Denis Lebel

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were not even playing in the snow like the players in yesterday's football game in Ottawa, but they still managed to drop the ball on the free trade agreement with Europe, not to mention the fact that they have not signed any free trade agreements with our partners in the past year. Since the Prime Minister is proving to be an inept negotiator, how can Canadians trust him to negotiate good treaties and create jobs here in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has proven that he is incapable of signing major trade agreements.Why does the Prime Minister prefer taking part in fundraising activities for the Liberal Party over signing trade agreements that would benefit all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, horrifying, barbaric and senseless acts took place in Orlando, and the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility. This morning, we received the terrible news that Robert Hall was executed by a group linked to this terrorist organization.We strongly condemn these acts of extreme violence. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of the victims. Can the government tell us how it plans to keep Canadians safe here at home and around the world?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals could have used that $13 billion to help the families of Canadians with autism. That would have been a good idea.During the campaign, the Liberals cultivated a squeaky-clean image. They were going to come in here, clean everything up, and make sure all appointments were absolutely spotless, and above all, transparent, and non-partisan. Now the minister is telling us the committee is independent.Did Mrs. Meilleur meet with people from the PMO during the process?

Mr. Speaker, the only plan that seems to work for the Liberals is the marijuana plant. The economic plan certainly is not working.Canada has lost 30,000 jobs. The Liberals will tell us over and over again that they lowered taxes. What they have done is create future debt, promise money that they do not have, and create illusions. The United States wants to lower corporate taxes. When are the Liberals going to wake up and realize that their plan is not working?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is going to eliminate the position of minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. This is a slap in the face to the regions of Quebec, which are losing someone who specifically listened to their needs.Worse still, none of the other 39 Liberal members from Quebec are standing up and saying that this is not right and that we must defend the regions.Do they realize that, to help the regions, it takes people who are very familiar with each region of the country?Will the Liberals keep those positions, and will any members from Quebec stand up and say that it makes no sense to eliminate them?

Mr. Speaker, last night President Obama had some harsh words for ISIS. He said, and I quote: The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Can the Prime Minister assure us that he shares the same vision as President Obama?

Mr. Speaker, when a U.S. senator describes the announcement as shameful and embarrassing, then we must take note.The Prime Minister acknowledged that Mr. Castro was a dictator. As we say back home, it is time to walk the talk. Now that he has spoken, it is time for action.Will the Prime Minister edit the comments that appear on his website to reflect what he has now acknowledged?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The same day that they announced new rules for government ads, they broke them with polished visuals of the Prime Minister. The hypocrisy is astonishing.Will the Liberals pull the government-funded ad?

Mr. Speaker, during our 10 years in power, nobody ever heard any of the provincial health ministers attack the federal government.Not long ago, we said that we would reduce the provincial transfer increase from 6% to 3%. That must have been a pretty good idea because the Liberals are doing the same thing. We want them to respect provincial jurisdiction. This government is showing contempt for the Canadian federation by interfering in areas under provincial jurisdiction, such as the environment, by imposing a carbon tax, and health.Will the government stop encroaching on provincial jurisdiction?

Mr. Speaker, what the minister just said is that that organization is not receiving money from the Government of Canada for its operations. We will be following this very closely.The rules are very clear: advertisements must be devoid of any name, voice, or image of a minister, member of Parliament, or senator. Canadians are of course shocked by this ad.Can the Prime Minister tell us why the rules do not apply to him?

Mr. Speaker, the government is simply incapable of signing major trade deals. The former government was off to a good start, and that effort would have resulted in a signed deal. We are now moving backwards.Since the Minister of International Trade seems to have thrown in the towel, will the Prime Minister pack his bags, go and meet with the leaders of the European Community, and sign this historic agreement for the future and the welfare of all provinces of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, like many of my colleagues, I was here on June 29, 2016, when former U.S. President Barack Obama was here, and we were promised that this would be resolved within weeks. Now we hear what the Prime Minister is saying in the House today. Why is no one capable of explaining to the Americans that they need to import 30% of their lumber and that 30% comes from Canada? It is not complicated. If they import less wood from Canada, the price of American wood will go up, Americans will build fewer houses, and there will be fewer jobs for carpenters, plumbers, and electricians. This is not rocket science. Why is the government incapable of explaining this to the Americans?

Mr. Speaker, after initially ignoring the fact, the Prime Minister himself admitted that Fidel Castro was a dictator. However, he failed to mention the abuses of human rights and freedom under Castro in his official statement.Will he now amend his official statement on the Prime Minister's website to reflect what he has publicly admitted?

Mr. Speaker, it took the Liberals only a month to squander the $7.5-billion surplus left by the Conservatives. Even worse, they have spent another $5 billion and are left with a $13-billion deficit. This behaviour shows a lack of respect for Canadian taxpayers.Can the Prime Minister tell us when he expects to return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, we all offer our condolences to the families, too.A committee of parliamentarians, regardless of party membership, is but a committee of parliamentarians. It cannot take the place of the Canadian people. However, after reaching an agreement with the NDP behind closed doors, the Liberals and the Prime Minister seem to want to force reform on Canadians. Canadians are realizing that they cannot trust this government.Will the Prime Minister bring his minister into line and call a referendum to reassure Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, negotiating global trade agreements is very sensitive.I cannot believe the Prime Minister of Canada revealed his intentions before discussions even got started. He basically showed his hand the minute he sat down at the poker table.How does he expect to come out on top of negotiations or accomplish anything for our country if he rolls over for the Americans right off the bat?

Mr. Speaker, that is a very good answer but for the wrong question.The Liberals almost dropped the ball on CETA, which was initiated under our government. Then the Liberals have lost a year without signing any important trade agreements with anyone. Since the Prime Minister reveals himself as an inefficient negotiator, how can Canadians have confidence in him negotiating good treaties and creating jobs in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister displayed a lack of judgment once again last weekend in his remarks following the passing of dictator Fidel Castro. His statement shocked many Canadians.Now that the Prime Minister has acknowledged that Fidel Castro was a dictator, will he also acknowledge his lapse in judgment?

Mr. Speaker, I can understand that the provincial premiers wanted to meet with the former prime minister. He did a lot for them. However, in one year, the Liberals created more problems with the provinces than we did in 10 years.It is too bad that Canadians' tax burden keeps getting worse. It is great to meet with the provincial premiers, but making decisions without them is disrespectful. Will the Prime Minister come to his senses, stop pickpocketing Canadians, and just drop this notorious carbon tax?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been spewing the same rhetoric from the beginning: “a good deal, not just any deal”. However, there are no deals on the table. They cannot refuse a deal that does not exist. It is just more talk. All they want to do is silence the opposition, as they have done over the past few weeks by changing how we work. It is that thick, but their budgets are not. They want to muzzle the parliamentary budget officer. That is nonsense. The Liberals believe that they are always right; they do not want any opposition and they do not want anyone to contradict them. The parliamentary budget officer must keep track of this government's spending, deficits, and broken promises.Will the Liberals respect him?

Mr. Speaker, I face the difficult task of addressing something rather unpleasant.In recent years, I had the honour of occupying a role that allowed me to effectively represent Quebec and its regions. I had the honour of being the longest serving minister of Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. I also had the honour of being the political lieutenant for Quebec for former prime minister Stephen Harper. Both of those roles have been eliminated. Now the Liberals like to claim that their 40 members from that province are standing up for Quebec's regions, but what I am hearing is that we did more with five members than they are doing with 40.Why did the Liberals take away the Quebec regions' right to be heard through those positions?

Mr. Speaker, ISIS has committed crimes against humanity aimed at Christians as well as other religious and ethnic minorities.The United States has called this is a genocide. The United Kingdom has done the same.Will the Prime Minister finally join Canada's allies and recognize that the crimes perpetrated by ISIS constitute genocide?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has lost control of government spending. Giving money away is easy when you do not have any. Future generations, our children and grandchildren, are going to be the ones to pay for it.Where I come from, if you spend more money than you bring in, the bank comes and takes the keys to your house or your car. That is not a problem for this government, however; it just keeps adding to the debt and saying that it will take care of it years from now. However, we are going to try to make sure that the Conservatives are back in power before then.Is the Prime Minister going to punish Canadian families by eliminating even more of the tax credits they need?

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that Finance Canada is pushing the idea of a carbon tax. That is the good old Liberal way of finding new ways to tax Canadians without telling them. On this side of the aisle, we know that more tax will kill jobs and raise the Canadian tax burden. Canadians cannot trust the Minister of Finance.Can the Prime Minister come clean with Canadians and confirm today that there will be a carbon tax, and how much it will cost Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, another subject is very important. Some provinces are having difficulty bringing criminals to justice. Canadians are watching the Minister of Justice and wondering what she can do to improve the system. Some criminal trials may not go ahead.What will the minister do to ensure that justice is served in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday on CBC, we heard about how the price of gas and heating oil will go up 11¢ a litre and 14¢ a litre, respectively. The government cannot make any promises about prices not going up.A tax on carbon means more money taken out of the pockets of Canadians. The Prime Minister is trying to sugar-coat the reality by saying it is “carbon pricing”, but Canadians are not fooled. This is a new tax. This is bad news for Canadians. They already pay their share of taxes. Will the Prime Minister guarantee Canadians today that the price of their groceries, gas, or heating will not go up because of this new tax?

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of being a member of the House since 2007. I arrived here at a time when soldiers were talking about the decade of darkness under the previous Liberal government.As my colleague said earlier, this government sent troops to the heat of the Afghanistan desert with winter clothing. It cut $20 billion in investments that our government had made in the Canadian Armed Forces.Today, the Prime Minister is spouting yet another delusional political speech filled with alternative facts, suggesting that we did not invest in the Canadian Armed Forces when we most certainly did. When will the Prime Minister dismiss his Minister of National Defence?

Mr. Speaker, when people commit crimes, they do so at the expense of others—the victims.Today, victims are looking to the current Government of Canada to see how their rights will be defended and how criminals will be brought before the courts so justice can be served.What will the minister do?

Mr. Speaker, we support the Paris agreement. In fact, we agree that it is a tax, but we do not believe it should be imposed on Canadians.The very idea of imposing a tax is very Liberal. The Liberals want more money so they can make the government even bigger, and then prove how good they are by giving Canadians their money back.Why not just leave that money in their pockets in the first place? Will the Prime Minister guarantee to the House today that the cost of living will not go up as a result of his new carbon tax?

Mr. Speaker, that is not what the parliamentary budget officer is saying .At the time, we introduced Bill C-377 on union transparency. We believe that Canadians who pay union dues have the right to know how their mandatory dues are spent by union bosses. For us, it is about transparency and accountability. Why does the Prime Minister want to prevent union members from knowing how their hard-earned money is spent?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are pessimistic about the Prime Minister's announcement. He tried to sugarcoat it by renaming his new tax, but everyone knows it is a carbon tax. This is pretty bad news for taxpayers, who are already paying enough.Will the Prime Minister promise Canadians that the cost of groceries, gas, and heating will not go up because of his new carbon tax? Can he give them that guarantee today?

Mr. Speaker, as we welcome our Olympic athletes here today, the only medal that government over there deserves is a medal for the worst public administration.The Liberals promised a $10-billion deficit, which was already pretty huge, but now it looks like it could be double or even triple that amount by the end of the fiscal year. Furthermore, the government does not have a plan for returning to a balanced budget. Why is there no plan for returning to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, the Liberals muzzled their own party faithful. During the convention, they did not want to talk about medical assistance in dying. We all witnessed the Liberals' refusal to debate this important issue. Considering how they treat their own supporters, imagine how they will treat the rest of Canadians. Will the Prime Minister pledge to listen to the people and hold a referendum on changing the voting system?

Mr. Speaker, that is what we are looking for too: jobs, jobs, jobs. They have not created any full-time jobs; not one since they have been in government. This morning, we learned that the U.S. president-elect's transition team advised him to take a more protectionist approach to entirely renegotiating the softwood lumber agreement. This is terrible news for Canada's forestry industry. So much for results.A moment ago, the minister talked about nine million jobs in the U.S.A., not in Canada. How do we protect ours?

Mr. Speaker, the way I see it, a friend is a friend.The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is on a witch hunt. Yesterday, the chair of Canada Post's board of directors thwarted the government's plans to lay off quality Canadians. Ms. Matthews indicated that the CEO of Canada Post, Deepak Chopra, was chosen through a proper appointment process. He should be commended, not humiliated.Will the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons continue with his ploy to once again appoint friends of the Liberal Party?

Mr. Speaker, not a single job has been created in the past year, the first year of the government's term, and things are liable to get worse. Unprompted, the Prime Minister decided to publicly explain his attitude toward NAFTA and his negotiating style with the Americans.Since the Pime Minister was naive enough to show his hand to the Americans, how can he assure Canadians that he will be able to protect jobs here in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the former minister of international trade began the discussions. The negotiations were under way. He began the discussions with our American partners. At that time, the agreement was still valid for another year. That year went by while the current government dragged its feet. It is easy to put all the blame on the former government, but the Liberals are in power. They wanted to be in power. Now, they must make decisions. They need to make a decision on this issue and sign the agreement in the best interest of Quebeckers and Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, the situation in the aluminium industry in Quebec is troubling. The Americans are imposing an emergency tariff of 50% on all aluminium imports. Quebec produces 66% of the aluminium imported into the United States.Meanwhile, instead of dealing with this problem, the Prime Minister prefers to work on his image, by sparring in a boxing ring in New York.Can the Prime Minister tell us why he would rather bask in the limelight in Brooklyn than fight for the aluminium industry?

Mr. Speaker, since this Parliament began, I have been saying that the softwood lumber issue is urgent and that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake.Trips to New York are all well and good, but nothing ever comes of them. This government is all talk and no action. It never delivers results.Will the government let these workers keep their jobs? In 2006, Canada signed an agreement that worked quite well. Why is this government incapable of signing an agreement? Dialogue is a good thing, but a monologue where only the Americans are talking is not getting us anywhere.

Mr. Speaker, our troops are very important to Canadians.Let us not forget that the Liberals have been known to send Canadian soldiers to a very warm part of the world wearing winter clothing. Let them not make the same mistake with the fighter jets.The Liberals are sending a mixed message. They are buying planes, but leaning toward an open and transparent competition. Transparency is easier to achieve in word than in deed.Who recently won international competitions? What planes are our allies flying? What is the best jet for the Canadian Forces? Stop protecting the Prime Minister and start answering those questions.

Mr. Speaker, we are in the House of Commons, the place where Canadians send their elected officials to speak on their behalf, and we are getting answers like that.We all know that this year marks the 150th anniversary of Confederation. The Liberals do not seem to realize that because they are abandoning the approach taken by all former prime ministers. No prime minister has ever shown such disrespect for the opposition as the Liberals are demonstrating right now.The member mentioned the election campaign. The Liberals said that they would run a deficit of $10 billion and would balance the budget by 2019. They also said that they would reform the electoral system. They do not do what they say they will. They are not being consistent.

Mr. Speaker, a number of government ministers are in Washington today. Of course, we are getting used to extravagant visits to Washington. There will be a big dinner with all kinds of photo ops. We welcomed the President of the United States here on June 29. Once again, there was a big show and a big party, but with zero results. Are the ministers who went to Washington actually going to bring anything back for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, thanks to our opposition, the government has backed down on its plan to bring in a new tax on health and dental benefits. However, the Liberals still need money. They still need to look for new revenue streams, and of course middle-class Canadians are going to be the ones to pay for it. Which tax credit will the government have to eliminate to try to pay down the deficit?

Mr. Speaker, the one comment I would like to make, once again, has to do with how Canada's regions have been abandoned, especially our forestry regions. The Quebec National Assembly reminded us of this today. The agricultural sector is going to have to fight with six high-tech sectors for additional funding for its own development, even though all Canadians eat every day, and food security is extremely important. In my view, the choices this government is making go against the well-being of our society.Does the Prime Minister want to punish farmers and all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, my former colleague, Jim Flaherty, was once named the best finance minister in the world. I cannot wait to see who will be named next.The only medal our children might get is a medal for hope, because they will be the ones left to pay off the Liberal deficit for generations to come. We will never see the end of this story.Why is there no plan for returning to a balanced budget? Canadians cannot trust this Prime Minister.

Mr. Speaker, their system was created by the Liberals and is being run by a Liberal-dominated committee to ensure that the Liberal Party is re-elected. We are against it. This is very important. It is about changing the way Canadians choose their representatives to make decisions for Canada. We must listen to the public and have a referendum on this.

Mr. Speaker, by the time we return to the House in two weeks, countervailing duties will most likely have been slapped on our Canadian forestry industry because of this government's failure to take action and get its ducks in a row as soon as it was elected so it could fix this problem.We have talked about this many times now. The only thing people know for sure is that this is highly likely to affect their jobs and cause major job losses across the country. However, there is still time.Will the Liberals deal with the issue this week or in the coming days?

Mr. Speaker, last week the Liberals confirmed that they were negotiating an extradition treaty with China.I would remind members that none of our allies have signed such a treaty. Neither Australia nor the United States have signed such a treaty. However, on the weekend, the Minister of Foreign Affairs denied that there were any such negotiations.If the Prime Minister signs this extradition agreement, we will be seen as the accomplice of a country whose justice system has the worst human rights record.Who is telling the truth, the Prime Minister or the Minister of Foreign Affairs?

Mr. Speaker, people are nervous about the upcoming budget and rightly so. This government has some interesting plans. The Prime Minister just referred to the 1% tax increase for the wealthiest Canadians. He failed to mention that he miscalculated and is off by $2 billion, so he has to run $20-billion deficits. Seniors are worried about pension income splitting.Is the government going to go after seniors, or will it allow them to split their pension income? This is very important to people who have to make ends meet solely on this income.

Mr. Speaker, by limiting the debate to the House of Commons alone, the Liberals are making it impossible for all Canadians to have their say on this. Considering that 73% of Canadians want a referendum, I think that the Liberal Party needs to listen to them.The Prime Minister mentioned how people voted on October 19. Why, then, will he not let them vote in a referendum?

Mr. Speaker, I said “you”, because I knew you were not voting. However, that does not change the facts.It does not change the fact that, today, they cannot promise us that Canadians will not see an increase, and therein lies the problem. They also say the provinces will have to implement it. They are forcing the provinces to handle the unpleasant task of making people pay for the federal government's decision.Can they promise there will be no increase for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the Americans are not too shy to talk about what was discussed. Here is what influential House Speaker Paul Ryan said after meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs: We had a productive conversation about how we can enhance these ties, including by strengthening NATO and improving dairy market access. Paul Ryan said that. If you are unable to answer, parliamentary secretary, Paul Ryan is doing it. What have you put on the table, please?

Mr. Speaker, in just three weeks, our softwood lumber may be slapped with countervailing duties. I want the Prime Minister to give forestry industry workers some answers. Yesterday, we heard that the Americans were refusing to talk about it, probably because nobody ever really explained to them what the system is all about and how rigorous it is. That is from the Resolute Forest Products CEO. He added that he was appalled at the federal government's feeble attempts to stand up for Quebec's forestry system internationally.What will the Prime Minister do for the hundreds of thousands of families that depend on the forestry industry?

Mr. Speaker, we all offer our condolences to the families, too.A committee of parliamentarians, regardless of party membership, is but a committee of parliamentarians. It cannot take the place of the Canadian people. However, after reaching an agreement with the NDP behind closed doors, the Liberals and the Prime Minister seem to want to force reform on Canadians. Canadians are realizing that they cannot trust this government.Will the Prime Minister bring his minister into line and call a referendum to reassure Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the previous government had to deal with the worst economic crisis since the Second World War. Despite having to deal with that, we had an operating surplus and balanced the budget.About the carbon tax. Why are the Liberals not talking about its repercussions? They are hiding the numbers. It will have an impact on Canadian families. The numbers were redacted in the information our party received.Why is that? What impact will this carbon tax have on an average family?

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, horrifying, barbaric and senseless acts took place in Orlando, and the so-called Islamic State claimed responsibility. This morning, we received the terrible news that Robert Hall was executed by a group linked to this terrorist organization.We strongly condemn these acts of extreme violence. We extend our condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of the victims. Can the government tell us how it plans to keep Canadians safe here at home and around the world?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise another very important subject. Yesterday, I joined 4,000 people at a rally in Saint-Félicien in support of the forestry industry.The industry is active across Canada, but for years, it has been subjected to vicious attacks by a number of environmental groups that are spreading misinformation about forestry practices in Canada.Can the government confirm that it will support Canada's forestry industry, which employs people from coast to coast?

Mr. Speaker, a former budget watchdog said Saturday what our official opposition has been saying for the past few weeks, that the government lacks transparency. He said, “When you don't see the details, usually somebody is trying to hide something. There is a reason for the lack of transparency”.Canada cannot trust the government. Does the Prime Minister have something to hide? Why the lack of transparency?

Mr. Speaker, we also learned on the weekend that the Minister of Foreign Affairs' chief of staff was going to have to repay an additional $32,000 in expenses, which is about what a salesperson in Quebec makes. It was an expense that he had agreed to pay. The Minister of Foreign Affairs says one thing and the Prime Minister says another. They are contradicting one another.We expect the government to be rigorous and not to give in on delicate matters. We do not know when they are going to balance the budget.When will the government do due diligence?

Mr. Speaker, for the past few days, the Prime Minister has wrapped himself in the immaculate cloak of transparency, stating that his government is transparent and comparing our former government to his.Let us hear from a third party, an independent party. With respect to transparency, the parliamentary budget officer said that he was unable to provide all the data because the government did not give him all the data. He is an independent person.How can the Prime Minister claim to be transparent?

Mr. Speaker, after initially ignoring the fact, the Prime Minister himself admitted that Fidel Castro was a dictator. However, he failed to mention the abuses of human rights and freedom under Castro in his official statement.Will he now amend his official statement on the Prime Minister's website to reflect what he has publicly admitted?

Mr. Speaker, when Canadians see the big tax hikes, they will understand what the government is up to.The forestry industry is just one sector that is going through difficult times. As we know, such important matters as the renewal of the Canada-United States softwood lumber agreement are looming. Things are difficult. The forestry industry contributes $20 billion to the Canadian economy. It was not even mentioned in the throne speech. Tomorrow, we will see what is in the budget for the forestry industry.Can the Prime Minister tell all the regions that depend on the forestry industry what measures are in the budget for them?

Mr. Speaker, this morning we learned from the parliamentary budget officer that 50% fewer jobs were created over the past year compared to the previous five-year average.The past five years include the worst economic crisis since the Second World War. It was the previous government that had to deal with that crisis, and yet we still created twice as many jobs. The Liberals are going to tell me everything they have done since they took office, but it simply is not working.Can someone tell the House what they are going to do starting today? Their plan is not working.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly would not agree with the Prime Minister. Unlike the Liberals, who promised a $10-billion deficit and then presented a $30-billion deficit, we made massive investments while balancing the budget. It is unfortunate, but we now know that the Liberal's job plan was just an illusion. The number of jobs to be created by their reckless spending was greatly exaggerated in their budget. Canadians are right not to trust this government.Why did the Prime Minister inflate the number of jobs that the Liberals' spending would supposedly create in Canada's economy?

Mr. Speaker, it took the Liberals only a month to squander the $7.5-billion surplus left by the Conservatives. Even worse, they have spent another $5 billion and are left with a $13-billion deficit. This behaviour shows a lack of respect for Canadian taxpayers.Can the Prime Minister tell us when he expects to return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, last week the Liberals confirmed that they were negotiating an extradition treaty with China.I would remind members that none of our allies have signed such a treaty. Neither Australia nor the United States have signed such a treaty. However, on the weekend, the Minister of Foreign Affairs denied that there were any such negotiations.If the Prime Minister signs this extradition agreement, we will be seen as the accomplice of a country whose justice system has the worst human rights record.Who is telling the truth, the Prime Minister or the Minister of Foreign Affairs?

Mr. Speaker, what the minister just said is that that organization is not receiving money from the Government of Canada for its operations. We will be following this very closely.The rules are very clear: advertisements must be devoid of any name, voice, or image of a minister, member of Parliament, or senator. Canadians are of course shocked by this ad.Can the Prime Minister tell us why the rules do not apply to him?

Mr. Speaker, the average family had an extra $7,000 in its pockets. The tax rate in Canada was the lowest it had been in 50 years. We will see what is coming, but it is worrisome.The government is borrowing money we do not have. It is investing in infrastructure, but running deficits to do so. It is announcing infrastructure deficits where no investments have been made. This is extremely worrisome. Spending is out of control. When will we return to a balanced budget?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade leave the negotiating table for the economic agreement with Europe. She threw up her hands in despair and abandoned the negotiations. The government is unable to sign major trade agreements such as the trans-Pacific partnership and the softwood lumber agreement. This is Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA. Will the Prime Minister ensure that Canada signs the agreement with Europe before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, last week, we watched the Minister of International Trade throw her hands up in despair and leave the negotiating table of the economic agreement with Europe. It is the same government that has been unable to sign major trade agreements like the softwood lumber agreement and the TPP. Will the Prime Minister sign Canada's largest trade deal since NAFTA before it is too late?

Mr. Speaker, it is bad enough that the Prime Minister has failed to create a single additional full-time job in his first year. Now, without being asked, he has offered to renegotiate NAFTA with the new U.S. president-elect, putting thousands more Canadian jobs at risk.Now that the Prime Minister has naively shown his cards to the Americans, how does he plan to protect and save Canadian jobs, not the nine million American jobs?

Mr. Speaker, that is what we are looking for too: jobs, jobs, jobs. They have not created any full-time jobs; not one since they have been in government. This morning, we learned that the U.S. president-elect's transition team advised him to take a more protectionist approach to entirely renegotiating the softwood lumber agreement. This is terrible news for Canada's forestry industry. So much for results.A moment ago, the minister talked about nine million jobs in the U.S.A., not in Canada. How do we protect ours?

Mr. Speaker, after years of complacency by the former Liberal government, in 2006, our Conservative government signed a softwood lumber agreement with our American partners. At the time, companies were paying up to 37% in export duties, and billions of dollars, money that belonged to Canadian companies, was being hoarded in the United States.Can the Prime Minister promise that when he goes to Washington he will ask President Obama not to waste any time signing an agreement that will allow the forestry industry to continue to grow and provide jobs in every region of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, last night President Obama had some harsh words for ISIS. He said, and I quote: The threat from terrorism is real, but we will overcome it. We will destroy ISIL and any other organization that tries to harm us. Can the Prime Minister assure us that he shares the same vision as President Obama?

Mr. Speaker, when non-Canadians attend a gathering and did not pay to be there, obviously they are there to lobby the Prime Minister. That is very clear.This morning, we discovered that we have a very hard time getting access to the Prime Minister so we can ask him our questions.Will MPs have to pay $1,500 to ask a question?

Mr. Speaker, probably the Prime Minister needs a comprehensive discussion with his minister.Mr. Speaker, this weekend, the Minister of Foreign Affairs shed some light on the negotiations with China on extradition. He said: Your paper should check the facts. There is no negotiation. To write like pretending it is, it is wrong. Stop that please. That is what the minister said, though last week the Prime Minister said that Canada has indeed entered into negotiations with China on an extradition treaty.Let us check the facts. Who tells the truth to Canadians, the Prime Minister or the minister?

Mr. Speaker, what do we have to show for the second state visit to Washington in less than a year? Nothing.Our Prime Minister said that he was prepared to reopen NAFTA before he was even asked to do so. Fortunately, President Trump is talking in terms of mere tweaks. I hope that is how it will play out. What is actually on the table? The government is going to negotiate. I hope that tears will not play a role in negotiations this time. What did the government put on the table? Did it put the softwood lumber agreement on the table? There has been talk of supply management. What is the truth? What did it put on the table?

Mr. Speaker, the relationship between the federal and provincial health ministers has gone from bad to worse. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister wants to impose new conditions on the provincial health transfers. Respecting the provinces' jurisdiction means respecting the Canadian Constitution.Why do the Prime Minister and his minister not respect the Canadian Constitution? Why do they want to impose more conditions on the provincial health transfers?

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the House that the former international trade minister had made a lot of progress on this file. I hope this situation will be resolved quickly.During the election campaign, the Prime Minister talked about small deficits, slight deficits. We left a balanced budget for this fiscal year; the numbers are there. For the current year, there was an operating surplus. The Liberals cannot even tell us what their operating deficit for the current year will be, not to mention that TD Bank forecasts $150 billion in deficits on account of the Liberal government's management. When will the Prime Minister bring our country back to balanced budgets?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to borrow billions of dollars and create a lot of jobs. He kept his promise to borrow and spend billions of dollars, but he did not keep his promise to create jobs.The figures speak for themselves. Statistics Canada is not out to please politicians. It delivers scientific results. I imagine that the Minister of Finance will soon tell us that he is going to spend even more money. Because of this government's bad management, the Liberals are saddling future generations, our grandchildren, with massive debt. I would be ashamed of that.What are they going to do about this?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister displayed a lack of judgment once again last weekend in his remarks following the passing of dictator Fidel Castro. His statement shocked many Canadians.Now that the Prime Minister has acknowledged that Fidel Castro was a dictator, will he also acknowledge his lapse in judgment?

Mr. Speaker, that is not very reassuring.Yesterday, ministers from across the country came to Ottawa to talk about the future of softwood lumber. Today, dairy producers from across Canada are here in Ottawa to voice their concerns. On June 29, I was here with all of our colleagues when the government said that it would resolve the softwood lumber issue within 100 days. However, this has not happened yet.Do we not have reason to be worried? There is a lot of talk but no action. What is the plan?

Mr. Speaker, I had the honour of being the mayor of Roberval, a small town in Quebec with 10,000 residents, for seven years before I came here. Small towns also have a right to be heard. Big infrastructure announcements are being made regarding $1-billion or $1.4-billion projects. The government is giving $100-million projects access to an infrastructure bank.How does the government intend to give greater consideration to the country's small municipalities, who are coming to talk to us about this? The minister has said that the infrastructure bank will help everyone, but that is not true. How will the government's plan help small communities across Canada? Canada is not just made up of Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto.

Mr. Speaker, the problem is not overcapacity. The problem is being able to export our products to the United States. There is another unsustainable sector: dairy production. For a long time now, dairy producers have been calling on the Liberal government to solve the diafiltered milk problem. Losses are adding up to millions of dollars per week. It is getting harder and harder for dairy producers, and it is all because the processing industry has very little respect for its partners who produce milk.Will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food show us that he is taking this problem seriously? Instead of just talking about international trade, can he come up with solutions?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are pessimistic about the Prime Minister's announcement. He tried to sugarcoat it by renaming his new tax, but everyone knows it is a carbon tax. This is pretty bad news for taxpayers, who are already paying enough.Will the Prime Minister promise Canadians that the cost of groceries, gas, and heating will not go up because of his new carbon tax? Can he give them that guarantee today?

Mr. Speaker, ISIS has committed crimes against humanity aimed at Christians as well as other religious and ethnic minorities.The United States has called this is a genocide. The United Kingdom has done the same.Will the Prime Minister finally join Canada's allies and recognize that the crimes perpetrated by ISIS constitute genocide?

Mr. Speaker, in the last election campaign, Canadians were promised a $10-billion deficit and a return to balance within a few years. There was talk of 2019.An election is coming. Canadians will surely remember that promise and small business owners will remember the promise to lower their taxes. It seems that the Prime Minister is going to break that promise as well.Will they cut small business taxes in order to create jobs?

Mr. Speaker, we agree that the law is the law. The Prime Minister should make sure that when it comes time to enforce the law, criminals stay in jail and have their day in court without delay.The Government of Quebec is asking the feds to speed things up. This situation is causing problems in Quebec's courts. Quebec's justice minister says there are 14 vacancies, but the Liberals say there are six. They should agree on the number, appoint some judges, and stop hiding behind a process that slows things down instead of solving the problem.

Mr. Speaker, we recently warned Canadians that the Liberal government's excessive spending would be tough to pay for without raising taxes. Canadians will end up paying those taxes in the future. On Saturday, the former parliamentary budget officer sounded the alarm and confirmed what we have been saying for some time. He warned people about possible tax hikes to cover growing deficits. Canadians are realizing that they cannot trust this government. Will the Prime Minister tell us which taxes he plans to raise to cover the cost of his out-of-control spending?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister can talk about the past all he wants, but this week the government announced a $70-billion cut in investments in oil development. He can talk about the past at length, but these people are living in insecurity today. Many questions were raised after the budget was brought down. The parliamentary budget officer found that the Liberal budget was based on unrealistic assumptions when it comes to growth and that the Minister of Finance omitted crucial data for evaluating Canada's long-term economic growth. The Liberals still keep talking about transparency.What is going on?

Mr. Speaker, earlier, in an answer, the Minister of Canadian Heritage said that there were 10 people on the short list, the final list, of candidates for the position of official languages commissioner. If I understood the minister correctly, Ms. Meilleur must be on that list, along with the names of nine other candidates.Will the government table the list of the 10 finalists for the position of official languages commissioner?

Mr. Speaker, not a single job has been created in the past year, the first year of the government's term, and things are liable to get worse. Unprompted, the Prime Minister decided to publicly explain his attitude toward NAFTA and his negotiating style with the Americans.Since the Pime Minister was naive enough to show his hand to the Americans, how can he assure Canadians that he will be able to protect jobs here in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, for eight years, I had the honour of serving as the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. From Sept-Îles to Hemmingford, from Val-d'Or to Longueuil, I travelled all over Quebec.I have nothing against the minister and I am not familiar with the Mississauga region, but I can say that, in Quebec, it is important to understand the uniqueness of each region. When it comes time to create jobs, it is really difficult. Will the government finally sign the softwood lumber deal? If the deal with Europe falls through, can we at least reach a deal for softwood lumber?

Mr. Speaker, we now know that the Liberal government is going to borrow $30 billion, money that will be paid back by Canadians who are not yet born.During the last election campaign, at a photo op in a crane, the Prime Minister promised a lot of money for infrastructure. In this budget, very little money will go to roads, highways, or public transit. How can the Prime Minister say that he will run a $30-billion deficit on infrastructure, when there is only $2.9 billion in new money for infrastructure in this budget?

Mr. Speaker, another subject is very important. Some provinces are having difficulty bringing criminals to justice. Canadians are watching the Minister of Justice and wondering what she can do to improve the system. Some criminal trials may not go ahead.What will the minister do to ensure that justice is served in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, I can understand why someone would borrow to invest in an RRSP. However, when they borrow to buy groceries, there is a major problem. This is what the government is currently doing. The government promised to create thousands of jobs through various programs. However, it seems that these jobs have not been created. Today, people will have to pay to bring the deficit down as low as possible. Tomorrow we will find out which segment of the population will end up paying the price. Will income splitting for seniors be taken away to pay for the government’s out-of-control spending?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' economic plan is not working.Last week, the parliamentary budget officer informed us that no full-time jobs were created in Canada last year. Even worse, the number of jobs created last year was down by 50% compared to the average number of jobs we created in the past five years. We were criticized for having a plan that did not work. It did work. I imagine that the Minister of Finance is going to say the same old things while he spends even more money to get a different result.The Liberals' plan is not working. What are they going to do?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions backed down on the weekend on the issue of electoral reform. She said, “It means that there needs to be a conversation in the House of Commons including all parties.” Naturally, we agree with her, but she must go even further. I invite the minister to open up to the public.Will the Prime Minister hold a referendum so that all Canadians can have a say on electoral reform? A referendum is required.

Mr. Speaker, we have voted against a deficit. That is what we have done.We see that the new American administration will lower taxes on small businesses. On this side of the border, it will create new challenges for our Canadian small businesses. Can they stay competitive under the new circumstances?Will the Prime Minister lower taxes on Canadian small businesses, exactly like he promised, in order to keep them competitive in the American economy and with our American neighbours and to help them create jobs?

Mr. Speaker, the signature to begin the F-35 process was made by the Liberals. Whatever, Canada needs new fighter jets. Whatever the Prime Minister claimed during his campaign, and no matter what was stated in his platform, it is now time for him to act like a statesman. Will the Prime Minister make the commitment to provide our men and women in uniform with the best equipment they need through a transparent and competitive process?

Mr. Speaker, the Europeans must be very proud to hear that they are not doing their job.If I understand correctly, my colleague is saying that Mr. Barroso did not do his job when he came to Canada to speak with Mr. Harper about that agreement. There was an agreement, but the Liberals could not close the deal. Perhaps we should have stayed. That said, do the Liberals want our 400,000 forestry workers to pay $1,500 each to attend a fundraising event so that they can finally resolve the softwood lumber issue?

Mr. Speaker, clearly, the office of prime minister deserves to be treated with a great deal of respect. I am confident that the Prime Minister will continue to do so, but again today, another fundraising activity involving him, this time in Montreal, is raising questions.The organizers candidly promoted the fact that participants could have privileged access to the Prime Minister if they paid $1,500 to attend the event. Does the Prime Minister realize that, when people do that, they are tarnishing the Prime Minister's image?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister let his emotions get the best of him. We knew that, and now the Canadian public knows as well. His behaviour yesterday was unworthy of the office of Prime Minister of Canada.Can the Prime Minister or one of his representatives explain why he lost his self-control yesterday under the circumstances? Was it because things were not going his way?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign the Prime Minister promised a transparent procurement process for the fighter jets. It seems that the dice are loaded and the deal is sealed. How can the 40 Quebec MPs be okay with jeopardizing aerospace jobs in the greater Montreal area?Can the Prime Minister guarantee that there will be a bidding process and that these 40 MPs will stand up for the aerospace industry and Quebec?

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, when President Obama alluded to his allies in the fight against ISIS, he named Germany, France, and Great Britain, but made no mention of Canada.In this week's Speech from the Throne, this government describes the United States as its best friend and partner. Again yesterday, the Obama administration called on its allies to ramp up their support in the fight against ISIS.Is it fitting for a Prime Minister of Canada to turn his back on Canada's main friend and partner by ceasing air strikes?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her answer.Naturally, we all have very strong feelings about Bill C-14. Our constituents elected each and every one of us to this place to debate the issues that matter to Canadians. The opposition members have done important work. We produced a dissenting report that was heeded and respected. I thank the government. We need to continue and go even further.Do the Liberals plan to give members who want to have their say on behalf of Canadians in this debate the opportunity to speak?

But it costs $1,500, Mr. Speaker.Canada will be facing many challenges this year. The government must stop making taxpayers pay more taxes. Forestry workers want an agreement to bring stability to their sector. When it comes to free trade with the U.S., we must protect Canadian jobs.Will the Prime Minister stop changing the ethics rules that are not to his liking and focus on the Canadian economy and Canadian workers?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is not in a recession. This is no time to borrow money that will have to be repaid indefinitely by our children and grandchildren.I would like to once again quote the Montreal Economic Institute, which said, “The best way to stimulate growth is to remove obstacles for entrepreneurs and innovators by reducing taxes and the regulatory burden.”Of course, we on this side of the House agree with that.Can the Minister of Finance tell us what taxes he will raise in order to be able to balance the budget?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to your attention a mistake that was made today. In a reply, the Prime Minister said that, in the last election, Quebeckers voted so they could finally have people in government.I would like to remind him that I was elected in September 2007 and that I am a proud lad from the Lac-Saint-Jean region and a proud Quebecker.

You have refused a motion saying that there will not be a higher price for the population. You refused that.Mr. Speaker, the new carbon tax, which is the Prime Minister's own word for it, will take more money out of Canadians' pockets. Canadians already pay their fair share of taxes and cannot afford to see the cost of living continue to rise.I ask again, and it is an easy answer to give: Will he promise the Canadian population that the price of groceries, gas, and heating will not increase because of this new carbon tax?

Mr. Speaker, more topics have been discussed and there has been more heated debate with the provinces in the one year that this government has been in office than there were in 10 years under the previous government.Today, ministers from Quebec are asking the government to get its ducks in a row and start doing its job on the softwood lumber issue.Will the government be able to work with the provinces as promised? More importantly, will it be able to sign a softwood lumber deal for our 300,000 forestry workers?

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada needs new fighter jets. During the election campaign, the Prime Minister promised to hold a transparent and competitive process to purchase the fleet of jets.Will the Prime Minister commit to act like a statesman and listen to what the experts have to say about this? Will he follow through on his promise to hold an open process to provide our men and women in uniform with the best equipment available so that they can serve our country well?

Mr. Speaker, it is important that we see results. It is all well and good for the government to discuss the matter, hold 70 consultation panels, and travel all over the country engaging in political posturing, but it has not achieved any results. Actions speak louder than words. For now, there are no results. What the minister said is all well and good, but the agreement expired last year. There has been a year's grace. We hope that the government will quickly sign an agreement. We need more than just idle talk. We need action.When will we have an agreement?

Mr. Speaker, that is a very good answer but for the wrong question.The Liberals almost dropped the ball on CETA, which was initiated under our government. Then the Liberals have lost a year without signing any important trade agreements with anyone. Since the Prime Minister reveals himself as an inefficient negotiator, how can Canadians have confidence in him negotiating good treaties and creating jobs in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Democratic Institutions also said, “So Canadians can rest assured that unless we have their broad buy-in, we're not moving forward with any changes.”Perhaps voting Canadians and those who contributed to greater voter participation in the last election because we did a good job want to keep the current electoral system.Will the Prime Minister recognize that the best way to find out what Canadians want is to hold a referendum?

Mr. Speaker, this is not reassuring.How can those members stand over there with a straight face and tell Canadians they believe in free trade? The minister's mandate letters make no mention of the softwood lumber agreement or trade with Asia-Pacific nations that were in the TPP. Canadian workers need the Liberal government to work in their best interests.When can we expect a new softwood lumber agreement and new markets for our exporters?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals could have used that $13 billion to help the families of Canadians with autism. That would have been a good idea.During the campaign, the Liberals cultivated a squeaky-clean image. They were going to come in here, clean everything up, and make sure all appointments were absolutely spotless, and above all, transparent, and non-partisan. Now the minister is telling us the committee is independent.Did Mrs. Meilleur meet with people from the PMO during the process?

Mr. Speaker, we gave 10 out of 10 families money, so it is interesting to hear that it is better to give nine out of ten families money. Only a Liberal would say something like that.This morning, many of my colleagues and I gathered to announce the creation of a strategic softwood lumber task force. This is a very important issue. Why did we have to create this task force? Because the government has not signed a deal. We think it is very important for the government to do so.Will the Prime Minister commit today to work to maintain the 400,000 jobs that depend on this industry and will he promise forestry workers that an agreement will be reached? It is all well and good to create other jobs, but we want to keep the ones we already have.

Mr. Speaker, what has the government done since learning that these four radicalized employees had access to high-security areas at the airport? Have these employees been fired? What steps have been taken?Attacks are happening around the world, as we saw again today, but here, everyone is nice, everything is peachy.What additional measures are going to be taken? Why is the minister not announcing new measures right now?

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I was pleased to participate in the convention of the Fédération Québécoise des Municipalités. The 1,100 people in attendance strongly welcomed the creation of a committee composed of former mayors from our caucus to compensate for the fact that economic development is no longer important to the government. Hundreds of people voiced their concerns. The economies of 135 municipalities depend on the softwood lumber agreement. As children would say, there are nine more sleeps until October 12.Will the Prime Minister sign a softwood lumber agreement and save 400,000 jobs in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that Finance Canada is pushing the idea of a carbon tax. That is the good old Liberal way of finding new ways to tax Canadians without telling them. On this side of the aisle, we know that more tax will kill jobs and raise the Canadian tax burden. Canadians cannot trust the Minister of Finance.Can the Prime Minister come clean with Canadians and confirm today that there will be a carbon tax, and how much it will cost Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, seven months ago, in March, my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent personally handed the Prime Minister a letter from Lucie Laperle.In that letter, Ms. Laperle outlined the problems she experienced in the Canadian Armed Forces, including discriminatory events. That is very serious.Does Ms. Laperle have to buy a $1,500 ticket to a fundraising event to get a response?

Mr. Speaker, the one comment I would like to make, once again, has to do with how Canada's regions have been abandoned, especially our forestry regions. The Quebec National Assembly reminded us of this today. The agricultural sector is going to have to fight with six high-tech sectors for additional funding for its own development, even though all Canadians eat every day, and food security is extremely important. In my view, the choices this government is making go against the well-being of our society.Does the Prime Minister want to punish farmers and all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Ms. Meilleur demonstrated that she has better judgment by acknowledging that she was no longer credible.We did not pick Mr. Fraser because he was on the list of the donors of our party. We did it because he was able to do that, and he proved to everybody in the country that he had the ability to do it.Can the Prime Minister show some leadership, and assure Canadians today that the appointment process for the future government commissioners, who will be the watchdogs of the Canadian population, will be non-partisan, transparent, and not just a way to reward Liberal donors?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not expect the government to ask them for more money to pay for its promises.Carbon pricing means bigger government and more money taken out of Canadians' pockets. What the government is suggesting is a great example of how the Prime Minister is interfering in provincial business. A carbon tax is a bad idea, and Canadian taxpayers will be the ones paying the tab. We said it yesterday and we will say it again today: the government should get out of the way and let the provinces do their job.Will the Prime Minister leave provincial politics aside and let the provinces make their own decisions in their own jurisdictions?

Mr. Speaker, I rarely agree with the Minister of Finance, but this time, he is right. They will be in a deficit position. We had a surplus. I agree with him. The Department of Finance's “Fiscal Monitor” reported a surplus of $7.5 billion at the end of February, but the government is still announcing a huge deficit. Will the government be posting a $13-billion deficit just for March? I would like the Minister of Finance to respond.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the President of the Treasury Board: “We want to make it absolutely clear that we are ending the ability for any government...to use tax dollars to fund what are partisan or quasi-partisan ads.” What about the video starring the Prime Minister that was released by a crown corporation? Why did the government break its rules right after announcing them? Why is the Prime Minister breaking his own rules?

Mr. Speaker, I invite the Prime Minister to hit the history books and read about what happened with softwood lumber in the past.The Liberals completely abandoned the regions, including my own region, on the softwood lumber file before 2006. We had an agreement that ended in October 2015. The former minister was already working on moving this issue forward. That is the truth. Yesterday, the Government of Quebec asked the federal government to consider the changes to the system that issues timber supply and forest management agreements in Quebec.Will the Prime Minister commit to signing an agreement that will make Quebec happy and that will take into account the new reality in Quebec and the rest of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has lost control of government spending. Giving money away is easy when you do not have any. Future generations, our children and grandchildren, are going to be the ones to pay for it.Where I come from, if you spend more money than you bring in, the bank comes and takes the keys to your house or your car. That is not a problem for this government, however; it just keeps adding to the debt and saying that it will take care of it years from now. However, we are going to try to make sure that the Conservatives are back in power before then.Is the Prime Minister going to punish Canadian families by eliminating even more of the tax credits they need?

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has completely lost control of the government's spending. The deficit will be two or three times more than was promised, and he will need to raise taxes in order to balance his budget. Will the finance minister confirm today that he will not attack Canadian seniors by removing pension income-splitting to balance his budget?

One can use whatever nice catch phrase one likes, such as “Canada is backtracking”, regarding its support for its allies, but how is the Prime Minister going to defend Canada from ISIS?

Mr. Speaker, since this Parliament began, I have been saying that the softwood lumber issue is urgent and that hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake.Trips to New York are all well and good, but nothing ever comes of them. This government is all talk and no action. It never delivers results.Will the government let these workers keep their jobs? In 2006, Canada signed an agreement that worked quite well. Why is this government incapable of signing an agreement? Dialogue is a good thing, but a monologue where only the Americans are talking is not getting us anywhere.

Mr. Speaker, our troops are very important to Canadians.Let us not forget that the Liberals have been known to send Canadian soldiers to a very warm part of the world wearing winter clothing. Let them not make the same mistake with the fighter jets.The Liberals are sending a mixed message. They are buying planes, but leaning toward an open and transparent competition. Transparency is easier to achieve in word than in deed.Who recently won international competitions? What planes are our allies flying? What is the best jet for the Canadian Forces? Stop protecting the Prime Minister and start answering those questions.

Mr. Speaker, we support the Paris agreement. In fact, we agree that it is a tax, but we do not believe it should be imposed on Canadians.The very idea of imposing a tax is very Liberal. The Liberals want more money so they can make the government even bigger, and then prove how good they are by giving Canadians their money back.Why not just leave that money in their pockets in the first place? Will the Prime Minister guarantee to the House today that the cost of living will not go up as a result of his new carbon tax?

Yes, Mr. Speaker, and the Conservative Party signed this agreement because we knew it would be good for the country. That is what happened.The Americans' shift on NAFTA obviously has people deeply concerned about the softwood lumber agreement. A surge of American protectionism would cause greater uncertainty and risks for forestry jobs in Canada.How are they going to deal with this protectionist movement? We hope the government will be able to fully assert the rights of Canadian workers.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Health said she is looking forward to meeting with her counterparts, the provincial health ministers. I have some good news for her: I know that one of them, the Quebec minister of health, is very keen to speak to her in person. He is going to tell her that putting conditions on transfer payments to the provinces is simply not how the Canadian federation works. I hope the Prime Minister plans to bring his minister into line and ask her to respect those responsible for delivering health care in Quebec, specifically the doctors, not the politicians, and ensure that provincial responsibilities are discharged by those who have the authority, in this case, the provincial health ministers.

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, my colleague from Jonquière and I joined thousands of people at a march in Dolbeau-Mistassini, which is in my region, to remind the Government of Canada how important the forestry industry is across the country, including in our region.When he got back from China, the Minister of International Trade told us it would be good for Canada to sell its wood elsewhere. We have been trying to do that for 20 years. We will keep trying, but that is not something we need to be told.What is your plan? Never mind what you say; what are you going to do to keep forestry workers employed?

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, the Liberals muzzled their own party faithful. During the convention, they did not want to talk about medical assistance in dying. We all witnessed the Liberals' refusal to debate this important issue. Considering how they treat their own supporters, imagine how they will treat the rest of Canadians. Will the Prime Minister pledge to listen to the people and hold a referendum on changing the voting system?

Mr. Speaker, we are extremely proud to have left the government with the best debt-to-GDP ratio and the best job creation record in the G7. We will see what the Liberals end up delivering. Maybe they will deliver nothing more than words. We shall see.What is the logic behind using social media to hold consultations when it is so hard to know where the social media users are from? Will people from other countries be sharing their point of view?We think that it is important to know where Canadians stand on this and that there needs to be a referendum.Will the Prime Minister commit to holding one?

Mr. Speaker, just before the holidays, officials from the Department of Finance were forecasting a huge deficit until 2055. There is a solution. It is not that they forgot to count things, it is that the Conservatives will come back and balance the books before that date. We are very concerned by what is happening. If people spend more money than they have, one day the banks will come along looking for the keys to their cars and houses. The Liberals seem to think that money grows on trees. How will we be able to deal with that? Reckless spending is not the solution. We have to keep creating jobs at home. It is not enough to raise taxes, as they are so used to doing. How are they going to handle it?

Mr. Speaker, important files are piling up on the Prime Minister's desk. That is regrettable but not surprising. Apparently the Prime Minister is in no rush to deal with the most urgent issues for the good of all Canadians. Will all Canadians have to donate $1 million to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation to get the Prime Minister to listen to them?

That was not an answer, Mr. Speaker. There is another matter that is of great concern to us. Not only are forestry workers across the country having to deal with the uncertainty around the softwood lumber agreement with the U.S., but now, they can add the woodland caribou to their list of concerns. In 2015, our former government announced the introduction of a measure to increase our knowledge on the issue, which we had been hearing about for some time. This government often says it bases its decisions on scientific evidence, and yet, we do not know enough about the caribou.Will this government give itself the tools it needs to gain a better understanding of the situation of the woodland caribou in Canada and not cut jobs? I hope they will do their homework before making cuts.

Mr. Speaker, their system was created by the Liberals and is being run by a Liberal-dominated committee to ensure that the Liberal Party is re-elected. We are against it. This is very important. It is about changing the way Canadians choose their representatives to make decisions for Canada. We must listen to the public and have a referendum on this.

Mr. Speaker, I think that all Canadians were proud to learn recently that Delta Air Lines has placed a large order with Bombardier for a better, cleaner, and quieter airplane.Why did they say no to expanding the Billy Bishop airport in Toronto? Why did they say they did not want to do this in Toronto? Perhaps they did not want to inconvenience certain members, but this is a whole other story.

Mr. Speaker, my former colleague, Jim Flaherty, was once named the best finance minister in the world. I cannot wait to see who will be named next.The only medal our children might get is a medal for hope, because they will be the ones left to pay off the Liberal deficit for generations to come. We will never see the end of this story.Why is there no plan for returning to a balanced budget? Canadians cannot trust this Prime Minister.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps it is only unprecedented for the Liberal Party. I had the honour of being part of a government that travelled across the country, all year round, in preparation for the budget every year, with former ministers Mr. Flaherty and Mr. Oliver. We criss-crossed the country.Perhaps it is unprecedented for the Liberals, but not for a Canadian government. Asking for $1,500 for access to the Prime Minister and to be able to talk to him, now that is unprecedented.Do the Liberals realize that giving access to the Prime Minister in exchange for money violates the rules of ethics?

Mr. Speaker, instead of following the laws on party financing, the Prime Minister has decided to change the law because the optics will be better. However, that is not the case. The law does the job, but it must be obeyed.Will the Prime Minister promise to work for all Canadians, and not just do partisan work for the Liberal Party of Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals just cannot stop breaking their own promises. The same day that they announced new rules for government ads, they broke them with polished visuals of the Prime Minister. The hypocrisy is astonishing.Will the Liberals pull the government-funded ad?

Mr. Speaker, she wants to change the health systems of the provinces. That is what she said. She wants to change the health system. That is a provincial jurisdiction.What is even more important, when one has the honour of serving as a minister in Canada, is to be completely above reproach. Ministers, particularly the finance minister, must never put themselves in a position of conflict of interest.However, for $1,500, people had access to Canada's Minister of Finance to lobby him and ask him for favours.Who was at that meeting? Can we have the names and titles of those people?