coast to coast to coast who are taking serious action on climate change. Four provinces already price carbon pollution, and they led the country in growth last year. As the Premier of Manitoba said on Friday, his government is moving ahead with putting a price on pollution because he knows it will help the environment without hurting the economy.Doing our part to address climate change should not be a partisan issue. As Canadians, we all have a responsibility to take action to protect the environment and grow the economy for our children and our grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, I guess, being the owners, they have to put $1 billion aside they have not told us about. Whenever the Liberals talk about the pipeline, they love to wave around so-called agreements with first nations, but they will not ever tell us what those agreements actually are. Here is what Chief Robert Joseph said, one of the people the Liberals say support the pipeline: At the end of the day, we are not really in favour of any pipeline, but we believe it's going to go through anyway. They will not listen to anybody and that's the history of consultation with First Nations people..... They consult and go ahead and do what they were going to do anyways. Enough with the fake consultations. Enough with the divide and conquer strategies. When are the Liberals actually going to stand up for the principle of free, prior, and informed consent?
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It allows criminals to profit from cannabis and has not managed to keep it out of the hands of our children.However, our government is legalizing, regulating, and strictly controlling access to cannabis, and we are pleased that Bill C-45 was passed by the Senate last week. Our government is carefully examining the amendments made by the Senate and we will come back with a response later this week.
Mr. Speaker, we have said unequivocally that these tariffs are completely unacceptable. We will take a balanced but firm approach in order to support the Canadian economy. The Canadian and American economies are so closely linked that this American decision will also harm workers in the United States. We have met with leaders and workers in these industries on a number of occasions to see how the federal government can support them. We will continue to support these women and men who are so important to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, you are right. You can speak both French and English, as can the Minister of Finance. Once again, I am giving him the opportunity to speak French to all Canadians. With regard to the deficit, those people were elected by promising to run small deficits and attain a zero deficit by 2019. Instead, we have a colossal deficit that is three times the amount anticipated, and we have no idea when we will return to a balanced budget.Can the Minister of Finance tell us, either in French or in English, but preferably in French, when we will return to a balanced budget?
Mr. Speaker, today we are debating Iran and its destabilizing influence in the world. The Iranian regime has been involved in the deaths of thousands of people, including Canadian citizens. It has been funding terror groups across the Middle East, including Hamas, which has been active recently in Gaza. Last week Iran's supreme leader openly called for genocide against the Jewish people. My question is simple. Why does the government seek to warm relations with a regime that can only be described as tyrannical?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of young Canadians have been denied summer jobs because the groups that would have hired them refuse to bow to the Prime Minister's imposed values test. One group that ticked the PM's attestation box is the Islamic Humanitarian Service. At the annual al-Quds' Iranian hatefest at the Ontario legislature, Sheikh Shafiq Hudda, of this same organization, called for genocide, the eradication of Israelis. The minister claimed that the Liberals' imposed values would protect rights. What does she say today?
Mr. Speaker, the House received a batch of 46 amendments to its cannabis bill, a massive amount that shows that the government has to go back to the drawing board. Among those amendments, there is one that is crucial to Quebec and would specifically prevent Ottawa from infringing on the right of the provinces to regulate home cultivation. Enough is enough with Ottawa's need for control.The Liberals have so far been stubborn and dogmatic.Will they finally listen to reason and accept this rather essential change?
Mr. Speaker, the storm clouds have been gathering for a long time. Last year, when the government had an opportunity to save up for a rainy day, it blew all of its good fortune and ran deficits that were twice what they promised during the election, deficits that it now says will continue until 2045. Now that those storm clouds have turned into rain, does the government acknowledge that it failed to prepare Canadians for a rainy day?
Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada signed a so-called ocean plastics charter at the G7 that left Canadians disappointed. Canadians were expecting an action plan with strategies and clear targets, but instead we got a non-binding, vague outline that misses the mark entirely. A&W Canada, the U.K., Vancouver, and Seattle have all taken leadership to eliminate single-use plastics, but the Liberals still lack the courage it takes to solve the plastics problem here at home.Where is the Prime Minister's commitment to a real, effective, and bold national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
Mr. Speaker, the government lucked out with a very short-term housing boom, a doubling of oil prices, and a roaring world economy. Many of these same factors are now in peril, yet instead of preparing for these difficult times, it has spent the cupboard bare with deficits that were twice and sometimes three times as big as it promised during the election. How can the government have been so irresponsible?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Ontarians roundly rejected the Liberals' higher taxes and irresponsible spending of the Liberal government. They rejected years of Liberal mismanagement and scandal. Most of all, they rejected the Liberal carbon tax.Last week the voters in this province spoke loudly and clearly. When will the Prime Minister start listening and stop forcing his destructive carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I think it is important for Canadian auto workers to know that our government stands firmly with them in the face of this seemingly ridiculous American threat. With respect to the national security investigation, let me be extremely clear. The idea that Canada and Canadian cars should pose any kind of security threat to the United States is, frankly, absurd. We will continue to raise this issue at the highest levels, as the Prime Minister did directly with the president and the minister did with Secretary Ross, as well. We will always support Canadian auto workers, and we look forward to working with all members of the House in that regard.
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats stand in solidarity with the government and the Prime Minister against the provocative statements made by the Trump administration. The current tariffs are illegal and the additional threats will hurt Canadian and American workers. While Canadians stand together, President Trump stands alone. American lawmakers and U.S. allies strongly oppose Trump's erratic behaviour against their biggest and closest friend. Will the government work with all parties in the House to present a unified response to Trump?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for that response. Canadians need to know that we all are united in our response.There is another issue of national importance. As we know, the Trans Mountain pipeline spilled 4,800 litres of oil just two days before the government announced its intention of buying out the pipeline. The spill risks are very real, and there is no way to deal with a spill at this time. It was also just reported that two indigenous nations in British Columbia are actually opposed to the pipeline project but felt they had no choice but to sign letters of support. Will the government admit to the House today that it failed in its duty to consult first nations?
Mr. Speaker, there was an illegal protest yesterday in Toronto, where Sheik Shafiq Hudda, from the Islamic Humanitarian Service, made hateful statements calling for the eradication of the Israeli people. A police complaint was filed.However, as we now know, this organization received funding from the Liberal government through the Canada summer jobs program, in the riding represented by the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Promoting genocide is a crime. What does the minister have to say to this, and how can she be proud of such a blunder?
Mr. Speaker, all applicants for the Canada summer jobs program must submit an application, which is thoroughly vetted by the department. We ask that the organizations do not use their summer students in a way that would fundamentally work to undermine the rights of Canadians. That is why any organization that receives these monies and uses them in a way that does not adhere to the terms and conditions will not receive reimbursement for that summer student. I encourage the member to bring the name forward to the department.
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister climbed into a truck cab in Chicoutimi to make a stump-like speech that included a promise to protect supply management in NAFTA negotiations.I would like to remind the government that, on September 26, the House adopted a unanimous motion to fully preserve supply management. Will the government heed the unanimous will of the House of Commons, or will it break its promises as it did with CETA and the TPP?
Mr. Speaker, the people of Ontario have given a clear message that they do not want a carbon tax. The Prime Minister's carbon tax is an attack on middle-class Canadians, a high cost on those who can least afford to pay it.At this time of uncertainty, higher taxes will just make things worse. When will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, Quebec milk producers are calling for an end to compromises on supply management. The milk industry has had enough of being a bargaining chip in trade agreements. Enough is enough. The NDP is clear: Canada must stop making concessions at the expense of Quebec producers. The government must not be flexible. It must be tough, and it must fully protect supply management in the NAFTA renegotiation.I have a simple question. Will the government do that?
Mr. Speaker, the plastics charter that the Prime Minister signed at the G7 disappointed almost everyone. The Prime Minister did not even mention a strategy for reducing plastic use or a ban on single-use plastics. Canadians want meaningful action and legislation that will reduce the use of plastics to protect our oceans, and they want them now.Will the Prime Minister promise to work with the provinces, municipalities, and indigenous communities to implement a national strategy to combat plastic pollution?
In the galaxy, Mr. Speaker. A recent IPSOS poll found that 72% of Ontario residents saw a carbon tax as just a tax grab, while 68% saw it as a purely symbolic gesture. In other words, they see it for what it is.Last week, in the only poll that matters, the people of Ontario voted against the federal Liberal carbon tax and the rhetoric it used to force it down our throats. The Liberal carbon tax will hurt people who can least afford it. Therefore, will the Prime Minister stop forcing his carbon tax grab on Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to protecting the supply management system. Our Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture, the 41 Quebec MPs, and our entire caucus believe in the supply management system, and we will protect it. Ours is the party that created the supply management system, and we will protect it.
Mr. Speaker, plastic pollution is a growing problem in Canada and around the world. We want to lead by example by reducing the use of single-use plastic within government, increasing how much plastic is recycled and reused, and avoiding purchasing products that come in non-reusable plastic packaging. We are working very hard on this.
Mr. Speaker, last week, a small historic sawmill museum in Nova Scotia said it will close its doors indefinitely because it was denied funding from the Canada summer jobs program. For the past decade, the museum has used funds to hire students for daily tours. However, this year it refused to sign the Liberals' values test. The Liberals are forcing Canadians to say that their values are the Prime Minister's values, and are imposing fiscal consequences if they do not. How can the Prime Minister justify stopping funding for a non-profit, non-religious museum, and killing summer jobs for students in Nova Scotia because of his values test?
Mr. Speaker, the answer is simple. Yes, we will obviously work with all members of the House to stand up for Canadian workers to ensure that the women and men in these sectors so important to our economy are protected. We will also work with all members of the House to ensure that the response our government takes to these unjustified and unreasonable tariffs is measured and proportionate. We have said publicly that the national security pretext is absurd, and frankly, insulting to Canadians. That is why we are moving forward responsibly with retaliatory tariffs that are equivalent to the ones the United States has unjustly applied to Canada.
Mr. Speaker, last fall, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls released its interim report. One of the recommendations it included called for the creation of a living legacy through the commemoration of the women and girls and two-spirited people who have lost their lives. Can the Minister of Status of Women please tell this House what actions our government is taking to honour the legacy of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, qujannamiik uqaqti . My question is for the Minister of Indigenous Services.Last week, I asked the Prime Minister a question regarding the recent declaration of crisis by two communities in my riding, declarations that stem from a lack of mental health services and an increase in suicide attempts.Although I appreciate the answer provided, the funding mentioned is not solely intended for mental health support. Like other existing funding, it fails to address the need. These crises demonstrate that.Will the minister commit to funding the mental health service and support needed by Nunavummiut?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians were faced with a barrage of tweets and headlines after President Trump's G7 visit this weekend. His destructive comments about our industries, workers, and leaders will not help resolve the barriers we face in NAFTA. New Democrats believe we must stand up to Trump. The government cannot let jobs in steel, aluminum, farming, and manufacturing go unprotected. Could the minister tell the House what the government has planned for next steps to resolve this ever-growing trade dispute with our largest trading partner?
Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to protecting supply management. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food, and all members of our caucus believe in supply management, and we are committed to protecting it.
Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking the House's consent for a motion.At this difficult moment in our history with our U.S. neighbours, Canadians need to know that all sides of the House stand united as one.Mr. Speaker, there have been talks amongst the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) recognize the importance of Canada's long-standing, mutually beneficial trading relationship with the United States of America; (b) stand with Canadian workers in communities that directly or indirectly depend on this trading relationship; (c) strongly oppose the illegitimate tariffs imposed by the U.S. government against Canadian steel and aluminum workers; (d) stand in solidarity with the Government of Canada in its decision to impose retaliatory tariffs; (e) remain united in support of Canadian farmers and supply management, which is integral for dairy, chicken, turkey, and egg farming; (f) reject disparaging ad hominem statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, and I know we all know this, when politicians fight and when leaders argue, it is always the people who suffer. In this case, these unfair tariffs are hurting Canadian steel and aluminum workers, and additional sectors are being threatened.The government has said that the projected deficit is going to be just over $18 billion next year. Does the projected deficit account for a potential aid package to help mitigate the damage from this dispute?
Mr. Speaker, in one of those tweets yesterday, the president stated that he is still considering a tariff on the Canadian auto sector. Trump maintains that Canadian autos are a security threat to the U.S., but we all know that there is no greater security partner to the U.S. than Canada. Sixty-five per cent of all car parts in Canadian assembled vehicles are made in the U.S., and 120,000 Canadian workers will be the first to pay the price. How is the government preparing for what could be a devastating attack on Canada's auto industry?