Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
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Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.
Mr. Speaker, today being Franco-Ontarian day, we join Ontario francophones and francophiles in celebrating their culture, their language and their traditions. The Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie visited a school in Orleans to make an excellent announcement for schools: establishing minority communities in Ontario.Would the minister tell the House more about this announcement?
Mr. Speaker, in the 40-plus town halls that I have done across this country with veterans and their families, I can say I know the cost of 10 years of not just neglect but malice toward our veterans and their families. I wish we had seen more of that indignation that we see today over the 10 years that those people had to do right by our veterans and our families.
Mr. Speaker, happy National Coaches Week. All over Canada, coaches give their time to help athletes and youth succeed in sport and in life. Coaches are supporters, motivators and role models. They help athletes to dream, set goals, believe in themselves and reach their full potential. Today, I ask all members of the House to join me and thank the coaches they know, by using #thankscoach.
Mr. Speaker, we have a tremendous amount of respect for indigenous Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Since being appointed to this department, I have been reaching out to indigenous leaders, even before the court's decision, and I will continue to do so. As I said earlier, there is no relationship more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will move forward on this project in the right way, making sure we are meeting our constitutional obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples.
Mr. Speaker, we value the rich heritage of the Citadelle in Quebec City, so let me be clear: We will repair the fort using original Citadelle stones. In cases where damage to the original stone is too severe, a Quebec bidder has been contracted to ensure additional stones meet strict regulations. National defence is doing its work to make sure this stone follows the requirements because we understand how important this is to Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, even in this most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans. We have shown that time and again when we increased benefits for veterans. We have increased services. We have reopened offices. We have increased staff. We have given them back their ID cards. We will continue to show respect for veterans, even in this most trying of times.
Mr. Speaker, this week is National Coaches Week, a week to recognize coaches from coast to coast to coast and the incredible contributions to athletes, families and communities. I would like to thank all coaches in my riding of Brampton North, including my son's soccer coach, for their dedication and countless hours of helping our youth and athletes learn, train and succeed.I want to thank them for supporting children and young athletes throughout their lives.Could the Minister of Science and Sport tell this House how important coaches are to the communities in Canada?
Mr. Speaker, I know how proud Canadians are of our public health care system and we are going to defend it. We also know that the affordability of and access to prescription drugs remains an important issue for all Canadians. We will continue to work with the provinces, territories and our partners to lower drug prices and provide timely access to medicines. This is an important issue for our government and we have said such during the NAFTA discussions. Our government will always stand up for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, we think it is important to start with the facts. As a government, we make evidence-based decisions, and the data show that the number of border crossers intercepted is lower than it was last year. As a government, we think it is important to uphold Canadian laws and work with our partners, including the Government of Quebec, respect our commitments and make the safety of Canadians our top priority. That is exactly what we are doing.
Mr. Speaker, the issue that the member from the NDP is not focused on is that we need to make sure we are expanding our global market for our natural resources. That is why it is very important that we do it in the right way, which includes meaningful consultation with indigenous communities, at the same time making sure we are protecting our environment and that we are looking after the issues that the court has identified. It is very important that we reduce our dependency on the single customer we have, which is the United States, to sell our oil resources.
Mr. Speaker, we understand that the investment in Trans Mountain pipeline project is in the national interest. That is why we are moving forward on this project in the right way, making sure that we are respecting our obligations to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples and at the same time having a plan in place that allows us to protect the coastal communities and allows us to take action on the effects of tanker traffic on the marine environment.We are committed to getting this project in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, this government is confident that it is going to meet its Paris Agreement targets. The hon. member seemingly has not read the report from Stephen Harper's former director of policy that indicated that when we put a price on pollution, it is going to have an economic benefit for middle-class Canadian families.I invite the hon. member to get on board instead of taking money out of his constituents' pockets so that he can make pollution free again.
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister insists that this pipeline expansion will be done no matter what and his minister adds that Canada will not be able to accommodate all indigenous concerns, it means they have decided to willfully violate their constitutional duties and obligations. It sounds like a most important relationship, does it not?Why does the Prime Minister not just say the truth and tell indigenous peoples that he does not give a fuck about their rights?
Mr. Speaker, the Trans Mountain pipeline is critical to the 43 first nations with benefit agreements and many others. Yesterday, the leader of Canada's Conservatives announced a comprehensive plan that makes use of every tool in the tool box to get this pipeline built. This includes meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples, which the Liberals did not do when they simply sent a note-taker. When will the Liberals show some leadership and announce a real plan instead of dithering along like they have been?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that getting our natural resources to global non-U.S. markets is very important for creating jobs and growing the economy. We are going to do that in a responsible way. That responsible way is by making sure that we are respecting the environment, taking action on protecting our marine environment, while at the same time having meaningful consultation with indigenous peoples. We recognize there is a diversity of opinions among indigenous peoples. We respect that and we will continue to work with all of them.
Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a commitment to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. This means we are going to take steps to get our resources to new markets while we still take steps to protect our environment and meet our Paris Agreement commitments. I note, in particular, that we are moving forward with a price on pollution that will reduce emissions. We are investing in clean technology and we have put $1.5 billion into our oceans protection plan to protect our oceans and waterways.As a coastal MP in an area that the hon. member is very familiar with, this is a commitment we share and I look forward to continuing to partner with her to move forward.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless work on this issue. Our government knows that women are powerful agents for change and for peace, and we also know that when women are involved in the peace process, peace agreements tend to last longer. That is why the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proud to announce the creation of an ambassador for women, peace and security. Women's empowerment is a crucial issue and I hope all of my colleagues in this House will join us in celebrating this important announcement.
Mr. Speaker, there is rhetoric, like the minister's response, and there are also the facts.Ultimately, we have before us two parties that want the Trans Mountain project to continue at any cost. Both want to either do the bare minimum in response to the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling, or do away with consultations of indigenous communities, which is even worse.Neither one intends to hold meaningful consultations to address those who may have to live with a pipeline in their backyard and the risk of spills for the rest of their lives. What will it take for the government to understand that indigenous peoples have rights over their lands?
Mr. Speaker, for two weeks now, we have been asking the government questions about Christopher Garnier, a criminal who is receiving benefits intended for our brave veterans. The Liberals' record is filled with nothing but failures and inaction. The Conservatives took a leadership role when serial killer Clifford Olson was receiving old age security benefits. We put an end to those benefits.When will the Minister of Veterans Affairs take responsibility? When will he step in and put an end to these benefits?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to have a feminist foreign policy. Gender equality produces greater prosperity and a more peaceful and secure world. At the Women Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Montreal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Canada's international leadership in promoting women's empowerment, gender equality, peace and security. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs update the House on this important announcement?
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that no relationship is more important to our government than the relationship with indigenous peoples. We have committed to moving forward on this project in the right way. We have instructed the NEB to undertake the review that was denied by the previous Conservative government to factor in the impact of the marine shipping on the marine environment. We will be announcing the rest of the plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, well, what can I say? On August 31, the Minister of Veterans Affairs indicated that he was going to ask his department what had happened and get to the bottom of it. He told a newspaper reporter that. It has taken 25 days to get to the bottom of this. I served as a minister. As a result, I know one can get this information in 24 hours, not in 24 days.I want to know this very specifically. Will people who are receiving benefits who have committed heinous crimes like murder have their payments taken away retroactively?
Mr. Speaker, indeed, one of the people at the centre of this is a veteran and that veteran's family. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand with that veteran as we have stood with veterans every day when we have voted for increases to veterans benefits, to veterans services, when we have reopened offices, when we have increased staff. Every time that we vote, we vote on the side of veterans even in the most trying of circumstances.
Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of National Defence and the Prime Minister three times now to fix the fiasco threatening the integrity of the King's Bastion at the Quebec Citadel. According to the government's own experts, this is a safety issue, as the structure could collapse. Its architects are recommending using the original stone.Why is the government using American, non-compliant, substandard stone? It shows utter contempt not only for Quebeckers but also for our Canadian heritage.
Mr. Speaker, the urgent warnings from climate scientists are increasingly punctuated by extreme weather events, whether forest fires, floods, hurricanes or tornadoes. However, the government is prepared to spend far more on pipelines than on climate action. It is as though we really believe in reconciliation for indigenous people but first we need to build a few more residential schools.Will the government instruct the National Energy Board to include climate impacts of the pipeline we now own, as it did for private sector energy east?
Mr. Speaker, our government has been very clear. We think the notwithstanding clause should only be considered in the most exceptional of circumstances. We think that the government's responsibility is to stand up for the charter rights of Canadians. That is something this government will always do. We have expressed publicly our dismay when the Government of Ontario was considering using the notwithstanding clause. Our Toronto caucus stood firmly against that decision. We will continue to defend the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Mr. Speaker, for years the previous government cut corners, disregarded environmental regulations and ignored the indigenous people's right to be meaningfully consulted. The result: Not a single pipeline built to get our resources to the global market.We are going to do things differently. We are going to consult with indigenous people. We are going to make sure that we are taking action on protecting coastal communities and taking action to ensure that the impact of the tanker traffic is meaningfully and properly considered. That is what
Mr. Speaker, we cannot discuss the details of this case without discussing the case of the veteran, and we will not. I will not discuss the case of this veteran. We will stand by veterans in the country, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, even in the most egregious of circumstances, even in these circumstances where the son of a veteran is convicted of killing a police officer. Even now, we will stand with that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything this government does. The decision with respect to the Trans Mountain pipeline originally was based on an assessment with respect to the environmental considerations. We have done an enormous amount of work with respect to issues associated with diluted bitumen and spills potentially in the water. We have done an enormous amount of work on ensuring we are protecting the coast, preventing spills. We have done an enormous amount of work on recovering the killer whales and working to ensure that the measures that are being put into place will more than mitigate the impact of the excess tanker traffic.This project is being done in an environmentally responsible way that advances Canada's economic interests.
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought a 65-year-old leaky pipeline, most Canadians thought they definitely would have a super-duper cleanup plan in case of an oil spill. Well, apparently not.Washington state is raising the alarm, saying the Liberals emergency plan has major deficiencies in critical areas to protect salmon and whales. It is like the Liberals went out and bought a 1972 Pinto, with no airbags, no seat belts, and said Kids, hop in. Let's go for a ride. No parent would do this.Why did the Liberals burden Canadians with this old pipeline? They did not even bother to keep the receipt for $4.5 billion, and they do not have an emergency plan to clean up a spill.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect the Liberals to secure a new NAFTA that defends our jobs in key sectors. A new poll shows Canadians also want a deal that defends access to affordable prescription medications, but according to reports, negotiators are considering U.S. proposals that would lead to higher drug costs for Canadians and for public drug plans.I think of my constituent, Cheryl. Every year she must pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for heart and blood pressure medication. Will the Prime Minister commit that NAFTA 2.0 will not raise the cost of drugs for Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, well, this certainly does not feel like respect to many indigenous communities across the country. The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs is calling for the Prime Minister to accept the Federal Court's decision once and for all and cancel the expansion of this disastrous Trans Mountain pipeline and tanker project.How can the government stand in the House in our country and say that this is its most important relationship?
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of failure, the official opposition is still repeating the same thing it has done for a decade: a complete disregard for the Federal Court's ruling; a complete disregard with respect to taking action on environmental sustainability, including the protection of the coastal communities; and a complete disregard for engaging indigenous peoples in a meaningful dialogue.We are going to move forward on this project in the right way, by responding to the issues that are relevant to this decision. I will be announcing that plan very shortly.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017, Christopher Garnier was convicted of murdering police officer Catherine Campbell. Mr. Garnier is currently receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs Canada even though he is in prison and has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This is a disgrace to our country, an outrage to veterans, and an insult to the memory of Constable Catherine Campbell.Will the Prime Minister take responsibility, show some leadership, and put an end to this situation right now?
Mr. Speaker, thanks to our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canadian courts have given women the right to choose, the right to medical assistance in dying, LGBTQ2 rights, collective bargaining rights and more. While the notwithstanding clause is part of the charter, so far it has always been used sparingly, but maybe no longer.Canadians are telling me how disappointed they are that the Liberals refuse to even study the use of the clause which lets legislatures override their rights. We want to know why the Liberals will not allow even a study of the notwithstanding clause so we can better protect the charter rights of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, it is moments like this that our commitment to our veterans is tested. We cannot discuss the treatment of this individual without discussing the treatment of the father, without discussing the treatment of the veteran. I stand before the House as someone who will not infringe upon the privacy of that veteran. We all know, because of its track record, what that side of the House would have us do because it did it before. It played with veterans health records like it was playing cards. We will not. Even in these most trying times, we will not.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I cannot discuss this case. I cannot discuss this case without infringing upon the privacy of a veteran. I will not play games with veterans. Even in this most trying and egregious of times, when the son of a veteran is a convicted cop killer, I will not turn my back on that veteran. For any veteran who is watching this debate, I will let them know this government, even under the most extenuating of circumstances, will not turn its back on veterans.
Mr. Speaker, those on the other side of the House had 10 years to do better by our veterans and I wish we could only accuse them of inaction as that might have been easier, but it was not inaction
Mr. Speaker, we will stand by the veteran who is at the centre of this case. Our support for that veteran is unwavering. Even now, even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by that veteran.
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and that is why we are so proud as a government to be moving forward with proactive pay equity legislation. It is a key way that we are demonstrating our commitment to gender equality. It is a key way that we will attempt to close the gender wage gap. We are already working diligently. Consultations have been done and we will be moving forward with pay equity legislation later this year.
Mr. Speaker, in April, the government promised Quebec that it would have a migrant triage plan within a week. In May, it told us that we would have to wait a few more weeks. At the end of July, it told us that the plan was almost ready. Today, there is still no plan, and Quebec is still waiting to be reimbursed nearly $100 million for social services expenses for last year alone.I will repeat my colleague's question: does anyone really have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly evident that the Liberal environment and energy policy is an unmitigated disaster. The Liberal carbon tax has been resoundingly rejected as just a tax on Canadians that will have literally no impact on global emissions. Even with significant Canadian taxpayer dollars spent, there is a broad consensus that we will still not meet our greenhouse gas emission commitments. Will the government confirm today that despite all of its bluster, it will not in fact meet our Paris Agreement targets?
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my top priority.We are in a national public health crisis when it comes to the opioid epidemic, and we have seen the tragic numbers that were released last week. The numbers are more than numbers; these are lives of Canadians.Substance abuse is an international problem and the global call for action will help us move forward. One hundred and thirty countries have signed on to the declaration, and we certainly want to be a part of that conversation. If we are not at the table, we certainly will not be able to effect change.
Mr. Speaker, like all other Canadians, there are diverse views among indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. We respect and value that. A number of first nations communities have signed benefit agreements because they see the value of this project. Other communities are against it. We will work with all of them. We understand that trying to build a consensus is important for a project such as this to move forward in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, once again, even in the face of political expediency, we will stand by our veterans.We have spent $10 billion in three years on our veterans and their families. We have increased benefits. We have increased services. We have increased staff. We have reopened offices. We have given them back their ID cards. Even in the most trying of circumstances, we will stand with our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I cannot talk about this case without talking about the case of the veteran, and I will stand by that veteran. I will stand by that veteran even under the most excruciating of circumstances, where a family member has committed such an egregious crime. Even then, this government will stand by him.
Mr. Speaker, you saw as I did that he has no idea when the government will start work on Trans Mountain. The reason is quite simple: the Prime Minister does not believe in Canada's energy potential. The Prime Minister despises Alberta's oil and Canada's entire energy sector. In fact he even wants to get rid of it.Yesterday, we brought forward positive, constructive and realistic proposals. Will the government agree to our proposal to use its declaratory power and immediately establish that the pipeline is a project in the national interest?
Mr. Speaker, for the Prime Minister, enough is enough. That was the message being delivered to the government from the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. It is calling on the Prime Minister to cancel his directive to redo his failed process on the Trans Mountain expansion. Doubling down on getting through the same flawed process to obtain the court's fair minimum standard does not qualify as a meaningful consultation. Do Liberals understand that it takes much more to meaningfully consult with indigenous peoples?
Mr. Speaker, the minister's department has gone forward and given the exact opposite answer.We are asking a very simple question here. They have said that going forward there will be no benefits to people who are in federal prison. The minister has to come up with an answer to this.Will the minister rescind the benefits for the cop killer, Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a veteran. We are talking about a 30-year-old murderer who never spent a day in uniform. The Prime Minister could have ended these payments with the stroke of a pen. Instead, he endorsed them. We know where the Prime Minister stands, but tonight every member of the House will be given an opportunity to tell Canadians where they stand. Will a single Liberal member of Parliament stand up for what is right or will the Liberals endorse the Prime Minister's plan of paying veterans benefits to convicted murderers?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may stand beside Chris Garnier, but we will stand with the victim and her family in this case. Chris Garnier is 30 years old. He never served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, yet the Liberal government is using veterans benefits to pay for his PTSD therapy, PTSD that he developed because of how he killed the victim. The Prime Minister has had a month to end this outrage. When will he finally do the right thing and guarantee that not a single cent more will go to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, after a summer of failures, the Prime Minister still has no plan to get Trans Mountain built. The Conservatives unveiled their plan: complete indigenous consultations immediately; enact emergency legislation; request a stay and appeal the Federal Court ruling; and pass Bill S-245, clarifying that a pipeline is under federal jurisdiction.We have a plan while the Liberals just delay. Will the government adopt the Conservative plan and bring jobs and investment back to Canada?
Mr. Speaker, some in the House like to engage in theatre; we like to engage in facts. We have done the work to ensure that the process can be handled in an environmentally sustainable way. The oceans protection plan is addressing concerns with respect to snow prevention, concerns with respect to snow response. We have released three peer review studies with respect to the impact on marine environment. We have done an enormous amount to ensure that we are protecting the marine environment, killer whales and other species.This project is being done. It has been constructed in an environmentally responsible way. We are balancing the economy and the environment, ensuring that both
Mr. Speaker, the health and well-being of our veterans is our top priority.I have reviewed the department's findings on this issue and I am directing it to ensure that the services received by a family member of a veteran are related to the veteran's service and where they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official.I am directing the department to immediately address its policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction of such a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives unveiled our plan to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion to the public yesterday. Our plan addresses all of the risks to build this pipeline. The Liberals have a choice. They can continue to delay this project and in doing so continue their record of failure, or they can follow the Conservatives' plan and use every tool available to them to get this pipeline built. When will the minister start doing his job, get Canadians back to work, and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project under way?
Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives announced yesterday was a dissertation on a decade of failure, which is to ignore the direction from the court, to ignore the court in this regard, to disregard the environment, and disregard the consultations with indigenous peoples. If they had followed the proper procedure, they probably would have built a pipeline to get our resources to the global market. We sell 99% of our oil to one customer, which is the United States. We need to diversify our natural resource markets, and we are going to do that in the proper and right way
Mr. Speaker, the summer has passed, and after the Prime Minister guaranteed that the Trans Mountain project would be started this summer, the thousands of out-of-work energy workers in the country have been left disappointed.We are now nearing the end of September. The Prime Minister promised that he would introduce legislation that would allow the Trans Mountain project to be built. Will he introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, it is outrageous. Many people in the House have expressed their outrage. Canadians have expressed their outrage. However, our outrage will not factor into the treatment of veterans. Our outrage should not factor into justice and into laws. We will stand by our veterans, even now. Even in the most extenuating of circumstances, we will stand by our veterans.
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, the Minister of Border Security claimed that the vast majority of the 35,000 irregular border crossers have since left Canada. He then admitted in the end that it was closer to 1% of them. The problem in that situation is that the rest of those individuals are waiting because their files have simply not been processed.Does anyone in the government know anything about this situation? Does anyone have the authority to do anything on the immigration file?
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the failed record of the Harper government to build a single pipeline to expand our global non-U.S. markets.When Conservatives got into office in 2006, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States. When they left office in 2015, 99% of Alberta's oil was sold to the United States.We are focused on expanding our global market so we can create more jobs for the middle class, so we can get a proper price for Alberta's oil and continue to grow our economy in the way that
Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes. My colleague, the Minister of Border Security and I have had some extremely encouraging conversations with the Government of Quebec and other partners. We acknowledged the government's obligation to reimburse the expenses incurred by our partners, including the Government of Quebec, for providing temporary housing for example. I myself have had several very encouraging discussions. Quebec has been a key partner for our government and we will continue to work with our partners.
Mr. Speaker, what we heard yesterday from the Leader of the Opposition was the failed policies of the Harper era.The decade of failure was completely demonstrated yesterday when the Leader of the Opposition showed complete disregard for the courts, complete disregard for the environment and complete disregard for the consultation with indigenous peoples.We are focused on getting this project back on track in the right way.
Mr. Speaker, my top priority as health minister is to protect the health and safety of Canadians. We are currently in the midst of an opioid crisis. This is a national crisis.The numbers we saw last week were absolutely tragic, and they are not just numbers. Those numbers represent the lives that have been lost here in Canada.The use of illegal substances is a global issue. An international call to action will help us to move forward. More than 130 countries signed the pledge. We recognize that Canada and a number of other countries have different approaches. We cannot make changes if those countries are not at the table.
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be beneficial for the member to understand that the decision made in 2014 to exclude from the NEB the review of marine shipping and its impact on the environment was done under the Harper government. The record has been very clear that that was the wrong decision to make. We are going to correct that. We have directed the NEB to consider the impact of marine shipping on the marine environment, and we are going to move forward on this project in the right way. We understand that Canadian jobs and protecting the environment go
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.
Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we the Conservatives believe that the Trans Mountain project is essential and urgently needed for Canada's economy.What has the Liberal government been doing about this in the past few months? It took $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money and sent it to Houston. Then, what did it do? Nothing at all. It was pleased that the project was delayed. What a Liberal failure.Could the Liberal government at least give us a date? When will the work on Trans Mountain begin?
Mr. Speaker, the minister well knows that the previous Conservative government saw four major pipeline approvals, approved and built under our government.However, that was not the question. The question was this. The Prime Minister guaranteed that this project would be started this summer. He also promised legislation that would provide a path for the Trans Mountain project to be built. It is now the end of September. Will the Prime Minister introduce that legislation today?
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier was convicted of second-degree murder when he murdered a female police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. Apparently, he now suffers from PTSD as a result of committing the murder. Veterans Affairs Canada is paying for services for Mr. Garnier. The murderer has been put to the front of the line, while the men and women who served our country are not receiving benefits because they are still waiting.Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs do the right thing and cancel the benefits Mr. Garnier is receiving?
Mr. Speaker, there is no veteran at the centre of this case. The person at the centre of this case is Christopher Garnier, the man who murdered Catherine Campbell. He interfered with her dead body. He is receiving money from Veterans Affairs Canada when he did not serve for a single minute. Will the government ask him to pay back the money he was given, yes or no?
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals bought Trans Mountain, they also bought the Puget Sound pipeline that sends oil to the United States. The State of Washington's Department of Ecology is worried. It has been critical of the deficiencies in the spill contingency plan. It wants to know what will happen if heavy bitumen sinks to the sea floor and endangers species like salmon or killer whales. The department even gave an ultimatum. It is giving the Liberals 60 days to correct the situation. Even the Americans find the Liberals' environmental plan frightening. This is not a laughing matter.When will the Liberals take environmental protection seriously?
Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families have lost loved ones to an overdose epidemic the government has failed to stem.Health professionals, Canada's chief public health officer, the president of the Canadian Medical Association, big city mayors and police chiefs all want to decriminalize and regulate substance use to save lives.Instead, today we see the Prime Minister sign on to the failed war on drugs approach demanded by Donald Trump. Are the Liberals truly so desperate for a new NAFTA that they are prepared to put Canadian lives at risk to get it?
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the House was used as a place where people on that side of the House cut benefits, cut services, closed offices, cut staff and took away an ID card from veterans. We will continue to stand by our veterans. We will continue to rebuild a department that was near
Mr. Speaker, for 10 years they stood time and time again and cut benefits. They cut services. They closed offices. They cut staff and they even took away their ID cards. I wish we could accuse them of inaction.
Mr. Speaker, my heart goes out to the family of Constable Campbell. It should not have to endure this case being brought up for political expediency. It should not have to endure this.We will continue to stand by our veterans, as we have every day in the House for the past three years.
Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally murdered an off-duty police officer by the name of Catherine Campbell. During sentencing, the judge stated, Mr. Garnier punched her in the face, broke her nose, strangled her to death, and...treated her remains like garbage. The Prime Minister claims to be a champion of women's rights. Why then has he signed off on granting veterans benefits to a man who never, ever served a single day in the Canadian Armed Forces, but killed an off-duty female police officer? Why is that okay?
Mr. Speaker, the pay gap between men and women is 32%. It is even worse for women with disabilities, indigenous women and racialized women. Women are done waiting. We want economic justice now. However, every day we hear heartbreaking stories about women in poverty with the same root cause: no pay equity. If Liberals were serious about gender equality, why are women still waiting for the proactive pay equity legislation they have been promised for 42 years?
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Veterans Affairs has been doubling down on his ridiculous answers to our questions, his department has gone out during question period and stated that going forward, Veterans Affairs will no longer provide treatment to any veteran's family member who is in federal or provincial prison.However, the minister has stood here for days, for 29 days, and not answered this question, and the question is this: Will he rescind the benefits to Chris Garnier?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's record on veterans affairs is abysmal.First, he forced veterans back to court in order to prevent having to pay them the benefits he promised. Then he left over $300 million in funding unspent on veterans services. The backlog for veterans waiting to have their benefits processed has risen by over 50%. To add disgusting insult to that injury, the department is now using veterans' money on a convicted killer. Will the Prime Minister finally do the right thing and cancel these benefits for this killer?
Mr. Speaker, pipeline companies invest billions of dollars in consultants and environmental assessments, and that is just to table their proposal. They made these investments under Conservative governments because they knew the Conservatives would champion these projects. However, under the Liberals' watch, not one single major piece of oil infrastructure has been proposed, and that is in three years. When will the Liberals understand that their failed policies are not getting one inch of pipeline built? When will they do their job and get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion moving?
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to defend the indefensible on the Garnier case. Catherine Campbell was brutally murdered, put into a compost bin and dumped under a bridge. This is a one-off situation. This is a mistake by Veterans Affairs to make this decision in the first place, yet he and the Prime Minister will not even speak to the issue of addressing it, as Canadians are demanding, especially veterans. If he is not willing to do this, it is his place in the House to resign his position.
Mr. Speaker, today, much to the surprise of experts and the international community, the Liberals endorsed President Trump's devastating war on drugs. Meanwhile, President Trump was before the United Nations saying that the United States would not support multilateralism, was going to make cuts to international aid and would oppose the International Criminal Court. He does not even want to promote human rights any more.Rather than trying to cozy up to the Trump administration, will the Liberals stand up and condemn the American President's dangerous rhetoric?
Mr. Speaker, the facts are simple. Veterans Affairs Canada is currently paying for Christopher Garnier's treatment even though he murdered Constable Catherine Campbell. That is nothing short of appalling.The Campbell family is angry, our veterans are angry, Canadians are angry, and we are angry. It is outrageous.The Prime Minister has the power to end this injustice right now. What is he waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, today, the comments in the debate around the Chris Garnier case show a clear lack of leadership and the ability the minister and the Prime Minister have to intervene and stop this outrageous situation, where this murderer is receiving veterans benefits. This is not a theatre today for the minister to pat himself on the back. This is a place where we ask him to solve ths now or resign.
Mr. Speaker, what is going on right now is so insulting that it is making my blood boil. I am sorry. I withdraw that word. I am truly sorry.