Most toxic speeches
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
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Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer that question.As everyone knows, Quebec has a remarkable history of being welcoming and open. It all started in my own riding in 1535. When Jacques Cartier arrived he asked Donnacona, grand chief of the Huron-Wendat nation at the time, where he was. The grand chief responded that he was in Canada, a welcoming, open, supportive country. In Quebec City and Quebec we are proud to be part of that great tradition.
Mr. Speaker, by introducing Canada's first-ever national housing strategy, this government has demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to giving more Canadians a place to call home. Since taking office in 2015, we have invested more than $7 billion in housing and have helped more than one million Canadians find safe, affordable places to call home. Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how the recent agreement between Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador will help more people across our province have access to affordable and dignified housing?
Mr. Speaker, we welcome the recommendations from the Auditor General's report. Budget 2019 provides over $42.9 million in investments that will allow IRCC to more than fund 170 full-time agents over two years to respond to people's questions. We have already extended hours in our call centres. We have introduced access to people in our call centres on Saturdays. We are introducing more help through email, social media and a chatbot that learns as it proceeds to answer all the routine questions. We are committed to doing better.
Mr. Speaker, it is fantastic that we are having a conversation about menstrual products here in the House of Commons. I agree with the member opposite that we need to make sure that women can take care of their health and dignity no matter where they are. That is why we are taking these steps to ensure that menstrual products are available in bathrooms and washrooms of federally regulated employers. It is an important step, and I look forward to hearing from stakeholders about how we do this in an effective way.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to be able to advise this House that, so far this year, we have achieved a 47% reduction in the number of people crossing our border irregularly. In budget 2019and I understand the member opposite may have missed this because of all the noise going on that dayour government has committed $443 million to increase IRCC's capacity. It includes $375 million to restore the CBSA's ability to increase its asylum system to implement border enforcement strategies, which includes better border management, security screening and enforcement operations. Our plan is working, and we are making progress.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Abbotsford. I truly did enjoy working with him, both in the local and federal governments. I went on a trip with him in the last Parliamentwe went on a trade missionand I was worried because he worked so hard. He pushed himself and did such an incredible job for this country as the trade minister. I want to thank him for all his efforts. However, I also want to encourage him to take care of himself. We sometimes in this place ignore the importance of taking care of our body. Sometimes our families are not given the time. It is a priority. You do not realize this at times until you find yourself in a hospital room. The priorities of what is important in life suddenly became very real to me when I was in the hospital. I encourage each of us to make sure we are taking time to take care of ourselves and spend time with our family, because when you are gone, you are gone and it is over, so make sure that is a priority in your life.The comments and all the compliments have been so kind. To God be the glory. If you see any good in me, hopefully you are seeing Jesus.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Avalon for his hard work.We believe that every Canadian should have access to a safe and affordable home. That is why we were so proud in November 2017 to introduce the first-ever national housing strategy, which is going to lift half a million Canadian families out of housing conditions that are unsafe or unaffordable.That is why we were proud to sign, just a few weeks ago, an agreement with the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador for $270 million, which will give the province more help to lift more people in the province out of housing conditions that are unacceptable in 2019.
Mr. Speaker, all we have so far from the Liberals is a bunch of worn out Aussie jets. The Macdonald-Laurier Institute report says: As a result of this governments policies, its ability to conduct its most basic function, the defence of Canadian sovereignty and that of our allies, is diminishing rapidly. When will the Prime Minister stop putting his own partisan interests ahead of Canada's national security?
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to put our record on defence procurement against the Conservatives' record at any time. We have fully costed the defence policy. We have launched the future fight procurement of 88 jets. We have had the delivery of our first interim jet. We have the first large vessels in the water designed and built under the NSS. We have the first OFSV. We have the first AOPS, with two more in the works and the fourth was just cut last week. We have a contract for fixed-wing search and rescue aircraft, and of course, the Canada surface combatants. There is a lot more after that.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the relations we have built with the United States. The NORAD mission we have with the U.S. is the cornerstone. We have actually put this into our defence policy. One of the most important aspects would be that where the Conservatives could not even replace our aircraft, they actually wanted only 65. We conducted a thorough analysis, and we will be purchasing 88 aircraft that will meet the needs for North American defence.
Mr. Speaker, you will pardon if I find this very difficult to get through. I ask for just one very special dispensation, that I be permitted to use the member's real name so that Canadians across the country know whom we are speaking of. He is not only the member for LangleyAldergrove. I see you nodding. Thank you. We are speaking of Mark Warawa, our dear friend Mark, and it is his 69th birthday today. Thanks, colleagues, for singing Happy Birthday. I know he very much appreciated that.Of all the members in the House, I probably have known Mark longer than anyone, because we have both spent a lot of time in the beautiful city of Abbotsford. I first came to know Mark when he was the proprietor of Warawa's vacuum shop in downtown Abbotsford, and it was renowned because it had the big mechanical gorilla outside. That gorilla would scare all the kids when they walked by, but he sold a lot of vacuums because of that gorilla. Later on, he and I participated in provincial politics. We worked hard to get him elected provincially. Thank goodness that did not work out because he ended up in this august chamber. He went on to serve on city council, and I followed him a few years later, and we had such wonderful time serving our community as fellow brothers working hard to grow a community that was prosperous and compassionate. I remember there were three of us on council who were often referred to as the three horsemen. We did not know if they were referring to an apocalypse or not, but that was what they called us. Then Mark was elected to this august chamber in 2004. Two years later, I followed him, so for the last 14 to 16 years, he and I have been able to serve our communities together here, crafting policy for our country, making sure we continue to be prosperous, kind, gracious, loving and outward looking.I know that Mark has an incredible heart for this country. He has an incredible heart for his family as well. He is a deep man of faith. I have known that because he and I are brothers in arms. He has a deep faith in Jesus Christ, and we got to live out that faith even here on Parliament Hill when he, Chuck Strahl, Randy Kamp, the member for Battle RiverCrowfoot and I were part of something called the MP5. Five of us sang together, mostly gospel music. I was the guy who did not have the voice, so I played keyboard, but they sang their hearts out, and the pinnacle of that was when we sang at the National Arts Centre. We were a walk-on. We had a cameo appearance at the National Arts Centre, the five of us, of which we were quite proud.He has been a friend to all of us, but I know he has been a best friend to Diane, his wife, who is in the gallery. He is retiring, so Diane will now have him back full time, and I know she will really appreciate that.Let me close with a couple of poignant comments. Mark, we know that you have a deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ that has driven your life. You have a deep confidence in the providence of God, that he knows best for your life even as you walk through this very dark path. We are praying for healing for you, Mark.Mark, I think I speak for all of us in this House when I say you will be sorely missed. You are leaving an incredible legacy behind. That legacy includes kindness. You have been kind to the opposition members in this House over the years. You have understood the role that we play here as representatives of the Canadian people. You just understood that, more so than most of us, probably. Our thoughts and prayers are going to be with you as you face this challenge head-on. We are praying for healing. I know the thoughts and prayers of every single member of this House are going to be with you in the coming weeks and months. We wish you the very best, Mark, as you embark upon this new journey, this new season of life. I just want to say we all love you. God bless you.
Mr. Speaker, as the independent whip, it falls to me to congratulate Paul Manly on last night's byelection win in NanaimoLadysmith. Including him, we will have 21 independent MPs sharing only 14 weekly spots in question period. Would the Prime Minister support reallocating more questions to independents so that Mr. Manly and all of us can better represent our constituents?
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member has just made it clear that he thinks consumers in my riding, the people who have to drive to work, drive to school, drive their parents to doctors' appointments, need to pay more. I have news for him. I do not work for wealthy Liberal elites who have money to just throw around at high gas prices. Every extra dollar that my constituents spend at the pump comes out of their pockets
Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that, due to the half-baked measures introduced by the Harper Conservatives, the IRB developed a backlog of 32,000 refugee cases. We promised that we would do better for those people, some of whom had been waiting for a hearing for as long as eight years. One of the first things we did was to launch a legacy refugee task force. I am happy to update this House that we have cleared that backlog as of last week. We will make sure that the refugee system works the way it is supposed to.
The Liberal carbon tax imposed by the current government has a direct and tangible impact on the cost of transportation.In practical terms, that means that Quebec families are paying more for fruits, vegetables and other groceries because transportation in Canada costs more. That is the reality. What is more, the Liberal carbon tax is doing nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions.Do the Liberals understand that their tax is a fiscal measure not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, it is my birthday.[Members sang Happy Birthday] Mr. Speaker, I was in the hospital recently for 15 days, and I had zero interest in politics since I was in the hospital and possibly facing the end of my life. In just a few minutes here in Parliament, I am interested in politics again.I am not running again; I announced that. However, I wanted to make a farewell speech. It is tradition in this House to be able to say goodbye and thank members of this House. I have surgery for colon cancer coming up on May 22, and my only opportunity to say goodbye was this week. I am here to give the House an update and thank members.I was an election observer with a colleague, and I had to come back early because I was turning yellow. I was very jaundiced. I came back, went to the hospital after a few days, and doctors found that I had a pancreatic tumour. They then found that I had colon cancer and then that the pancreatic cancer, which is the same as what Steve Jobs had, had spread to my lungs. The prognosis from the doctors is not great. However, I have a strong faith in God; and the God who created me can heal me. I want to share a little about my life. Throughout my life, there have been some wonderful little God moments, nuggets and interventions of guidance. People ask me why I became involved with politics in the first place, and it started with a dream back in 1990. I had a dream that there was an upcoming municipal election and that I was elected. This was out of the blue; I had no interest in it. Later that day, somebody came up to me and said that they had a dream about me. Oh, really? I asked. What did you dream? The person dreamed that I ran in the election and was elected. When those little nuggets happen, one has to listen. So often we get busy and do not. I put my name on the ballot, and surprise, I was elected. That was in 1990.I served on Abbotsford council with the wonderful, intelligent, good-looking member for Abbotsford. I served there for 14 years, and what an honour it was. Then there was another God moment. I was with my beautiful wife, Diane, and we were going out for our anniversary. I said to her that one day before I retired I would love to get into managing or owning an auto body shop. I had just sold a business and everything, and she told me not to start a new business. I told her that I was just thinking out loud, because I loved cars and would like to do that. That happened on Saturday. On Monday morning, the phone rang and this fellow said that he was Gary down at the so-and-so avenue body shop. He said that he was looking to retire and asked if I would be interested in managing his auto body shop.From that I then went to ICBC, and then brought money into Langley and started fixing up things. I became known, and the next thing I knew, I was running for federal politics. Again, there are these little voices, these little nuggets in our lives where we need to listen and follow God's leading. That is why I am here. I am just an average guy who has had an incredible honour serving with members and serving our community.I want to thank God. I want to thank my family.Diane and I were married in 1972, almost 47 years ago. She is my best friend. We have five kids and 10 grandkids. We are so blessed. My passion has always been the environment, justice, family, seniors, children's issues and respecting life right from beginning to end. Diane and I met at Trinity Western University, and on the weekends, as I did not have a lot of money as a student, I would take her on a date to a seniors place, where we would play the guitar and sing. We just loved dealing with seniors. We did not have to be great singers for the seniors to like us.We are so blessed with our kids and grandkids: Jon and Jen with Carrington and Rich; Ryan; Eric and Carolyn with Christian, Jonah, Jeremiah and Jakob; Nathan; and Kristen with Russel, Mya, Mark and Will. I have always been involved with sports over the years, and I know the importance of teamwork. We cannot get anything accomplished as a lone wolf; we have to be part of a team. I understand the importance of this in politics as well, and I have this incredible team that I get to work with, my staff. I could not have accomplished anything without them. They are Annette, Kim, Jane, Liat, Monique, Megan and Rebeca.As members all know, the best part of the job is being able to help people, and it has been such a blessing. We love our community, and it has been an incredible honour. When I announced that I was not going to be running again, I felt that God was creating a new chapter of my life. I was preparing to be a chaplain giving pastoral care to seniors. I was doing this studying and reading, and lo and behold, I got sick. I was reading all these case studies about whether to operate or whether to give palliative care and I was honoured by our leader to be given the responsibility for palliative care. Then I found myself in the hospital, a surprise, and experiencing what it is like to face end of life. With all that reading and preparation, maybe it was not for me to administer to others but to prepare myself for this trial. I want to thank everyone so much. When someone is first given the diagnosis that there are some serious problems, doctors are dealing with the physical person, but there is more than just the physical to us. There are the spiritual and the emotional sides, the psychosocial, but that was left unadministered to. While the doctors were looking at my physical condition, that was being ignored. This is tremendously important. Doctors give a diagnosis and look at how they are going to fix a patient, at what kind of operation is needed or what chemo, but what about the person? What about the family and the distress? We need to encourage our medical system to make sure that they are providing a ministry for the rest of the person. I was at the Vancouver General Hospital, which is an incredible hospital with incredible physicians and surgeons, but that need was left unmet. I asked for palliative care. I was there for 15 days. Of the thousands of doctors, there are two palliative care physicians at VGH, and I never saw them. They came once while I was recovering and groggy and sleepy, so that need was unmet, unfortunately.I have experienced first-hand the difficulty of accessing palliative care. We know from statistics that it is not available to 70% to 84% of Canadians, a tragic number. Our system is not designed to meet that need. We are trying to fix the body, but in some cases it is better not to do the heroic thing, not to remove the organs or use chemo and that sort of thing. Science has shown us that people can live longer and have a better quality of life, in some cases, if they are given palliative care, but those options were not provided to me. Why is that? The system is broken and needs to be fixed. We passed Bill C-277. This Parliament is coming to an end, but I hope that the next Parliament will make a commitment to fix that and provide leadership in Canada, maybe through a university chair or something, so we can fix this situation. People are left in despair, emotions are raw and family support is not there, but they are not given the opportunity for palliative care. What is the only remaining option? If it is not surgery, it is maybe that they should consider MAID, medical assistance in dying. I was on the legislative committee when we discussed that proposal and passed it. We had to, because of the Carter decision.We have a situation in Canada of basic needs not being met, and out of desperation people are saying that the easiest way is to end their life through an injection. They are saying that would be the humane thing to do, but we cannot force people into that kind of a choice. We have to provide palliative care.It has been such an incredible honour to work in this House. I was first elected federally in 2004, and 15 years went by just like that. It has been such an honour.None of us are here by accident. I believe that strongly. I have a strong faith in God. If we are not here by accident, then what is the responsibility for each of us that goes along with that? To whomsoever much has been given, from him much will be required. Therefore, we have a responsibility to do what is right, to be truthful, to be people of integrity in making Canada better and working with one another when it is appropriate to do so.I have not always done things right. I have a very mischievous nature, as chairs of different committees can attest, so I would like to apologize for some of the problems I created.Death does come to each of us, and to some very early. We just said goodbye to a very dear friend. He had an aneurysm and he was gone. God has given me some time. I may be around for a long time or I may be around for a short time. We do not know.This is the most important part: It is that I want to encourage each of you to love one another, to encourage each other, because God loves us. Pray for another. Pray about what is really important. Help one another. Seek God's will for you each day. Do what is right. Be honest. We read in Galatians: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. It is all legal. It is all good.Life is precious. Life is sacred. I have been reminded very freshly of how valuable and precious life is, from beginning to end.God bless you. I love you all. I will look forward to being able to serve. Until October, it will likely be out of my constituency office, but to God be the glory.
Mr. Speaker, the way the Liberals are talking, one would think that they are really concerned about global warming and the environment. The problem is that the reality suggests otherwise.We are supposed to be reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, but from 2016 to 2017, they rose by eight million tonnes, and likely even more. A recent study shows that oil sands emissions were up to 37% higher than reported. When will the Liberals stop giving millions of dollars to rich oil companies and force them to be transparent with Canadians?
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member and his party were really serious about moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline process in the right way, they would not have voted to de-fund and kill a process that will get us to a decision. We are moving forward on this process with meaningful consultation with indigenous communities. We are engaged with them, we are offering accommodation on the outstanding issues and we are scheduled to make a decision on this. Our hope is to make a decision on this project by June 18.
Mr. Speaker, at Library and Archives Canada, 34 people with developmental disabilities were earning an honorarium of $1.15 an hour to sort and shred some papers. They were told most recently that their program was going to be cut and they were going to lose their jobs. Families of people with developmental disabilities are very concerned and they are asking the Prime Minister to reverse the cut. Will he do so?
Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year. We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, when we first raised concerns about the carbon tax, the Prime Minister said, Don't worry, look how successful it has been in British Columbia. Then he travelled there and said that $1.69-a-litre gas is exactly what we want. Now British Columbia has the highest gas prices in the history of North America. Is this what the Prime Minister wanted to replicate when he announced his new carbon tax?
Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.
Mr. Speaker, every 17 minutes today, CALACS francophone d'Ottawa is sharing sexual assault survivors' stories as a reminder that a woman is sexually assaulted every 17 minutes in Canada.The strength and resilience of survivors have led to a renewed commitment to end gender-based violence. Unfortunately, organizations like CALACS are asked to do more with less resources after the Ford decision to cut their funding.Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality tell the House what our government is doing to support victims of sexual assault?
Mr. Speaker, on his final point, I direct the member to the decision of the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. It confirmed that because revenues go directly to residents, this is a regulatory charge and not a tax.With respect to his allegation that the cost of goods and services is going to somehow increase, again I will refer to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report. The Parliamentary Budget Officer corrected certain Conservative MPs by pointing out that his analysis factored in goods and services. He confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families would have more money in their pockets after the year had ended.This plan is going to have a meaningful impact on emissions and make families better off. It is disappointing that the Conservatives will not do the right thing and are campaigning to take money from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to improving the CRA's services to ensure that they meet the needs of Canadians.Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who decided to reduce the number of agents and the operating hours for call centres, our government chose to invest in infrastructure. I am very pleased to say that we have migrated to a new, modern telephone platform in recent months. The results are encouraging. I will have more to say on this in a few weeks.
Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful
Mr. Speaker, I find the hon. member's fascination with our plan curious, since he knows that it simply does not fly in Quebec. One thing I can confirm is that Quebecers know that climate change is real. They believe that we have an obligation and an opportunity to do something about it.We know what the solutions are in facing the greatest challenge of our time. We know that the most effective thing we can do to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution and return revenues to Canadian families.If members do not believe me, they can look to Mark Cameron, Stephen Harper's former director of policy, or Preston Manning. They could even look to Doug Ford's chief budget adviser, who actually testified to that in the Senate in 2016.This time
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, being a long-standing member of the House, knows that there is a very specific legal procedure that is undertaken with respect to listings under the Criminal Code. The system in Canada is strong and credible because of the integrity of that system. The government is pursuing all of the steps that are laid out in law to make the appropriate decision. In the meantime, the member will know that a number of the surrogates of this organization have already been listed.
Mr. Speaker, it is a distinct honour for me to rise today to address my friend, the member for LangleyAldergrove, and Diane, his wife, to say a few words.First of all, I want to wish my friend a happy birthday. The humour, strength and courage with which he came to the House today is remarkable, for those who do not know him. However, for those who have been blessed to have had time with him, it is no surprise and only confirms my feelings and thoughts toward him. I am not sure I have ever liked someone so much whom I have agreed with so little over the issues of the day and what we have grappled with. We first came to know each other when he was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment under Stephen Harper and I was the NDP's environment critic. We agreed on little, and our relationship of respect and mutual admiration was based on our ability to disagree without being disagreeable toward one another.We are the class of '04. We have spent some time traversing this country, from British Columbia to Ottawa and back again. In some of those moments, we have been able to share the costs, not to us but to our families, of being away and being apart. I have taken my friend's counsel over the years on this.Although I am not sure he will remember it, I will reflect on a time when a constituent of mine, Mark Penninga, who was running ARPA at the time, invited me to an ARPA meeting on the Hill. It was here in West Block. We had been here a long time, and we knew West Block before this.I recall that the meeting was at the end of a long hallway. I bumped into my friend at the very beginning of the hallway, and we exchanged pleasantries as we were on our way to the ARPA meeting. ARPA is a Christian group that represents Christian values. There were many meeting rooms along the way, and I felt that my friend expected me to peel off at some point and go to some other meeting. I knew where he was going, and I was going to the same place. He said, Well, have a nice evening and I said, You too. Let's go in. Seeing the shock on some of the faces of colleagues from various parties in the House that I had entered that room for that conversation was quite pleasurable, actually. I quite enjoyed the conversation and the shock.We come from opposite sides on many debates and many issues, but he has always approached those conversations with deep honesty and respect. I have taken exception to some of his ideas on things, and I will take exception to his assessment regarding the good looks of the member for Abbotsford. I worry about him and his ability to see clearly. However, I understand that emotions take over at certain points, so I will allow him that clear mistake in judgment regarding the good looks of our friend.It has been said that politics at its best is a vocation, a true calling. Those who enter politics merely for ego, personal ambition or power often do it badly. Those of us who seek office as a calling have a better shot at doing well by the people we seek to speak on behalf of.We all know that the member squeaked by in his five elections, with only, I believe, the support of 53% of his constituents, which is incredible. I think he represented them well. I think he represented them with integrity.To Diane, his five children and 10 grandchildren, who he refuses to ever shut up about, constantly telling us what is going on in their lives, we owe a great debt for the time we have had with Mark.I hope my friend understands that the shortness of my words here is in direct contrast to the depth and length of my admiration and love for him.Thank you, Mark.
Mr. Speaker, I do not know what the Liberals' definition of working is. The Liberals promised to defend the Canadian steel industry when they signed the new NAFTA, but the number of layoffs we have seen over the past six months tell a different story. There were 12 layoffs at Nova Tube in Montreal, 50 layoffs at Iavaco Rolling Mills in Ontario, 228 layoffs at EVRAZ in Calgary and 230 layoffs at Tenaris in Sault Ste. Marie.These are not just numbers. These are real people, and they are struggling to make ends meet. How many more Canadians will have to lose their jobs before the Liberals take action to end Trump's tariffs on steel?
Mr. Speaker, all MPs are elected to this place to represent their constituents, and question period is 45 minutes of the day to do so. There is a formula to determine the number of questions for each party and for independents. Mr. Speaker, you ruled that the current allotment of 14 questions per week for independents maintains the appropriate balance with respect to management of time, the rights of independent members and the long-standing practice of this House. We will respect that ruling, and we know that we have seen the number of questions for independents increase since we took office.
Mr. Speaker, the new UN report on biodiversity concluded that a million species are facing extinction. We are losing natural habitat and marine diversity at an alarming rate. According to UBC professor Kai Chan, who helped write the report, we need fundamental and structural change. Canadians rejected the Conservative approach. The Liberals have delivered more words than action. Will the Liberals now support our environmental bill of rights, which enshrines healthier environments as a right, protects habitats and compels government action?
Mr. Speaker, while the government announced free menstrual products in federally regulated workplaces, product cost and access in remote and northern communities are prohibitive and unacceptable. Because of that high cost and lack of government action, organizations like women's shelters are left to collect donations of products to distribute to women and girls in the north and in our communities. In fairness to disadvantaged women and girls in the north and everywhere, when will the Liberal government extend the provision of free menstrual products to women and girls?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit. Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct the hon. member to the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirmed exactly what we have been saying the entire time: our plan to put a price on pollution is not only going to reduce emissions, it is going to make life more affordable for eight out of 10 Canadian households. At the same time, we are moving forward with a theme of our government to ensure that the economy works for everyone, not just a wealthy few. We cut taxes for the middle class and asked the one per cent to pay more. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We are ensuring that our government works for everyone, and it is disappointing that the Conservatives vote against us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, it is all very interesting to hear about Saskatchewan, but my question was about Quebec.Speaking of which, Quebec's experience has shown that carbon pricing does nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions. A report tabled by the Premier of Quebec a few months ago shows that Quebec's carbon exchange did nothing to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2014, 2015, or 2016.I will ask my question again. Will the Liberals finally understand that the Liberal carbon tax is a fiscal measure, not an environmental one?
Mr. Speaker, I trust that the hon. member knows that our plan to put a price on pollution simply does not apply in British Columbia, because it implemented its own plan several years back.What I am curious about is whether the hon. member, like his Conservative colleagues, is misleading Canadians by refusing to advise them that, in fact, they can claim the climate action incentive? I am also curious about whether the hon. member will be claiming his own climate action incentive, which is going to put $307 in the pockets of an average family of four in Ontario? The fact is, for 80% of Canadians, they can expect to have more money in their pockets after this plan is implemented. I do not know why he is campaigning on a promise to take that money away.
Mr. Speaker, first, the Prime Minister used political interference to help his friends at SNC-Lavalin, and now he is politically interfering to punish those who get in his way.The former parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs has resigned and will testify against the government for Vice-Admiral Mark Norman. What will he say that is so damaging that he had to resign to say it and he needs a lawyer, paid for by the Crown, to advise him on how to say it?What are the Liberals hiding? When will the Prime Minister provide all unredacted documents and allow Vice-Admiral Norman a fair trial?
Mr. Speaker, for the parents of six-year-old Joshua, suffering from cystic fibrosis, it is clear that Canada's funding system for medication is broken. For so many families, needed medicine is out of reach. Experts say Canada is an outlier internationally. The Liberal agency will have limited effect, and it proposes Iittle more than a band-aid. New Democrats are listening, and we have proposed a bold solution. Will the Liberals adopt our pharmacare for all plan, and bring life-saving medicine within reach of every Canadian family?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I referenced the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's new report. I believe I should table that report. If you seek it, you might find unanimous consent to table The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canadas Fighter Replacement Fiasco.
Mr. Speaker, the most difficult thing for families dealing with developmental disabilities is being told that their loved ones are not wanted. In fact, what the government said is that they are no longer operationally required, so I hope it will do better in dealing with this going forward.Another problem the Liberals have is the fact that the immigration system is broken. We heard that today, from the Auditor General himself. I wonder if the Prime Minister can tell us whether he will be accepting the recommendations of the Auditor General, implementing them and fixing this problem that his government caused.
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is using twisted logic in an attempt to mislead Canadians, which should not be surprising, because the only climate plan the Conservatives put forward has been to misrepresent our plan, because they simply do not have one of their own. The fact of the matter is that people do not have to take my word for it. The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that eight out of 10 Canadian families who are subject to the federal backstop will have more money in their pockets after the climate action incentive. It is disappointing in the extreme that the Conservatives will not put forward a plan of their own and instead are campaigning on a commitment to take money away from their constituents.
Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are paying over $1.50 a litre for gasoline today, with prices nearing $1.80 in metro Vancouver. These prices are fuelled by the government's insistence on a carbon tax and the Liberals' inability to get the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion built. These high gas prices are making one of the most unaffordable regions in North America even more expensive. When the Prime Minister was asked about gas prices like these, he said this is exactly what we want.Why does the Prime Minister continue to celebrate every time the price at the pump goes up, leaving Canadian families with less money in their pockets?
Mr. Speaker, actually, the federal carbon tax rules do apply in British Columbia, because if the province wanted to cancel its carbon tax, the Prime Minister would reimpose it. Furthermore, he has used the Liberal carbon tax from B.C. as the model for the whole country, where the tax will rise another 250%.Why will he not admit that the consequence will be the same right across the country as it has been in B.C.: $1.80-a-litre taxes on their gas and higher prices for Canadian families?
Mr. Speaker, I would ask the hon. member if he has ever been to the Arctic. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs clearly stated today, Canada is very clear about the Northwest Passage being Canadian. Our Arctic sovereignty is long-standing and well established. The minister attended the Arctic Council meeting in Finland this week to reiterate this and to advocate for Canadian interests. Canada remains committed to exercising the full extent of its rights and sovereignty over our territory.
Mr. Speaker, no Canadian should ever have to choose between paying for prescriptions and putting food on the table. With budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for the implementation of a national pharmacare program. We have created the Canadian drug agency that, working with provinces and territories, will negotiate drug prices for all Canadians. Unlike what the NDP is actually suggesting, it will reduce drug prices by around $3 billion a year, which is not nothing.On top of that, we are moving forward with half a billion dollars for a national strategy
Mr. Speaker, the United Nations report on endangered species hits close to home in my riding, Windsor West.The Ojibway Shores, the last remaining stretch of natural shoreline on the Detroit River and home to over 160 species, has been at the centre of a battle to protect our environment. We stopped the clear-cutting of trees and dumping on this pristine piece of nature. I have asked the government many times to protect this public property, and all I have received is excuse after excuse, no real action. The UN was clear: Different choices get better results.Why will the Prime Minister not protect Ojibway Shores? Why is the real action zero?
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 3, we learned that a Liberal MP would be testifying against the Liberal government in the trial of Admiral Mark Norman.The Liberal government is doing everything it can to discredit the Davie shipyard, including political interference by influential cabinet members. The Davie shipyard is capable of doing the work on time and on budget. Quebec deserves better.Why did the Liberals try to deny Davie a contract?
Mr. Speaker, I have been taking questions in this chamber for a number of months from the Conservatives, and not once have they asked us a question that indicated they were willing to do more to protect our environment.The fact is that climate change is an existential threat, not only to Canada but to the entire world community. The fact is that we have put forward a plan that has 50 measures that are going to combat climate change. The Conservatives are trying to grab lightning and campaign on misinformation that they think will pander to the masses. They do not have any ideas, so they mislead Canadians about ours. It is time they took climate change seriously, because that is what Canadians want us to do.With respect to our plan, we know it is going to leave them
Mr. Speaker, I have my Kleenex at the ready, in case I cannot get through this. I want to continue the theme that the hon. member has spoken about, which is that this is a God moment. Seldom do we hear a speech in this chamber that is filled with such honesty, such directness and such frankness. There was such candour that I actually looked up the definition of candour in the dictionary while he was speaking. It said he spoke with a degree of candour unusual in political life. Indeed, the hon. member's speech was unusual in the political life of us all, because we do not speak with candour, as we should. That is the tension of people of faith who work in this chamber. The priorities and beliefs of faith do not always line up with the needs and desires of being a practising politician. I know that the hon. member has faced that tension. I know that many of us in this chamber face that tension. I would say that the hon. member has navigated that tension about as well as any of us, because his candour in his admission of his faith in Jesus Christ is not something we hear every day in this chamber. In some circles, frankly, it is frowned upon.The hon. member has, from time to time, joined us all at the prayer breakfast. It is probably the one hour in the entire week when we are no longer Liberals, no longer Conservatives, no longer NDP; we are just members of a faith community. Then as members of a faith community, we actually pray for each other. I know the hon. member has been a subject of our prayers in the last while, as have others, to be frank.I would ask the hon. member how he has navigated that tension, but I would also ask him whether he has sung with his singing colleagues the song with the lyric, thou hast taught me to say...it is well with my soul?
Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That this House oppose the construction of new pipelines because they would harm the environment, and as the Leader of the Official Opposition said on December 2, 2018
Mr. Speaker, last year, the Prime Minister visited Saguenay to offer reassurance to aluminum workers about Trump's protectionism. One year later, the tariffs are still in place, and the new Canada-United States-Mexico agreement will not eliminate them. Yesterday, the municipal council of the City of Saguenay passed a motion demanding that the tariffs be lifted. The NDP's position is clear. The agreement must not be ratified until the tariffs are lifted. Can the government confirm today, before the House, that it will not ratify the agreement until the tariffs are lifted?
Mr. Speaker, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has a long record of torturing, jailing and murdering Iran's own citizens and exporting terror throughout the Middle East and across the world. The threat to Canada and our allies is crystal clear. Last year, the Liberals voted in favour of our motion to hold the Iranian Khamenei regime accountable and list the IRGC as a terrorist entity. Is the government starting to cozy up to Iran again, or is it finally going to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity?
Mr. Speaker, every passing day brings new Liberal failures.The conclusions of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute report are scathing. The report found that the Liberal government's decisions around replacing Canada's fighter jets were purely based on reasons of political interest and were not in the national interest.What does the Liberal government plan to do to resolve this latest fiasco?
Mr. Speaker, I can assure all members in this House, and indeed all Canadians, that our process to procure 88 fighter jets will be open, fair, transparent and indeed competitive. Unlike the previous Conservative government, which could not even sole source a jet, we are determined to deliver for the men and women in the air force to ensure that they have the equipment they need to do the hard job we ask of them.
Mr. Speaker, high gas prices are hurting the most vulnerable across British Columbia. This week we learned that cancer patients are having services cut, and that is because volunteer drivers cannot afford to drive them anymore. In my riding in British Columbia, people have to drive sometimes six hours for their radiation therapy. Canadians suffering with cancer are paying the full price of the Prime Minister's carbon tax and failure to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built.When the Prime Minister said that he wanted high gas prices, is this what he meant?
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. The party opposite cut refugee health care. The party opposite left the IRB without the funding necessary to deal with the volume it had. The party opposite is intent on getting away from the record that it has, but facts are stubborn things and the Conservatives cannot get away from that record.The fact is that we are reinvesting in the border, and we are reinvesting in the Immigration and Refugee Board. To make sure that the refugee system works, we are making sure that the vacancies left behind by the previous government
Mr. Speaker, let us review the Liberals' political vendetta against Vice-Admiral Norman: obstructing subpoenas, clear political interference; refusing to cover his legal costs, pushing him towards bankruptcy, unable to defend himself; will not release documents critical to his defence; demoted the former foreign affairs parliamentary secretary because he will testify for Vice-Admiral Norman, against the government.Why are the Liberals so intent on denying a fair trial for a Canadian who served Canada so honourably?
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, but first let me just recognize and appreciate the support from the member for ElmwoodTranscona.There has been discussion among the parties and, if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House of Commons recognize the historical significance of the Winnipeg general strike of 1919, in particular on workers rights, human rights and social advocacy for over the past 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently from the Department of Justice and independently from my office.Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. When counsel is needed, those decisions are made according to the rules and regulations in the justice department.
Mr. Speaker, the prosecution in question is being handled by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, which operates independently of the Department of Justice and my office. Counsel to the Attorney General of Canada has been fulfilling all of its obligations before the court with respect to third party records applications. As I just said, this matter is before the courts, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Mr. Speaker, the experts all say that the Liberals' actions fall short.In Ontario, a young family does not have the means to pay $250,000 for the medicine their son needs to survive. A universal pharmacare program would go a long way toward helping that family and other families from coast to coast to coast.Evidence in favour of a universal pharmacare program is clear. What is the Prime Minister waiting for?
Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Passage is a Canadian passage; it is internationally recognized. Our government is standing up to defend our interests. Our Minister of Foreign Affairs reasserted that today. Canadian sovereignty in the north is long-standing and well established. It is where Canadians live and work. I lived there for six years. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, the peoples and the communities in the north and our national interests.
Mr. Speaker, I guess she is the architect of this fighter jet fiasco.The Liberals' excuses for betraying our armed forces will not fix the bridges they have already burned with our allies. The letters in the report prove that the Prime Minister has betrayed Canada on the world stage. To quote the report, the present governments policies have dealt a blow to Canada-US defence relations, the bedrock of the countrys security. When will the Prime Minister stop undermining Canada's relationship with our closest ally and defence partner?
Mr. Speaker, my constituents do not have an expense account. They do not have a trust fund. They do not have a motorcade to take them anywhere they need to go. When will the Liberals stop punishing middle-class Canadians and raising the price of gas at the pump?
Mr. Speaker, the Ojibway Shores is property of the Windsor Port Authority. I would encourage the City of Windsor to speak with the Windsor Port Authority with respect to the future of Ojibway Shores.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I referred to a document twice during question period. This time, I truly hope I have unanimous consent to table the document entitled GES, inventaire québécois des émissions de gaz à effet de serre
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear in supporting steel and aluminum workers. We took immediate action when unjust and unfair tariffs were imposed by the Americans. It was dollar-for-dollar retaliation. We also introduced safeguards. Above and beyond that, we introduced a $2-billion support package for steel and aluminum workers.We are going to continue to support those in the sector for years to come. We have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada has itself said, The PPSC has not sought or received instructions in respect of the prosecution of Mr. Norman from the Privy Council Office or any other government department or body.The Public Prosecution Service of Canada is independent of the ministry and the Attorney General. It is independent of the Department of Justice. It makes its decisions independently and will continue to do so.
Mr. Speaker, Liberal real action was buying a pipeline.The report clearly states that we are at a real risk of losing over a million plant and animal species. However, the authors also note that better outcomes can be achieved if we make different choices.We have a plan to protect our environment while ensuring that not a single worker or community is left behind. The Liberal plan is disastrous for our planet. What will the Prime Minister do to truly protect our habitats, our ecosystems and marine diversity?
Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives who offer only divisive ideas and try only to divide Canadians, we are taking our relationships in the world seriously. We build allies, we build relationships and we are constructively engaging in the world.The decisions the member talks about are life-threatening decisions. These are arbitrary decisions by a Chinese government. We are working hard in a very concerted and organized way to address these deeply concerning decisions. We want to thank our allies like Australia, the EU, France and Germany for standing with us
Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.
Mr. Speaker, Canada's Arctic is a strategic region with immense potential. Yesterday, the U.S. Secretary of State described Canada's claim to the Northwest Passage as illegitimate, casting doubt on Canada's Arctic sovereignty.The Liberals lost control over our southern regions, they are weakening our relations with our allies, and they could not care less about Canadian sovereignty in the North. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to show the international community that this part of the Arctic is Canadian?
Mr. Speaker, can members believe that over eight million Canadians cannot talk to a real person when they call government call centres? Whether it is about their EI, their pensions or immigration matters, call centres are a dead end. It is so bad at IRCC that over 70% of the callers could not even get through. That is 1.2 million people. No wonder. There are no service standards: no standards on access, no standards on timeliness, no standards on accuracy. Do the Liberals not believe that Canadians deserve the most basic level of service from their government?
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Prime Minister tried to blame his illegal border crossing crisis on Stephen Harper. In 2015, there were 10,000 pending cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board, up from a peak left under the previous Liberal government. Today, according to the Auditor General's report, there are 71,000 cases, with another 50,000 on the way. When will the Prime Minister clear this backlog, or will Conservatives once again have to clear a 120,000-case backlog at the IRB?
Mr. Speaker, today, the Auditor General was scathing in his explanation of how the Prime Minister allowed people to abuse our once fair and compassionate immigration system. The Auditor General's findings were damning. They clearly show that the system is broken because the Prime Minister allowed people to cross the border illegally at Roxham Road.When will the Prime Minister apologize to Canadians and the entire world for normalizing the abuse of our immigration system?
Mr. Speaker, in a speech highlighting risks in the Arctic from Russia and China, the U.S. Secretary of State questioned Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. This is a direct result of the weak leadership of the Prime Minister and our deteriorating reputation around the world. What is the Prime Minister prepared to do to demonstrate to the international community Canada's sovereignty over the Arctic?
Mr. Speaker, on February 21, 2017, the official opposition started asking questions about the Roxham Road illegal express entry that the government had opened up through Twitter. It has taken over two and a half years to actually admit to the fact and be told by the Auditor General that there is indeed a problem, and what do the Liberals do? In a complete lack of leadership, they blame something from somebody else's regime five years ago. They take no responsibility themselves, and it lies at their feet. What will they do to fix this system?
Mr. Speaker, management of the migrant crisis has been a disaster, as the Auditor General has shown. Criminal background checks are inadequate. There is departmental overlap. Two-thirds of the hearings are postponed indefinitely.If Ottawa stays asleep at the switch, it will take five years for asylum seekers to find out whether they can stay in Quebec or not. The system is broken.When will the Liberal government finally wake up?
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's feigned sanctimony and frankly his hypocrisy are disappointing in the extreme. He knows that in provinces where our plan applies, eight out of 10 families will be better off at the end of the year.What is extraordinarily disappointing is that when he had the chance to support the middle-class tax cut for nine million Canadians that raised taxes on the wealthiest 1%, he voted against it.When he had the chance to support the Canada child benefit, ending sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, he voted against it.When he had the opportunity to support vulnerable low-income seniors, he voted against it too.Now he stands up and has the audacity to lecture me on
Mr. Speaker, with respect, I trust the hon. member knows that there was an artificial suppression of emission levels as a result of the forest fires in Fort McMurray. It is disappointing that we rely on these kinds of anomalies to try to make a political point.When it comes to the issue of fossil fuel subsidies, when it comes to tax measures, we have actually phased out eight tax measures to date, and we have launched a consultation to identify further ineffective, non-tax fossil fuel subsidies by 2025.We are going to move forward in that direction. Our climate plan has over 50 measures that are going to help reduce emissions. We have become a global leader when it comes to protecting the environment, because we know that climate change is real and we have an obligation to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If the Conservatives are going to heckle, the least they could do, in a self-respecting Parliament, is wait until the last sentence or word of a motion.
Mr. Speaker, in 2017 the Auditor General called out the Canada Revenue Agency for its poor management of its call centres. Today we learned that the CRA is not the only organization hanging up on people, but apparently all government service offices are doing so. Come on.Why is it that when SNC-Lavalin, Loblaws or Mr. Bronfman calls the Prime Minister, he picks up immediately and will move heaven and earth for them, but when average Canadians need assistance from their government, half of their calls are dropped?This government does not serve the people. This government serves the friends of the Liberal Party of Canada.It is really not all that complicated. When will the government answer the phone?
Mr. Speaker, the illegal and unjustified U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum have to be lifted. That is a message we are delivering to the U.S. constantly, and it is working. Both Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress have called for the removal of these tariffs. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the senate finance committee, said recently in The Wall Street Journal that the U.S. administration should take the lead by promptly lifting tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada and Mexico.
Mr. Speaker, nearly seven years ago, the Harper Conservatives made irresponsible and shortsighted changes to the asylum system that forced tens of thousands of refugee claimants into limbo for years. Thirty-two thousand people who were seeking Canada's protection were denied a timely hearing and spent as long as eight years with uncertain status, unable to move on with their lives. Davenport groups like FCJ Refugee Centre have been advocating on their behalf. Can the minister update the House on what has been done to address the legacy refugee backlog?
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, things are not improving. The situation is getting worse.It his inhumane to make asylum seekers wait for years to find out whether they can stay in Quebec. People are going to end up starting a family and laying down roots only to be deported in five years. Who is going to pay for all this during those five years? Quebec will end up footing the bill for housing, health care, education, and social assistance.Will the Liberal government reimburse Quebec for the $300 million it has already spent and will it ensure that claims are processed in a timely fashion?
Mr. Speaker, everything the Prime Minister said is completely false.In 2012 the Conservative government implemented rules to speed up the process. Who tweeted in January 2017 inviting everyone to come to Canada? In the past two and a half years, 40,000 people have illegally crossed our border. The system is broken, and the Auditor General agrees.Will the Prime Minister stop talking nonsense and fix the problem?
Mr. Speaker, throughout Canada, people are suffering because of the failures of the Liberal government. Over and over again, it has taken actions that raise the price of gas, which is deepening the Liberal affordability crisis. In my province, we are forced to rely on American fuel because of the failure by the government to approve the Trans Mountain pipeline. It is time to stop punishing Canadians. When will the government revoke its carbon tax and approve the pipelines we need to ensure that Canadian fuels can get to consumers affordably?
Mr. Speaker, it has been long-standing until the Prime Minister. He has hurt our reputation around the world, and Liberals claim to be calling other countries for help in our dispute with China, but as this Arctic slight shows, friends and foes alike do not take the Prime Minister seriously. He is too weak to appoint an ambassador. He is too weak to bring a WTO trade challenge. He is too weak to even pick up the damn phone. Canada has never been so alone. When is the Prime Minister going to start restoring Canada's international credibility?
Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of cuts by the Harper Conservatives, organizations serving women and girls were destabilized.Our government listened to Canadians and invested in ensuring that survivors of gender-based violence have the supports they need. It is unfortunate that even in the wake of #MeToo and evidence that has been shared again and again, we see the Ford government repeat the Harper playbook, and we see our Conservative colleagues and even the NDP voting to de-fund women's organizations.Canadians deserve a government committed to ensuring that survivors have a place to go when they need the supports they need. We are committed to that work.