Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
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Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
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Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, we understand the concerns of canola growers.Our government has created a working group made up of industry representatives and our provincial partners. We sent a letter to China asking them to welcome a high-level delegation of experts. We will continue to defend the canola industry and to vigorously defend our inspection system, which is among the best in the world.I remind members that the opposition parties voted against the agriculture budget.
Mr. Speaker, that is probably the most support for the arts I have ever seen from a Conservative, so I think it is pretty impressive to see Conservatives coming along.I know the member is concerned for his constituents and I know he is concerned about the future generation. He forgot to say the word environment, but I know it is on his mind. I know he challenges the leader of the official opposition every day to come out with a climate plan.I have good news for this constituents. We are going to make sure that transitioning to a cleaner, greener economy is more affordable. That is why constituents in his riding and all across Ontario will be able to receive $307 for a family of four, which will be more than it will cost them so that we get a better economy
Mr. Speaker, we have a lot to say. That is exactly why our economy is working so well today. We know Canadians are better off now than they were during Stephen Harper's decade in power.The member opposite is asking questions, yet he knows perfectly well that the Leader of the Opposition changed the words he used. Before changing the words, the Leader of the Opposition erased statements he made because he knows that he is continuing to mislead Canadians, which is unacceptable.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I have answered that question. What many Canadians are prioritizing is the economy and the environment. When it comes to the economy, we know that we have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. That is pretty impressive, because it means that more Canadians are working today than were working in my lifetime. When it comes to our climate plan, because we know that climate change is real, we want to transition to a cleaner, greener economy by making cleaner, greener choices more affordable. That is why we have the climate action incentive payment. That member and his party choose to mislead Canadians by not reminding them
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Conservative government, which gave the Asterix contract to the Davie shipyard in 2015.What I want to know is why the Liberals, when they took office, did everything in their power to cancel that contract, to prevent the Davie shipyard from having the Asterix contract and employing 1,000 people.I also want to know why they are doing everything they can to undermine those who brought their schemes to light.
Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to talk about what we are doing to fight climate change.We are putting a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal. We are investing in clean technologies. In the context that the member opposite was talking about, we are only investing 25%. It will have the equivalent impact of taking 50,000 cars off the road. I think it is a great investment.We all need to work together to tackle climate change, including businesses, the provinces, cities, the government
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work her team does and that we fully support the OECD's work.Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order and this flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise on this issue once again. I spoke to the House leader in Parliament in question period just a few weeks ago on a similar issue. We directed the House leader to funding that is available and we encouraged our constituents to apply for that funding. lf the member would also like to meet with me, I would be happy to have that meeting as well.
Mr. Speaker, steel producers and fabricators across the greater Hamilton area have been feeling the pain for almost a year, and now they are strapped with a crippling carbon tax and the threat of the removal of the one market protection they have had. Those who rely on good-quality Canadian steel are feeling the effects and are very concerned. Producers, fabricators and steelworkers need more than talk and photo ops from the Prime Minister. Why did the Prime Minister sign this new agreement without getting these tariffs removed?
Mr. Speaker, they will not succeed, because instead of being at home planting, worried canola farmers were in Ottawa this week to sound the alarm. Canada is already barred from exporting canola to China, but now Saudi Arabia has stopped buying our barley, Italy has closed its doors to our durum wheat, and India is slapping tariffs on our pulses. The Prime Minister is failing dismally, and Canadian farmers are paying the price.Eight times we asked for an emergency debate, and eight times the Liberals said no. It is time for the government to take a more involved, creative and aggressive approach to defending Canadian grains and oilseeds. That is what the industry is calling for.When will we see that happen?
Mr. Speaker, survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools are seeking justice from the government. When they were in opposition, the Liberals wanted justice for Métis survivors from northern Saskatchewan, but they have done nothing to provide compensation or justice since they formed government. Métis people and survivors of boarding schools do not want to wait for another election to get justice. Will the Liberals commit today to do the right thing for survivors of the Île-à-la-Crosse and Timber Bay boarding schools?
Mr. Speaker, spring has finally arrived, or at least we hope it has. Good weather means boaters will be out on the Richelieu river. We have been calling for better regulations for years now, to prevent shore erosion, protect boaters and ensure respect for residents living along the river. In 2016 I moved a motion to that effect.Will the Liberals listen to the municipalities in the Richelieu valley and the Chambly basin and change the federal rules so that municipalities can better protect the Richelieu river?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member opposite for this very good idea. It is one that we are exploring through appointments to various commissions and bodies within the department I represent. In fact, we had discussions about that today. We are looking to make sure that children's voices and the voices of youth are present when we deal with poverty or with housing or with any of the issues that affect children in this country. The member opposite has put forth a good motion. We will be looking at that motion and coming back to the House with our position on it. I thank her for it.
Mr. Speaker, in March, the minister spoke to the chair of the OECD working group. She confirmed to him that we are fully committed to co-operating with the good work they do. Obviously, we fully support the OECD's work in all such endeavours. Canada is a strong supporter of the rules-based international order, including the OECD, which is a flagship organization.
Mr. Speaker, we know that members who want to be on the Conservative benches have to follow their leader. They are not allowed to speak out of turn, so I encourage him to follow his leader on Twitter so that he can maintain that speed.More importantly, what is clear is that Conservatives are focused on
Mr. Speaker, we should have confidence in our institutions and the court of law, and no one should be intimidated, because we know that the rule of law in Canada is intact. That is exactly why, when the leader of the official opposition received a notice from the Prime Minister, he quickly erased his tweets. He erased his online statements, and then he chose better words. That probably was the right thing to do, and now they continue to repeat those words.The Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians. This is now new terminology that they have been echoing for months. They did it in December, they did it in February, and now they just did it in March, but most recently, they sent out a publicly funded tax booklet and forgot to talk about the climate action incentive.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a cornerstone of our government's relationship with indigenous peoples. In 2016, our government became a full supporter of the declaration, without qualification. Our government is moving forward on key legislative initiatives that support the implementation of the declaration. We have also supported Bill C-262 as an important next step. Can the parliamentary secretary update the House on the status of this important legislative measure?
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member from the province of Saskatchewan would rise, and he knows very well that I have answered that question.Saskatchewan is one of the provinces that do not have a provincial climate plan. To ensure that we can transition to a cleaner, greener economy, the federal government has put forward a climate action incentive payment.Families within Saskatchewan will be receiving over $600 when they file their taxes this year, and 80% of families will spend less when they come to make cleaner, greener choices, because we want to make sure that they make cleaner, greener choices and that they are affordable. I encourage
Mr. Speaker, we learned this week that the Minister of Finance is working hand in glove with Canada's big banks. This is another example of the special treatment the Liberals' pals enjoy.This Liberal government promised to provide more transparency, do politics differently and take real measures to fight climate change. What did those measures turn out to be? A gift of $12 million for one of the country's richest corporations. To Loblaws with love, from the Prime Minister of Canada.When will the Liberals stop favouring the upper class and put our priorities first?
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to helping communities build the infrastructure they need for this century and helping them better withstand climate change. That is why we are investing $2 billion over 10 years in the disaster mitigation and adaptation fund.Our government was in Brampton last week to announce that we are investing over $22 million in an erosion protection project that will protect the homes and businesses of residents in the entire region. This is vitally important work, and we look forward to continuing that partnership across Canada.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canadians know, and I guess members should also be informed, that when people say things that they should not say, there are consequences. What happened is that the Leader of the Opposition used terminology and made accusations that were inappropriate. What we did was not stand idly by, and Canadians can have confidence, and we put him on notice. Really quickly after he received notice, he deleted those tweets. He took a step back from his messaging and now reiterates his new messaging that I guess we helped him discover.
Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.
Mr. Speaker, communities like those in the city of Brampton need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters is critical in keeping Canadians safe and supporting the strong economy and the middle class.Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to build climate resilience in cities like Brampton?
Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite knows very well, I have already answered that question. Instead of asking the same question, I encourage the member to focus on the policies that will have a positive impact on Canadians.The Conservatives are doing everything in their power to block a budget that includes important initiatives for Canadians, things like lower interest rates on student loans, funding to help seniors keep more of their money and new assistance for first-time home buyers. We will continue to
Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that the threat of flooding during the spring breakup is an ongoing reality for the first nation of Kashechewan.Our commitment to a long-term relocation plan has not wavered and has not changed. In the meantime, we have made significant progress on priorities, such as the new modular school that will be installed in September of this year. We are currently working with the first nation to monitor the threat of flooding, conduct preliminary flood mitigation and prepare a smooth transition to the host communities.
Mr. Speaker, let me share a bit of history. The Minister of Innovation had put the leader of the official opposition on notice in December, because he had used words that were not judicious and should not have been used. He used them in the House. We challenged him to use them outside the House. He tried it outside the House, was served notice, and all of a sudden, like magic, those tweets disappeared, those online press releases disappeared. This happened in February.Now, in March, the Prime Minister served him notice and, like magic, those tweets disappeared
Mr. Speaker, I know you could not find the question in there, but that is how the Conservatives mislead Canadians and call it a question. However, it is important, because it is a very important matter. The Prime Minister did apologize and accept responsibility.However, what is more important is that when it comes the fundraisers we hold, they are in public. The media is present. Anyone who lobbies the Prime Minister is not able to attend, because we have even stricter rules when it comes to fundraising. We had to bring the Conservatives along, kicking and screaming. When it came to the fundraiser the future finance dream minister wanted to have
Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition. His lawyer objects to our claim that the Clerk of the Privy Council pressured the former attorney general and made it clear that her job was on the line. Canadians heard the Clerk of the Privy Council in his own words. They know the statement to be true.When will the Prime Minister allow this court case to begin so that the truth can be revealed?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians for months now. That is nothing new for the Prime Minister, with his track record of four ethical breaches. Now he has the audacity to threaten the opposition leader with a lawsuit for speaking the truth, but the opposition leader will not be intimidated.When will the Prime Minister put his money where his mouth is and meet the opposition leader in court?
Mr. Speaker, we know that our country's continued prosperity depends on innovative, hard-working Canadian companies and their ability to access new markets. Increased trade improves overall productivity and creates good-paying jobs for all Canadians.Can the Minister of International Trade Diversification please let the House know what steps are being taken to increase trade opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast?
Mr. Speaker, the environment minister should actually ask Canadians whether they think it is a good idea to give $12 million to a company that made nearly $1 billion in profits last year, all while refusing to pay its staff a fair wage.People across the country are desperate for the government to act on climate change, but instead, they see Liberals padding Loblaws' profits. Two Loblaws lobbyists were at a Liberal cash-for-access fundraiser with the Prime Minister and the environment minister's senior staff. Canadians want to know, is that why Loblaws got this sweetheart deal?
Mr. Speaker, once again, all the facts of this matter have been made public because the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence.The members of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights examined this matter for five weeks and made their own decision. All the meetings were public so that Canadians could watch them. We know that the facts are public.We will always speak out against the Conservatives when they mislead Canadians, because that is not how things are done here.
Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman is a 38-year highly decorated, deeply respected member of the Canadian Forces. As vice-chief of the defence staff, he has served with honour and dignity. Today, he is trying to prove his innocence in another Liberal scandal. The Prime Minister is again undermining the rule of law, refusing to release documents that Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to receive to prove his case in court. Once again, the Prime Minister is abusing his office and manipulating these court proceedings. Why?
Mr. Speaker, do you know what issue children and youth respond to the most? The health of the planet and global warming. Unfortunately, last week we learned that Canada is warming twice as fast as the global average. Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes children's right to live in a clean environment. However, we do not have a federal institution that defends children and serves as their voice. I have proposed a solution that would change that. Will the Liberal government support my bill to create a federal commissioner for young persons?
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the hon. member is justifying a foreign government action against Canadian farmers. It used to be that political parties debated internally on domestic policies, but we used to come together when a foreign government imposed actions against Canadian farmers. I ask the hon. member to join our government in standing up for Canadian farmers and defending our excellent and high-quality products as we resolve this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are increasingly worried about the political interference by the Prime Minister and his office in our independent justice system. Instead of reassuring them, the Liberal government continues to try to cover up its wrongdoing and scandal.Canadians know there was inappropriate pressure on our justice system for the government's rich Liberal friends. The OECD's anti-bribery unit is also paying attention. It put Canada on notice, in a letter to the NDP, that it is watching what the Liberals are doing.Will the Liberals just do what is right, reassure the OECD and Canadians, and call a public inquiry now?
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.
Mr. Speaker, our government is 100% committed to strengthening the Royal Canadian Navy and ensuring that it has the resources it needs to serve Canadians.Davie is a major shipyard, and we recognize the expertise of its workers. The Asterix filled a temporary need for refuelling at sea, air support and medical capabilities for our navy. The shipyard was granted contracts last summer and even this fall.We will continue to ensure that all of the shipyards in Canada get the work they need, particularly the employees of the Davie shipyard in Quebec City.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to hear the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister waived solicitor-client privilege and cabinet confidence. That is exactly why all the facts are now public.The Conservatives continue to mislead Canadians and that is not acceptable. That is what this member is also doing. We see that he is following the lead of the Leader of the Opposition. They should show some respect for Canadians. We know that they heard the truth. All the facts are public. Canadians will decide for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I will finish by saying that the Conservatives will remain focused on us, but we will remain focused on Canadians, because that is exactly who we are here to serve. The member who occupied that seat prior to the member for LeedsGrenvilleThousand Islands and Rideau Lakes was actually a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, and we just tabled its report for the first time. It was dedicated to him
Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of all Canadians is my top priority. The Canadian task force on preventive health care is an independent, arm's-length panel of 15 experts with a mandate to develop practical clinical guidelines.While the government provided support to the task force breast cancer screening workgroup, its decision was totally done independently. As such, these are not official government guidelines.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.I feel I should make it clear that we are following the rule of law in the Norman case. We are complying with all of the judge's orders and co-operating fully. I would emphatically reiterate that it is important to let the Ontario judge play her role independently. Interfering in this matter, as the Conservatives are now urging us to do, would be a clear violation of the rule of law. We want to obey the law, as every parliamentarian must.
Mr. Speaker, they say repetition works. When it comes to hearing the answer, obviously repetition does not work, so let me remind the hon. member, who is more focused on privatizing health care than she is focused on making sure that we have a universal health care system that actually works for all Canadians. That is something Canadians pride themselves in, but that is not the focus of the dreamy future minister of health, as she likes to refer to herself. I will remind her that all facts are now public. The justice committee meetings took place in public. They took place in public so that witnesses could appear, and the Prime Minister ensured that solicitor-client privilege as well as cabinet confidence were waived.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.Does the government agree?
Mr. Speaker, in December, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In February, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. In March, the leader of the official opposition deleted tweets and retracted messages. The Conservatives change their messaging and then they go outside. However, most recently, because the Conservatives have a history of misleading Canadians, they wanted to have a fundraiser. They wanted a private fundraiser to talk about the privatization of health care. Today, they have now changed the parameters of that fundraiser. Maybe they will delete it entirely.
Mr. Speaker, with great respect, that is an absolute misconstruction of what is actually taking place. There is a court that is dealing with a third party records application. We have heard the court order. We are co-operating with that court order, as any government would. We provided the documents. It is now for a judge in the Ontario court to decide whether our co-operation has been sufficient or is deficient. It is for a judge to determine this matter. It is not to be debated in the House of Commons nor is it to be determined by a political actor. That is what the independence of the rule of law is all about. That is what I would urge the Conservatives to respect.
Mr. Speaker, our government has always been committed to supporting auto workers, their families and the industry as a whole. Our government has invested over $5.6 billion in the auto sector, which has served to created and maintain tens of thousands of jobs since we took office.For example, we invested $110 million in Toyota facilities in Cambridge, $49 million in Linamar facilities in Guelph and $41.8 million in Honda facilities in Alliston. The list is a long one. Our government has made it clear that it will continue to invest in the auto sector to support the development and manufacture of the vehicles of the future.
Mr. Speaker,SNC-Lavalin, Arctic surf clams and no-show in Vietnam.India trip sideshow, fundraising from the PMO and Trans Mountain no go.Secret fundraisers with Chinese billionaires, terrorists being millionaires and Panama paper fundraising chairs.Forgotten mansions, ethics sanctions, Morneau Shepell stock sale and veterans asking for too much, fail.Phoenix pay, island vacay, investment flying far away, cash-for-access soiree, balanced budget: no way.Why do Canadians always have to pay?
Mr. Speaker, if they really respected the OECD, they would not have wrapped up the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights' investigation.The Liberals would like everyone to stop talking about the political interference scandal, but people still want the whole truth about the SNC-Lavalin affair. The government seems to have a double standard: one for its friends and another for everyone else. Look at how cozy Loblaws lobbyists and the Liberal Party are. That tells us who the Liberals are really working for, and that is just the latest example. This has gone on long enough. The public is entitled to greater transparency. Will the government finally launch a real public investigation into the allegations of interference before the next election?
Mr. Speaker, I have answered that question now on numerous occasions, and I do believe that one day we will be in this House debating policies that have impacts on Canadians.I can share that when it comes to our plan, we have seen 950,000 jobs created by Canadians. We know that over 800,000 children have been lifted out of poverty and almost 300,000 children have been lifted out of poverty because of the tax-free Canada child benefit, measures that the Conservatives continue to vote against.We know that the Conservatives have no plan for the environment. The only plan they have is to mislead Canadians, and that really should not be the competition.
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming abundantly clear that the thing the Prime Minister fears most is telling the truth. Yes, in open court, he cannot shut down the hearings and he cannot threaten the witnesses.Will he commit today to immediately file his lawsuit and testify in open court about what he did to politically interfere in a criminal trial?
Mr. Speaker, in November, the Prime Minister promised that he would have a plan for saving jobs in Oshawa. Instead of saving jobs, we have seen more job losses announced in the automotive sector, this time in Windsor. The Prime Minister pretended to stand up for jobs at SNC-Lavalin to the point of political interference in a criminal trial. Those jobs were not even at risk. Meanwhile, we stand to lose 15,000-plus jobs in Durham Region and Windsor stands to lose over 1,500 jobs. Instead of just acting, why can this Prime Minister not act when there is a real crisis?
Mr. Speaker, actually the letter of threat the Prime Minister sent the official opposition included a bunch of different objectionable claims that he said the Conservative leader had made. Therefore, the Conservative leader took the same letter, walked outside and repeated every single allegation. If the Prime Minister does not believe the Leader of the Opposition was telling the truth, he could take action. However, he has to do so quickly. Under the principle of libel law, one has to move as soon as reasonably possible. When will he live up to his bold threats or will he simply back down and hide?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from NewmarketAurora for his question and for his leadership on the international trade committee.Consecutive governments talked about trade diversification, but it was only our government that made it a reality. Under our government, we signed and ratified CETA and CPTPP. That is 1.5 billion new customers for our businesses.This week, the minister announced new measures to help SMEs trade, grow and create jobs. We are aiming to grow our global exports by 50% by 2025.
Mr. Speaker, Teddy Roosevelt said, Speak softly and carry a big stick you will go far. The Prime Minister, making big, bold threats of a lawsuit and then hiding from following through, is roaring loudly and carrying a small twig.I am announcing today, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, that he is setting a deadline for the Prime Minister to follow through on his threat, which is Monday at midnight. Will the Liberals meet the deadline or will the Prime Minister just run for cover?
Mr. Speaker, we will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Canada responded to the illegal U.S. measures with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on imported steel, aluminum and other products from the U.S. As we work to completely repeal the U.S. tariffs, we recognize the potential impacts on Canadian businesses, workers and communities. While Canada's countermeasures remain in place, we are providing targeted relief for Canadian manufacturers facing exceptional circumstances, such as challenges around the lack of domestic supply. We are also imposing provisional safeguards on imports of seven steel products that are causing or threatening harm to Canadian steel producers and workers because of increased foreign imports caused by the U.S. tariffs. We will remain steadfast in our support of the Canadian steel and aluminum industry.
Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite forgot one small detail: the Prime Minister sent a letter to the Leader of the Opposition putting him on notice because he has a habit of misleading Canadians. Everyone knows this is not the right approach, so the Prime Minister sent him a letter. I think the Leader of the Opposition read the letter and then deleted his online statements and his tweets. He and his team probably changed the words he used, but now he is repeating them. It is a
Mr. Speaker, according to breast cancer experts, thousands of Canadian women will die due to the Liberal government's new breast cancer screening guidelines.The new guidelines ignore expert advice, disregard the importance of mammograms for women in their forties, and advise against self-exams. They overlook the benefits of early detection, ignore current data and are silent on the risk of breast density.Given these grave concerns, will the Liberals halt these guidelines, advise physicians not to follow them and launch a review under the direction of subject matter experts?
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister himself is the one who misled Canadians. He said that the SNC-Lavalin story was not true. Obviously that is not the case. Then, he said that no one had come to him with their concerns, which is also not true.If he really believes that telling the truth would be defamatory to him, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party has been unable to manage a crisis for two months now. Oddly, their leader, the Prime Minister, came up with a surprising idea. He decided to sue the leader of the official opposition. The Leader of the Opposition has not budged an inch; he has even repeated his statement word for word and published it again. We are now awaiting the lawsuit.Will the Prime Minister do what he said, or was it all hot air, as usual?
Mr. Speaker, obviously misleading Canadians is not the way to go, but that is what the Liberal government has been doing since the beginning of the SNC-Lavalin case.The Prime Minister put our leader on notice. Our leader repeated word for word what he said outside the House. Every time we ask questions about SNC-Lavalin, the Prime Minister changes his story.Will he follow through on his notice and
Mr. Speaker, for months the Prime Minister has been trying to keep the truth from Canadians, and now he is threatening a lawsuit and trying to silence his opponents. It will not work. Canadians want the Prime Minister to present his evidence in a court of law.When will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat, or is he just talk, no walk?
Mr. Speaker, on March 29, our leader issued an official statement in a press release. It stated that the Prime Minister led a campaign of political interference, personally gave orders, denied the truth and had therefore lost the moral authority to govern. Our leader stands by everything he said in that statement.My question is simple. Will the Prime Minister show some courage and do as he said he would, that is, follow through on his notice so the truth can come out in court?
Mr. Speaker, the time for working groups and letters is over. The canola crisis continues, with farmers across Canada paying for the Liberals' mistakes. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food says she is seized with the issue, that this requires a scientific solution. Let us call a spade a spade: The Chinese do not have a pest problem with Canada's canola; they have a problem with the Liberal government. When will Liberals finally stand up for canola farmers and start addressing this crisis with China?
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are claiming that they want to protect jobs at SNC-Lavalin, when they know full well that those jobs are not in jeopardy. To make matters worse, they have no problem with political interference in the justice system.When the Liberals took office in 2015, they did everything in their power to undermine the Davie shipyard in Quebec City and prevent it from building the Asterix and employing 1,000 workers. Why did the Prime Minister want to cancel that contract and undermine the Davie shipyard?
Mr. Speaker, our leader has repeated exactly the words he said in the first place. It is the Prime Minister who has been misleading Canadians. He told them the SNC story was false, and that is not true. Then he said that no one raised concerns; not true. Then he said he did it for jobs. The company says that is not true.The Prime Minister's threat to sue the Leader of the Opposition is clearly a bluff. If he truly believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, no. The reason Loblaws got this deal was because there was an open tender process that was open to businesses, communities, big businesses, small businesses and indigenous peoples. There were 54 winners. It was based on emissions reductions. In this case, in this open and transparent process run by public servants, we are only putting up one-quarter of the amount of the $48 million. A $50,000 reduction in emissions is like 50,000 vehicles off the road. We should all support that. We should all be looking to work together to tackle climate change.
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-262 is a key step in implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Passed by the House last spring, the bill is now stalled in the other place as a result of Conservative procedural delay tactics. While we have enormous respect for the independence and work of the other place, reconciliation with indigenous peoples and particularly this piece of legislation cannot be subject to partisan and procedural games. I urge the Conservative members of the other place and the members of this House who are in their caucus to heed the unanimous motion passed by the House this week and stop their inexcusable delay tactics.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member opposite for her relentless advocacy in this matter, as well as her colleague from AbitibiBaie-JamesNunavikEeyou. This is obviously a matter that is under advisement with the department. It is a matter we take very seriously, and I hope to come back to the House with further clarification on the matter.
Mr. Speaker, do the Liberals really want to talk about health care and fundraisers? This from a party whose leader had a $1,500-a-plate fundraiser and threw out of the room, to cackles of laughter, an aboriginal protester who was angry about the mercury poisoning that occurred in a first nations community? We will take no lessons from the Prime Minister on health care and fundraisers. Instead of political attacks and hypocrisy, why will the Liberals not stand up behind their words and
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the canola crisis, it is clear that the Prime Minister is letting China call the shots. His weak leadership and inaction are hurting Canadian farmers. One of my farmers has 400,000 bushels of canola in the bin, and it has lost $600,000 in value in the past few weeks. As the price of canola is driven down, farmers have no certainty as to what they should plant in the future. This is a crisis.When will the Prime Minister actually stand up for our canola farmers?
Mr. Speaker, steel workers and their families are going through a tough time. They are facing uncertainty as the temporary safeguards are set to expire on April 27.The Liberals are reluctant to keep these safeguards in place to protect our jobs and prevent our market from being flooded, but they offer millions of dollars as a gift to the Weston family.It is the eleventh hour. Steel workers do not have the means to wait.Instead of helping big banks and corporations, can the Liberal government finally help out workers?
Mr. Speaker, we are just weeks away from the Kashechewan First Nation's annual evacuation. The dike wall could fail, causing catastrophic damage to the community. This community has been waiting for funding for relocation to higher ground for years. The Liberal budget gave nothing to the community, and people are getting desperate. This is not a nation-to-nation relationship. When will the Liberals stop playing games with the lives of Kashechewan's people and fund their relocation?
Mr. Speaker, what is unacceptable is a Prime Minister who shows contempt for Canadians by saying one thing and doing the opposite.Let us not forget that the Globe and Mail broke the SNC-Lavalin scandal two months ago and the day after, the Prime Minister said that it was completely false. Since then, four people have resigned. The other thing the Prime Minister said was that he had never been informed of the dangers of political influence in this matter. That is what he maintained up until two weeks ago when, here, in the House, he acknowledged that he was informed of those dangers on September 17.Will the Prime Minister follow through on his threat to sue? If yes, when will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, we understand the concerns of the canola industry. For the past month and a half, the minister has been meeting with dozens of farmers and industry representatives here in Ottawa, in Alberta, in Saskatchewan and even in Manitoba.The Canadian representatives of the CFIA are having discussions with their counterparts in China to find a science-based solution. We have sent a letter to China to propose sending a high-level delegation of experts.We are going to keep standing up for the canola industry.
Mr. Speaker, we know the Liberals are obsessed with Twitter. They have started diplomatic feuds on Twitter. They have damaged the integrity of our immigration system on Twitter. They have even praised dictators on Twitter, but this is not about Twitter. This is about the opposition leader's March 29 statement. That is why he repeated every word from that statement inside and outside the chamber.When will the Prime Minister meet the opposition leader in court, or should I just check his Twitter?
Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development. Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Prime Minister has been misleading Canadians now for over two months. He said that the SNC story was false, that no one raised concerns and that he did it for jobs, yet each one of these statements is a proven falsehood. Then he foolishly tried to bully the opposition leader into silence by threatening to sue, but the opposition leader has now called this ridiculous bluff.It is the Prime Minister's move. When will we see him in court?
Mr. Speaker, our government will always protect Canadians, Canadian workers and their interests. In reaction to the illegal and unjustified measures imposed by the United States, Canada introduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports totalling $16.6 billion. We also put measures in place to help the industry on this side of the border.We will continue to work with people in the steel and aluminum sector to support them during this difficult time until these illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs are lifted.