Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Most negative speeches
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Most positive speeches
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.
Mr. Speaker, the energy east pipeline project was cancelled by the company that wanted to carry it out because of changes in market conditions and their business plan.If people want to propose projects, we will always review them. However, we will make sure that all projects respect indigenous communities, the communities affected, science, and environmental protection. This is what Canadians across the country expect.
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our partnership with Davie shipyard. After 10 long years, we have an interim supply ship sailing the Pacific ocean thanks to the men and women at Davie shipyard.This summer, I had the pleasure of visiting Davie shipyard and announcing a $610-million contract for the acquisition of three interim icebreakers for our Coast Guard.Our partnership with Davie shipyard is intact and we are proud of that.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to say I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, but I do not. The fact of the matter is that we are the party that implemented supply management and we are the government that will support supply management. My hon. colleague is fully aware that supply management farmers supply top quality safe food for Canadians and receive appropriate return. We will continue to support supply management in our country.
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective in these talks is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada and for Canadians. We are constructive at the negotiating table negotiating in an ongoing fashion to make sure that the deal is right for Canada. It is our job to get the right deal for Canada and for Canadians, and that is exactly what we are going to do.The Conservatives want to sign any old deal quickly at any time. We will not agree to a deal that is not in the best interests of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for GlengarryPrescottRussell on all his hard work on behalf of families.We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018. We were also very proud to announce yesterday that we will be introducing it three months earlier than originally planned, specifically in March 2019, which will allow 24,000 more parents to receive it.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of crime, I was just in Grassy Narrows with Jagmeet Singh where people live on the most beautiful lake and cannot drink their own water.The poisoning of the people of Wabigoon-English River system was not an accident. It was a corporate crime of massive proportions, and the federal agencies have covered up the ongoing contamination to this day.The Prime Minister promised to clean the river once and for all. He has put no money into it. He has refused to meet the community. What is it going to take for the Prime Minister to stand up and end the ongoing poisoning of the people of the Wabigoon River once and for all?
Mr. Speaker, the very issues that have been referred to by this hon. member in her question are issues that will be very carefully examined by the commissioner of the Correctional Service, who has the legal authority and is responding to the request I made to her to make sure that all policies were properly followed and that those policies are in fact the best ones to keep Canadians safe.
Mr. Speaker, our American partners have repeatedly said that there will be no deal on NAFTA until we get rid of our 300% tariff on dairy products. Time is running out.Is the government willing to sacrifice our auto industry and also put at risk 20% of our economy simply to protect the cartel of supply management at the expense of 35 million Canadians? Is no deal better than a good deal?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's forests are important in a number of ways. They help mitigate the impacts of climate change and support innovation, economic growth and biodiversity, all the while creating good middle-class jobs.Can the Minister of Natural Resources update this House on what the government has been doing to promote Canada's forest industry and to protect the health of our forests for future generations of Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, as we have said from the outset, our objective is to update and modernize NAFTA in a way that is good for Canada. We are constructive at the negotiating table. Our negotiators are tough because they are doing their job. It is our responsibility to get a good deal for Canada, and that is exactly what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they deserve and are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veterans town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can.More effective programming will help veterans transition to civilian life with dignity. More effective benefits will help in supporting families, and more effective supports will help get ill and injured veterans well again.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister committed to free, prior and informed consent on projects affecting indigenous peoples' rights, but he is determined to push ahead with the pipeline opposed by first nations. Reconciliation is not a talking point. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Wow, Mr. Speaker, it is becoming a file-to-file relationship.The Prime Minister committed to obtain the free, prior and informed consent of first nations. However, he is determined to move forward with this pipeline that the first nations reject. Reconciliation is not just an empty word. It requires true understanding. Will the Prime Minister commit today to have his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers to learn what free and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, Aung San Suu Kyi's honorary citizenship is something that Parliament could reflect on.Our government is focused on measures that will make a real difference for Rohingya refugees. We are providing food aid to more than one million refugees, and we are committed to providing $300 million in humanitarian assistance.We will continue to take concrete action to save lives and protect the Rohingya.
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families are aware of the benefits and programs available to them is an important part of my work as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what that entails. That is why I hosted more than 40 town halls with veterans and why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I was pretty shaken up to see the visible impact of Minamata disease on the children, who do not just carry it in their bodies, as 80% of these children are suffering permanent cognitive damage. Yet the government has cut all of the special education funding for the school. There is not a school board in this country that would deny special ed funding to children with such needs.Will the Prime Minister explain to the people of Grassy Narrows why he refuses to spend a dime helping the children who will carry the impacts of this disease their whole lives?
Mr. Speaker, the legislation does not give the minister or the government the authority to intervene in the day-to-day operations of the Correctional Service. That power, under the law, is vested in the hands of the commissioner of the Correctional Service. I have asked her to review all of those policies to determine whether or not they are in fact the right policies to keep Canadians safe in this case and every other case.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea questioned the rhetoric of this government, the first thing the Minister of Veterans Affairs did was have his staff fact-check his claims, but when they confirmed the numbers, the minister sent in high-priced lawyers to shut Mr. Bruyea up. Why does the minister protect the rights of convicted murderer Chris Garnier and attack the rights of veterans like Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone here to understand that I do not appreciate having my rights explained to me in this place by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the government have made it every clear to me that they do not understand our rights.Let me ask again. Will the Prime Minister commit today to having his full cabinet sit with indigenous knowledge keepers and learn what free, prior and informed consent really means?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his deep passion for this file, one that we all care deeply about as Canadians, and that we need to continue to work on. We recognize that there is much to do in terms of reconciliation. That is why we are moving forward in consultation in supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We will continue to listen to all voices, those in favour of projects and those opposed to projects, to make sure that we work together to get the right path for Canada.
Mr. Speaker, my constituents, including those in Saint-Elzéar-de-Témiscouata, Saint-Honoré-de-Témiscouata and Dégelis are steadfastly opposed to a pipeline in Témiscouata. A number of associations, including the Union des municipalités du Québec, have backed this position. There is much talk about energy east, and the Conservatives want this project back on the table.Will the Prime Minister confirm that he has no intention of revisiting energy east?
Mr. Speaker, while our veterans have faced the most unimaginable of horrors, our Prime Minister cannot stomach the truth of those horrors. For veterans, PTSD is a burden they carry from serving a grateful nation. Chris Garnier developed PTSD strangling officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge. Chris Garnier is not a veteran, so why is he getting veterans benefits?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Centre for his question. I look forward to working with him in his new role on the Standing Committee on Natural Resources.Yesterday I had the pleasure of tabling the 20th edition of the The State of Canada's Forests report. The report reinforces our commitment to grow the economy, create jobs and protect the environment as we highlight the innovative ways people work and study in our forests. I encourage all members of this House to review the report.
Mr. Speaker, in budget 2018, our government announced a major step forward in terms of equality. In June 2019, we will introduce a new EI parental sharing benefit to help parents share the work of raising their children more equally.Can the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development confirm to the House that the government is still on track to deliver on that promise?
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should remember that when we came into office, we were in a technical recession. What has happened since then? We have made investments in Canadians. We found ourselves with the fastest growth among G7 countries in 2017. Where are we today? More Canadians are working than ever before, and we are in a situation where, to inform this House, business investment has been going up for the last six consecutive quarters. It is 8% up.Those are the real facts. We are going to continue to invest on behalf of Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, once again, to be absolutely clear, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives and she remains in medium security now.The Conservatives should know that the minister does not control the security classification of individual prisoners because that is exactly what the member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis confirmed in the past. The minister has asked the commissioner to review this decision. As the Conservative member for KamloopsThompsonCariboo once said, We need to let the many steps of an
Mr. Speaker, McClintic admitted and was convicted of committing these heinous crimes. The Liberals are now defending her transfer from a prison in Ontario straight to a healing lodge. The lodge is a place for people transitioning back into society. However, McClintic is not even eligible for parole until 2031. She is not transitioning. The Prime Minister has the authority and the responsibility to reverse this decision. Will he do the right thing?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs available to them is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. That is why I have hosted over 40 veteran town halls across the country. It is why we are working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as we can. These new benefits are not simple because the problems we are trying to solve are not simple. Our programs are about dealing with the problems that some veterans face, and about facing them in a very effective way.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs attacked and humiliated veteran Sean Bruyea. He attacked him despite his own officials confirming that Captain Bruyea's assessment of the pension for life program was largely correct. When Captain Bruyea dared to stand up for himself, the minister slapped him down in court, sending high-priced lawyers after him.Why is the minister continuing his shameless attack on this veteran?
Mr. Speaker, we are committed to supporting Canada's veterans and their families and ensuring that they are aware of all the benefits they are entitled to. I engage regularly with veterans from coast to coast to coast, I hosted over 40 veteran town halls, and I am always open to different viewpoints. It is important to note that we do not take veterans to court. However, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on this specific case because it is currently being appealed.
Mr. Speaker, our government understands that the U.S. 232 measures have created real challenges for Canadian workers and their businesses. That is why we have made up to $2 billion available to defend and protect their interests. These measures include extending work sharing agreements, increased funding for skills training, funding to bolster the competitiveness of Canadian manufacturers and support for companies that diversify their exports. Other measures since July 2018 include 130 loans, already authorized by BDC, for a total of $100 million.
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member opposite. However, he should be careful when he says that all indigenous peoples reject the pipeline. Several indigenous communities have signed agreements concerning this pipeline and support it.The member cannot listen only to those he agrees with. We must consult and listen to all organizations and all indigenous peoples, not only those aligned with his views.
Mr. Speaker, an important truism of trade negotiations is that nothing is done until it is actually done. We continue to work in a constructive atmosphere with good faith on all sides. However, we have always been clear that no deal is better than a bad deal. We are going to remain firm on that principle, because Canadians expect us to stand up for them. That is exactly what this government is going to do, especially for the auto industry.
Mr. Speaker, it is always important that we raise the issues of Grassy Narrows and that we all stand behind supporting this community. As I said already, we have supported them in working toward building a new treatment centre. I am surprised to hear what the member is saying about special education and I will look into that immediately. We have made it very clear that we will support the needs of children through Jordan's principle and other mechanisms, and I will absolutely ensure that it happens.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to hear that the member opposite had the opportunity to visit this important community. I had the opportunity to meet with their past chief just a number of months ago, and I look forward to having the opportunity to meet the new chief very soon.The issues this community has had to deal with are issues that no community should have to deal with. We have been firm in our commitment to support them. I have promised to support them in the development of a treatment centre for the people who have suffered from contamination of their water sources in the community, and we will continue to work with them to address all of their needs.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I will let Canadians determine who is playing word games with talks of condos. The facts of the matter are clear. In 2014, under those Conservatives, the offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security, and that individual remains in medium security to this very day.
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that indigenous peoples have inherent and treaty rights, and we are committed to removing colonial barriers that impede the exercise of those rights. That is why we work so hard in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis people to create a new recognition and implementation of indigenous rights framework. The framework will ensure that Canada moves from a denial of rights approach to one that recognizes and affirms those rights, and we will be glad to work further with the member opposite in perfecting those rights.
Mr. Speaker, after his summer of failures, the Prime Minister went back on his word. In January he promised hundreds of jobs, but he is handing out crumbs, which is resulting in layoffs this fall at Davie shipyard. The problem remains. The Royal Canadian Navy desperately needs a second supply ship.After the unprecedented success of the Asterix and the growing delays in the naval strategy, what is stopping the Liberals from awarding the second ship, the Obelix, to Davie shipyard right now?
Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to support sustainable development goals and address climate objectives. Meeting 2030 targets will require more resources than just what governments can provide. That is why we will contribute $20 million to the global infrastructure hub that will bring together public and private investors to develop critical infrastructure projects that will benefit everyone, including women and girls, strengthen their communities and connect global markets.
Mr. Speaker, media reports suggest that the government's lawyers are trying to keep findings of allegations of CSIS spying on anti-pipeline activists private. This is deeply concerning. It is alleged that CSIS considered opposition to the petroleum industry a threat to national security and shared information with the National Energy Board about so-called radicalized environmentalists and passed this information to oil companies. If any of this is true, it is highly concerning. When will the government stop using the Harper approach and respect environmental activists' rights?
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: for three years, the Liberals have constantly attacked our small businesses, job creators and wealth creators. What will they attack us with next? The Liberal carbon tax. That is unacceptable.These three years of Liberal inaction have resulted in a 5% reduction in domestic investment, a 35% reduction in foreign investment in Canada and, good for them, a 66% increase in Canadian investment in the U.S.Why is the Prime Minister giving Donald Trump so much help?
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Prime Minister answered my question with some old material about his commitment to our cultural industries.It has been a year since the Netflix agreement was announced, and key players in our cultural industry have already confirmed to CBC/Radio-Canada what we knew from the start. This was a stunt that benefits web giants instead of forcing them to broadcast and fund our original cultural productions.Our creators are tired of waiting, but the minister said that we have to wait for the panel to submit its report in 2020. That is five years too late.Does the minister understand how urgent this situation is or is he going to regurgitate the same talking points as his predecessor? We are going to disappear.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly becoming more and more nervous, especially the millions of Canadians whose jobs depend on NAFTA.RBC Economics says that 500,000 jobs alone would be vulnerable if NAFTA fails. The Canadian Automobile Dealers Association says an additional 100,000 jobs would be lost in Ontario if auto tariffs are imposed.Could the Prime Minister inform the House if he has received any assurances that new tariffs on the auto sector will not be applied next week if no deal is reached this week?
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadian jobs rely on NAFTA. A failure would be disastrous for our economy. Canadians are becoming more and more nervous and fear for their jobs. It seems as though the Prime Minister did not ask to meet with the president when they were both in New York earlier this week.Can the Prime Minister explain why he decided that it was not necessary to meet with the president?
Mr. Speaker, the Transportation Safety Board has carefully examined the tragedy that took place in Lac-Mégantic and made many recommendations, which we are currently implementing. A number of them were implemented by the previous government, and we continue to further improve safety in order to protect Canadians who live near rail lines and those who take the train.
Yesterday, U.S. president Donald Trump signalled that the NAFTA renegotiations are not going well, and he threatened once again to tax Canadian cars. Ericka and Jason are auto workers who live in Belle River, in my riding. Like tens of thousands of other auto workers, they are very concerned about these repeated attacks. They are worried that their jobs will be lost if Canada fails to secure a better NAFTA. My question is for the Prime Minister. Is NAFTA dead in the water, and what is his plan to defend Canadian jobs if the U.S. moves ahead with auto tariffs?
Those are fantastic lyrics, Mr. Speaker, but let us look at the result, the real facts. Since the government has been in power, what we have seen is 5% less investment in Canada and 35% less foreign investment in Canada, but growing investment of 66% by Canadians in the U.S.A. Why are the Liberals helping so much the President of the United States, Donald Trump?
Mr. Speaker, ensuring that veterans and their families know about the benefits and programs they are entitled to is essential to my job as Minister of Veterans Affairs. That is why it is so important to explain what is involved. It is why I have hosted over 40 town halls across the country. It is why I am working so hard to explain the pension for life as clearly as I can.When I see an article that has misleading rhetoric, saying that we are trying to make people swallow our programs or that the $10 billion we are investing is flim-flam, it is my responsibility to say no, it is not.
Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows that our government is there for our artists, creators and artisans.We have invested $3.2 billion in culture, more specifically in CBC/Radio-Canada, the National Film Board and the Canada Council for the Arts, as well as in cultural export. My colleague knows all that.He also knows that we asked a panel of experts to consider this issue. We are going to receive their recommendations and pass legislation with a very clear provision: Everyone who participates in the system has to contribute to it, and there will be no free passes. My colleague must understand that at least.
Mr. Speaker, as I was saying in response to the previous question, not only is the commissioner of the Correctional Service examining every dimension of this case to ensure that all laws and all policies, as they existed at that time, were properly followed, she is also examining the question of whether those policies are in fact the right ones for the proper handling of inmates and for keeping Canadians safe. I will be very anxious to have her conclusions.
Mr. Speaker, I can certainly reconfirm that this government believes in the rights of all Canadians to protest and communicate their positions in a peaceful manner.In 2017, the Security Intelligence Review Committee investigated and dismissed the complaint. SIRC's decision to maintain the confidentiality of its report and related documents will be reviewed and addressed by the Federal Court. Of course, as this case is currently before the courts, we cannot comment further at this time.
Mr. Speaker, this afternoon, we will continue debate on the NDP opposition motion.Tomorrow, we will start the second reading debate on Bill C-82, the multilateral instrument in respect of tax conventions act.Monday, we will resume second reading debate of Bill C-77 on the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights and of Bill C-78, the family law act.Next Tuesday, October 2, shall be an allotted day.Finally, for the rest of the week, priority shall be given to report stage and third reading of Bill C-79, the CPTPP implementation act; and the Senate amendments on Bill C-65, the framework for the prevention of harassment.
Mr. Speaker, no member of the House has ever trivialized the circumstances that we are dealing with. In fact, it was a horrible crime, a horrible crime that all Canadians were repulsed by. In light of that, I have made the request to the commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada to investigate the circumstances of this case to make sure that all policies were followed, and also to make sure that the policies are in fact right in this case and all cases to keep Canadians safe and to manage and handle inmates in the proper way.
Mr. Speaker, our government has partnered with the Métis through the Canada-Métis Nation Accord. Through this accord, the Métis nation has identified improved access to the delivery and control of affordable and social housing as a key priority. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update this House as to progress on this shared priority?
Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice shamefully scolded 9/11 widow Maureen Basnicki for understandably criticizing the current government's $10.5-million payout to al Qaeda terrorist Omar Khadr. He even went so far as to compare Maureen's husband, a victim of terrorism, with the convicted terrorist Khadr. Will the parliamentary secretary stand in his place and apologize to Maureen Basnicki?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It relates to a convention of the House, and I will cite Beauchesne's sixth edition, page 151, with respect to Documents Cited. It is a convention of the House that when a member of the government, a minister or parliamentary secretary, reads a document into the record of the House, that document will then be tabled.Today, the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. relations, the member for Orléans, appeared to read into the record the Liberal NAFTA plan, when he said no deal is better than a bad deal. We would like him to table the official Liberal NAFTA plan today.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our hearts go out to the family members of Tori Stafford for the lost they endured. The offender in question was moved from maximum security to medium security in 2014 under the Conservatives. She remains in medium security now.As the Conservative member for BellechasseLes EtcheminsLévis said in his capacity as public safety minister, I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners. However, the minister has asked that the commissioner of Correctional Service of Canada review this decision to ensure that it was taken properly and in accordance with long-standing policy.
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a veteran and one of the leading advocates for veterans. I did not always agree with Sean when I was minister, but I always showed him respect, unlike the situation now, and I always knew that he knew his stuff. The current minister chose instead to disrespect Sean and to attack him publicly.Will the minister rise in the House today, show respect and stand by that veteran and apologize for publicly attacking Sean Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, on the shop floors of Rio Tinto, Résolu and SMEs in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean, there are hundreds of men and women wondering what will happen to their jobs. For them, the NAFTA negotiations are not about numbers, a war of egos or the U.S. President's comments; it is their future that is on the line.If NAFTA is terminated, can the Prime Minister tell us what he will do to help workers in SaguenayLac-Saint-Jean and across the country?
Mr. Speaker, this summer, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations had the pleasure of signing the co-developed Métis nation housing agreement with governing members of the Métis National Council. The design, delivery and administration of housing services for citizens of the Métis nation will now be undertaken by its governing members and supported by a $500-million investment over 10 years, as set forth in budget 2018. This will improve socio-economic conditions for members of the Métis nation and drive progress toward their vision of self-determination.
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House (a) reiterate the motion passed unanimously in this House on September 20 recognizing that the crimes against humanity committed against the Rohingyas constitute a genocide (b) and, consequently, revoke the honorary Canadian citizenship bestowed on Aung San Suu Kyi in 2007.
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the government House leader if she could let us know what the business of the House is for the rest of this week and next week.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell. As I said, I asked the department to review the decision and the findings. I directed them to, first of all, 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, and as well, to address its policy in relation to providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as conviction for a serious crime.
Mr. Speaker, in the context of this project, the government took the position that environmental sustainability and economic progress needed to go hand in hand. We followed with that mantra all the way through. Even though the scoping of marine shipping was scoped out by the previous government, we focused very much on marine shipping. We focused on the plight of the killer whales. We have worked very hard on those issues, and we will be taking some of that information and providing it to the National Energy Board as it moves through the process that has now been established.
Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward with a plan that is going to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. In particular, I note the support we are giving to small businesses by lowering the small-business tax to 9%, the lowest in the G7. We are investing in the clean economy that is adding jobs in communities in every province in Canada and in the territories as well. If we are moving forward with a plan, I expect all parties to get on board. We are going to protect the environment and grow the economy, as we have been for the past three years, with half a million jobs added to the Canadian economy.
Mr. Speaker, the deaths that occurred on 9/11 as a result of an unspeakable act of terror at the hands of al Qaeda were a tragedy. I apologize for not being more sensitive at the standing committee to Mrs. Basnicki, a 9/11 widow, about her loss. Nevertheless, I remain firm in my conviction that all Canadians should also be outraged whenever a government is complicit in the torture of a Canadian citizen, in direct violation of the Charter of Rights, no matter how heinous that citizen's crimes. When that complicity in torture occurs, a government should acknowledge it and take responsibility for it, as we have done.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Constable Campbell, as I said. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case. Let me say this. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, the family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we opened a new centre of excellence on PTSD and mental illness. We launched a joint suicide prevention strategy.I will say once again that if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, when veteran Sean Bruyea criticized the new pension for life program promised to our valiant veterans, the Minister of Veterans Affairs chose to attack Mr. Bruyea's credibility instead of listening to him. Why? Because the minister knew he was wrong. Mr. Bruyea is a well-respected veteran and department officials said they agreed with a number of things he said.Could the Minister of Veterans Affairs listen to his departmental officials from time to time and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, the House endorsed the findings of the UN mission that military authorities in Myanmar committed a genocide against the Rohingya, a crime that falls under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.This all unfolded under the watchful eye of the de facto head of government, Aung San Suu Kyi. One week later, and nothing has been done to revoke her honorary citizenship.When will the Prime Minister put the question to the House, as he implied he would do?Does he realize that, in doing nothing, we continue to honour someone who was complicit in genocide?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had multiple opportunities to inform Canadians as to whether or not he will reverse the decision by the Correctional Service of Canada and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. I would like to give him another opportunity to do so today. He knows he has the power. Will he use it?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made the serious decision to transfer this child murderer from a prison to a healing lodge, where life is much easier than in prison. The Prime Minister has the power and the responsibility to reverse this decision.When will the Prime Minister rectify this situation and put Ms. McClintic back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, our hearts do indeed go out to the family of Constable Campbell. For privacy reasons, we cannot comment on the specifics of this case, but I will say that unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, his family serves with him. We take mental health seriously. That is why we reopened nine offices across the country, which had been shuttered, closed, by the previous government.Once again, if veterans are in need of mental health supports, we will give them the resources they need when they need them.
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety, in a CTV News program, called Terri-Lynne McClintic's role in the abduction, sexual assault and murder of an eight-year-old girl bad practices. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to commit to Canadians that he would use every tool at his disposal to reverse the decision to transfer this woman from behind bars to a lodge.Will the minister apologize for trivializing McClintic's crime and revoke this transfer?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked more than a dozen times if he would reverse the decision and put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. Today, he was again given the opportunity. Instead, he chose to play word games around the Correctional Service of Canada's security levels in prisons. The fact is that this killer is in a healing lodge, which is not where child killers should be. Tori's family is outraged. Does the Prime Minister not understand what they are going through? Will he stand up and simply commit to do what he has the power to do and reverse this decision?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows he is playing games with words. Tori Stafford's killer was behind bars and behind razor wire. Now she is living in a condo. He knows he has the ability to force this decision to be reversed. Section 6 of the act gives him that very power.I know he would like to talk about every other aspect of this case but it is a very simple question. Will he put Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars?
What is tragic, Mr. Speaker, and why Mr. Bruyea brought his small claims case is that the Department of Veterans Affairs told the minister that Mr. Bruyea's complaints about broken Liberal promises on pensions and other things were in fact correct. The minister ignored his own department and sent three government lawyers to crush Mr. Bruyea's lawsuit.I will ask again. The minister, all week, has said he stands by veterans. Will he show respect for Mr. Bruyea, stand today and apologize?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that Tori Stafford's killer was behind razor wire and bars and is now in a condo. He also knows that he does have the ability. Let me read to him what the act actually says. It says: The Governor in Council may appoint a person to be known as the Commissioner of Corrections who, under the direction of the Minister, has the control and management of the Service and all matters connected with the Service. Will the Prime Minister use the authority he has to put the killer back behind bars?
Mr. Speaker, there is no shortage of commissions of inquiry at the federal level. There have been some on light topics, such as the saltfish trade and horse racing. There have been some on tragedies like the Air India terrorist attack. However, the government refuses to launch one on the worst rail disaster in Canadian history, which killed 47 people in Lac-Mégantic.I will ask again. Will the Prime Minister order a commission of inquiry into the Lac-Mégantic tragedy and the lax rail transportation regulations?
Mr. Speaker, the minister could immediately ask the commissioner to reverse that policy and make the necessary changes immediately so that Tori's killer is behind bars.Canadians are outraged by this. Tori's family is outraged and sickened by what is going on. We are outraged. The question is why is the Prime Minister not outraged? Why are the Liberals not outraged by this? Why will they not stop making excuses, do the right thing and act on the authority they clearly have?
Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, Tori Stafford's brutal death in 2009 was a horrible gut-wrenching crime for the whole country. The killer, McClintic, was reclassified as medium security in 2014. The government of that day did not challenge that decision. In fact, McClintic remains in a medium security correctional facility today. I have asked the commissioner of the Correctional Service to review every dimension of this case to ensure that all policies have been properly followed and that all those policies are in fact the right ones to
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, we moved a motion calling on the government to immediately stop paying for treatments provided to criminal Christopher Garnier, who savagely murdered a police officer, under a program for veterans and their families.Everyonethe Conservatives, the NDP, the Green Party and the Blocvoted in favour of the motion except for, yes, the Liberals. That is unacceptable.The Prime Minister has the power to reverse this decision. What is he waiting for to immediately stop these payments for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, the development needs across the world are enormous. Despite the Liberals' refusal to meet our previous Conservative government's level of development funding, the Prime Minister claims to have a plan. He has announced that he is going to set up yet another bureaucracy to try to convince managers of Canadian pension plans to invest in other countries. Why should Canadians trust the Liberals to invest their pension funds abroad, where they have failed so miserably to attract investment into this country?
Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic went from behind bars to a lodge where single and family residential units with bathrooms, a bedroom, a kitchenette with an eating area and a living room exist. That is where she is at right now, not behind bars. That might be where someone with bad practices might go, but not someone who is an atrocious, evil child killer.The minister has the power to revoke this transfer. He needs to apologize for calling it bad practices, and he needs to revoke the transfer today.
She should be behind razor wires, not surrounded by trees.
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, in response to pressure by the opposition, the Minister of Veterans Affairs announced that a civilian could no longer receive benefits from the program for veterans and their families if that civilian is in prison. However, the government refused to say whether Christopher Garnier, the cop killer, is still receiving benefits under that program.Can the Prime Minister tell us definitively whether the government has stopped paying for this criminal?
Mr. Speaker, we all have a lot to learn. People in coastal communities tell me that they are appalled that the Prime Minister is still recklessly pushing the expansion of Trans Mountain. The court ruled that the assessment process was deeply flawed. It did not even consider the sevenfold oil tanker traffic increase and the risk it put on orca whales and our coast, yet Liberals still have taxpayers on the hook for billions, buying TMX instead of investing now in the housing people desperately need.What will the Prime Minister do? Will he finally listen to coastal communities and cancel this pipeline expansion before
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has referred to an atrocious, evil child killer. In fact, that description applied in 2014 when the decision was taken by the previous government to change her classification from maximum to medium. That is what happened in 2014.