Kelly Block

Mr. Speaker, the former president of the Treasury Board made jaw-dropping statements that confirm the Prime Minister is hiding details on the SNC-Lavalin scandal. She said, “we actually owe it to Canadians as politicians to ensure that they have the truth.” The Prime Minister's talking points are misleading. Canadians deserve the truth. The cover-up must end.Will the Prime Minister allow the ethics committee to conduct a public investigation into his corruption scandal?

Mr. Speaker, whether the Prime Minister and his environment minister want to accept it or not, last night Ontarians overwhelmingly rejected their carbon tax. My home province of Saskatchewan welcomes a new ally in the fight against this Liberal tax grab.Will the Prime Minister learn from the lesson that has befallen his friend, the former premier, Kathleen Wynne, and finally stop forcing his carbon tax on middle-class Canadians all across this country?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been evasive for months when asked about Bombardier's billion-dollar deal. Finally, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development stood up yesterday to say that the government has a plan for Bombardier. The last time the Liberals had a plan, they blocked the Toronto island airport expansion and killed the Porter deal with Bombardier, which would have created thousands of jobs.The Liberals are cooking up a backroom deal with Bombardier. How much would this secret deal cost Canadians?

Madam Speaker, farming can be stressful. Whether it is the weather, transportation issues, or the Liberal government raising their taxes, farmers have a lot to deal with. Therefore, when the agriculture minister stated that most farmers supported a tax on carbon, I know his ridiculous statement received more than a few laughs across my riding.What evidence does the minister have for his claim that farmers support his carbon tax, and could he please let them know how much it will cost them?

Mr. Speaker, from day one, my province of Saskatchewan has been fighting tooth and nail against the Liberal carbon tax, because we knew all along that it was a scam. It turns out we were right. Not only are the Liberals charging the GST on top of the carbon tax, but residents in Saskatchewan are receiving significantly less than the Prime Minister promised through his so-called rebate. When will the Prime Minister admit that, just like him, his carbon tax is not as advertised?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only major market in the world without a low-cost airline. The five million Canadian passengers who fly out of a U.S. airport each year are telling the Liberals with their feet that Canada needs a low-cost airline like Jetlines to compete. Unfortunately, Jetlines will become another casualty of the Minister of Transport's endless dithering. Will the minister wake up, get out of the way, and get Jetlines up in the air?

Mr. Speaker, as a mother and a grandmother, I can only imagine the pain and suffering that Tori's family has experienced. Tori's father has been begging the Prime Minister to reverse the decision that has allowed Terri-Lynne McClintic to serve her time at a healing lodge in Saskatchewan. When will the Prime Minister listen to Tori's father, do the right thing, reverse this decision and put Tori's killer back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, OmniTRAX announced it was closing the port of Churchill, devastating the economies of communities along the rail line. Rather than considering all offers to get this railway up and running, the Prime Minister is picking winners and losers. A potential buyer, which includes indigenous partners, has announced, “We have halted our negotiations because of interference from the federal government.” Why are the Liberals interfering and limiting the options for this line to get running again?

Mr. Speaker, Jennifer Stebbing has been named the director of the Hamilton Port Authority. She is a failed Liberal candidate and has already said she is going to run again. She is also a self-described politico and outdoor enthusiast. While that might make her a wonderful Liberal candidate, it is not clear how she meets the job requirements, as posted on Transport Canada's website.Will the Minister of Transport tell us what accepted stature within the transportation industry this failed Liberal candidate has?

Mr. Speaker, Premier Wall has written a letter to the Minister of Public Safety asking him to start defending his constituents instead of job-killing Liberal policies, but Saskatchewan's lone Liberal MP has gone into hiding. I would like to believe that the member for Regina—Wascana wants to do the right thing and defend his province. Why will he not? When will the Minister of Public Safety stand in his place and start defending the interests of our province and all Saskatchewanians?

Mr. Speaker, the Senate transport committee is recommending that Bill C-48 be scrapped. After listening to provinces, industry, and environmental and indigenous groups, it realized that this bill is not in Canada's interest. Like the carbon tax, this bill is not about the environment, it is about ideology. Will the Prime Minister agree to allow this bill to die and not whip his Liberal senators into reviving this flawed legislation?

Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?

Mr. Speaker, Bombardier is a huge employer in Canada, particularly in Quebec, and the minister's home city of Montreal.Yet the Minister of Transport has killed a major business opportunity for Bombardier. He overruled Toronto City Council and the Toronto Port Authority, and blocked expansion of the Toronto island airport.Why will the Minister of Transport not let Bombardier create Canadian jobs by allowing the Toronto island airport to expand?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know what is happening to women under the Liberals. The former attorney general repeatedly said the pressure she was facing was inappropriate, yet the Prime Minister claimed no one had ever raised concerns with him. However, just last week he was forced to admit that was false. Now he is threatening to take our leader to court for pointing out that he has been misleading Canadians.When will the court case begin so the whole truth can come out?

Mr. Speaker, inexplicably, Canadian catering companies are being denied access to the Vancouver International Airport. Only two foreign caterers have been granted operating licences. It just does not make sense that a Canadian airport is not allowing Canadian businesses to operate within its space. The Competition Bureau agrees, but the airport refuses to budge.Will the Minister of Transport back the bureau and support the Canadian companies that are being shut out of Vancouver airport?

Mr. Speaker, the minister did not need five months to kill thousands of jobs when he blocked the Toronto island airport expansion. MPs from all parties and even several ministers have voiced their support for Jetlines. They all want to see another airline serve Canada's secondary airports using Bombardier aircraft. The only hold-up is that minister's indecisiveness. His apathetic attitude will cost Canadians even more jobs. Jetlines made its request last May. How much time does the minister need to make a decision?

Mr. Speaker, no wonder the transport minister could not answer my questions yesterday. It is the finance minister who is calling the shots. We now know the airports are on a fire sale to foreign buyers to fund his infrastructure bank because his runaway spending has drained the treasury. Canadian travellers will now be forced to pay higher costs and more fees to foreign airport owners to pay for the Liberals' reckless spending.Will the minister or anybody on that side finally admit that the airports are being sold solely because they have run out of money?

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader just does not seem to understand. The Prime Minister has been found guilty of committing an illegal act. He took a gift worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from someone who was at that moment doing business with his government. Does the government House leader not understand that the Prime Minister broke the law?

Mr. Speaker, most Canadians do not live the privileged life of the Prime Minister, with 24/7 access to a government jet to fly him around for weekend cross-country surfing trips. For middle-class Canadians, the Liberal's carbon tax is projected to add up to $600 on the cost of a flight for a family of four. Why is the Prime Minister forcing regular Canadians to pay exorbitant prices, while making the Canadian taxpayers cover his own vacation costs?

Mr. Speaker, farmers and manufacturers employ millions of Canadians and contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Due to the Liberal government's weak response to the current rail transportation crisis and the many flaws in Bill C-49, our farmers and shippers will continue to suffer. This morning I met with a manufacturer who has already lost $40 million this year due to shipping issues.When will the Minister of Transport stop ignoring the plight of our farmers, shippers, and manufacturers, and do his job?

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the finance minister's father sold shares at the same time as the minister, but the finance minister continues to avoid every opportunity to tell us when he sold 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell. Instead, he has given non-answers and is trying to bully us with threats of dispatching his pricey Bay Street lawyers.If the finance minister will not come clean and answer the simple question if he sold 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell two years ago on this day, then he needs to resign.

Mr. Speaker, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association is saying that beef producers will have to absorb the cost of this Liberal carbon tax. They export their products and must compete on international pricing. The impact of the Prime Minister's carbon tax will cut into ranchers' bottom lines and these additional costs will eat into the livelihoods of hard-working farm families. Why is the Prime Minister so set on punishing beef producers with higher costs for inputs, such as feed and animal transportation?

Mr. Speaker, a closer look at Bill C-49 reveals that the Liberals are trying to sell shippers a weaker version of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act. Adding insult to injury, the pro-shipper measures contained in Bill C-30 will sunset on August 1. As a result of the minister's delay tactics, farmers will be forced to negotiate next year's contracts without the benefit of a law. This omnibus bill is too late for western shippers. Will the minister now separate the rail shipping measures for expedited scrutiny?

Mr. Speaker, Dwight Duncan has now admitted to intentionally ignoring the Prime Minister's own guidelines concerning partisan activities for his appointees. Once again, the rules do not apply if one is a Liberal donor. This is no surprise, as he takes his ethical cues from the Prime Minister himself.The Gordie Howe bridge is too important to Canada to be left in the hands of someone who has damaged his credibility beyond repair on both sides of the border.Will the Prime Minister fire that partisan political hack, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' weak response to systemic problems in our rail transportation industry has already hurt Canada's agriculture, manufacturing, and natural resources industries. Now the industries are bracing for another blow. A work stoppage at CP Rail will be devastating, not only to these industries but to our economy as well. Is the Liberal government prepared to act to protect the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians, or will the Liberals simply cross their fingers and hope for the best?

Mr. Speaker, the transport minister claims he has never heard any concerns about the Liberal carbon tax, yet we know the National Airlines Council of Canada has said, “[I]ntroducing a national carbon tax would exacerbate Canadian aviation’s already severe competitiveness problems,” and the CEO of WestJet has said, “They need to be very careful that they don't kill an industry that is so important to economic growth.”Does the minister still claim he has never heard these concerns?

Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?

Mr. Speaker, every day the fine print of the Liberal platform becomes more and more devastating to Canada's economy. We have recently heard announcements from CP and WestJet. The Liberal government's silence on the job losses in Alberta and Saskatchewan and the resulting impact on the transportation sector is deafening.Will the member for Wascana continue to remain silent or will he stand up and support western Canadian jobs?

Mr. Speaker, for months the Liberals have been quietly preparing to sell off Canada's airports and have refused to answer questions, but they have hired Credit Suisse to study the idea. Tonight, the Prime Minister is having an exclusive meeting with BlackRock, a meeting that media has been banned from attending.It is clear that these Liberals have spent the credit card to the limit and are now selling off the furniture. Will the transport minister admit that he is selling our airports and tell us to whom he is selling them?

Mr. Speaker, it is now being reported that the government will not renew the lapsing measures of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act before they sunset on August 1.Shippers are getting very nervous as they are being forced to negotiate contracts while the law is in flux. The Minister of Transport keeps telling them that legislation is coming, but shippers continue to be pushed down the line.Why are the interests of grain farmers so low on the Liberals' priority list?

Mr. Speaker, once again the Liberals are over-promising and underdelivering, with prairie farmers being their latest casualty. When asked if farmers' shipping rights will be protected under the law, the minister dismissed them by saying “no comment”. If they expire or if the Liberals refuse to make these protections permanent, farmers will be railroaded.When will the Minister of Transport end his obvious uninterest in the concerns of our western Canadian farmers and introduce legislation that protects their shipping rights?

Mr. Speaker, three more workers continue to work at Trudeau airport, despite having their clearances revoked due to security concerns. To say that Canadians are shocked that these employees were previously cleared to work in secured areas would be an understatement. While the Prime Minister's response on this issue is tone deaf, all that the transport minister is now offering are vague assurances and a secret plan. How can Canadians trust the Liberals to keep our airports secure?

Madam Speaker, too little, too late. Any magnanimous gesture by the Minister of Finance is just an attempt to direct from his grave ethical breach. The Prime Minister, who by the way is also under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner, is allowing this to be swept under the rug rather than dealing with it. This is shocking to Canadians across the country.Could the finance minister tell us if he will claim a tax credit from this grand gesture?

Mr. Speaker, that was not the question. That carefully crafted answer falls short of what Canadians expect.As the former attorney general said, “The role of the Attorney General of Canada carries with it unique responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice, and as such demands a measure of principled independence.” Apparently the Prime Minister thinks otherwise. In December, Gerald Butts discussed a special deal for SNC-Lavalin with the former attorney general. A month later, she was fired. What was said in that meeting?

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that the Minister of Transport himself thinks that selling off our airports is good for travellers. If he has listened to any of the advice he has been receiving over the past year, he will have heard that this is a bad idea. However, as he has stated, the Minister of Finance will make that decision, and we now know he needs the billions of dollars that the sale of the airports to international investors will provide to hide the failure of Liberal budgeting. Just how desperate is the minister to hide his mess?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals announced their intention to support new ownership, they laid out three criteria: first, a reasonable price for the sale; second, support from first nations; and third, a viable business plan. iChurchill Inc. believes it met all three of these criteria, but the Liberals rejected this deal with no explanation given. Instead, the Liberals are only willing to deal with one specific company, a Toronto-based financial firm. Why?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the transport minister did not have a clue about the need to approve the required export permits for Woodfibre LNG, so he sat in his chair rather than answer my question.The fact is that it is Transport Canada and not Environment Canada that is holding up this LNG project and the jobs that go with it. The Liberals keep saying “maybe” to resource development, but hope these questions will just go away.When will the transport minister do his job and approve the export permits for Woodfibre LNG?

Mr. Speaker, delays in passing legislative changes to improve the rail transportation system are entirely of the Liberals' own making. They wasted over a year between receiving the Emerson report and introducing Bill C-49. Now the Liberals are rejecting the simple amendments that would improve the legislation for grain shippers.Mr. Speaker, this may well be the strangest question you will hear today, but when will the government stop messing around and pass its own bill?

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the Minister of Transport was at committee discussing his Air Canada bill. When asked by one of his own members how carrier maintenance obligations affect its competitiveness, he had no answer. Shockingly, he responded by saying, “It's a big, serious question and I don't have the answer at my fingertips..”.If the entire purpose of this legislation is to make Air Canada more competitive, could the minister at least have done his homework before introducing this bill?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport's first act was to kill the Toronto Island Airport expansion. He unilaterally ended consultations on expanding the Toronto Island Airport to accommodate what he called the best aircraft in its class, the Bombardier C-series. Expanding the airport would create jobs that do not require taxpayers to pick up the tab.Why is the minister letting internal Liberal Party politics limit economic development in Toronto and block new jobs at Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, by not answering the question, the Liberals are just trying to hide the fact that the finance minister will put a big “for sale” sign on Canada's largest and most important airports. The Liberals' propensity for spending money they do not have is forcing them to have exclusive meetings with BlackRock to organize a shotgun sale of Canada's airports before the ink of the budget is even dry. Will the minister commit to maintaining Canadian ownership of these strategic economic assets, or are the Liberals just that desperate for money?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-created partisan appointments know no bounds. Dwight Duncan, former Liberal finance minister and Liberal appointment as chair of the Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority, is using his position to take partisan swipes at leaders on both sides of the border. One wonders when he has time to oversee the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge. The Prime Minister's personal directive to public office holders is clear. They must refrain from expressing partisan views. Why do the Liberals not appoint someone who can stickhandle this project without annoying everyone on both sides of the border?

Mr. Speaker, farmers are struggling to survive and the Liberal imposed taxes are not helping. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said, “I'm not sure who has been briefing [the] Minister... but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.”Does the Prime Minister agree with the minister that farmers like his carbon tax or will he listen to farmers and recognize that the carbon tax is crippling our farm families?

Mr. Speaker, we know that the Minister of Transport met with Air Canada at least four times in the month before introducing his Air Canada Act bill. At committee, he stated that Air Canada aircraft maintenance was never discussed. However, two days later, Air Canada's CEO said that his company always raises the issue of the Air Canada Public Participation Act, including maintenance, during meetings with the government.Why is the Minister of Transport misleading Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, the new appointments process is the perfect Liberal misdirection. Another one of Ms. Stebbing's qualifications for appointment to the Hamilton Port Authority is that she is also the Liberal Party's golden horseshoe regional president. While the Minister of Transport waxes eloquent on openness and transparency, being a Liberal donor or failed candidate are the qualifications that win the day.Will the Prime Minister direct the minister to go back to the job posting that is still on Transport Canada's website and nominate someone who is actually qualified for the position?

Mr. Speaker, farmers know who their true friends are. Captive shippers in the Maritimes are feeling shortchanged by the Liberal government. The Minister of Transport claims his new long-haul interswitching remedy is key for captive shippers in Canada, but is not extending it to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. All of the Liberal MPs from those provinces have not said a word. Why is the Prime Minister treating captive shippers in the Maritimes so unfairly?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the National Airlines Council of Canada stated that the Liberal carbon tax would make air travel more expensive for Canadians and really would do nothing to help us reduce our emissions.Unlike the Prime Minister, who inherited a vast family fortune, most Canadian families save for years to afford to fly. According to the council, families will pay hundreds of dollars more to visit grandma and grandpa, making it unaffordable for many.Why do Canadians have to keep paying more for the Prime Minister's mistakes?

Mr. Speaker, the changes to the Navigation Protection Act proposed by the minister will delay and increase red tape and costs for rural municipalities building vital infrastructure. The Liberals' changes also reflect their lack of understanding of the importance of resource development to Canada's economy. Why are the Liberals opposing responsible resource development and delaying vital infrastructure projects in rural communities across Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Toronto island airport is a driver of jobs and economic growth. Allowing it to expand would create a multi-billion customer for the new Bombardier CSeries and create thousands of jobs in Toronto and Montreal. The Liberals just do not understand that jobs do not come out of thin air.Will the minister get out of the way, approve the expansion, and help get the CSeries program off the ground?

Mr. Speaker, today is international religious freedom day. Sadly, many people around the world do not enjoy religious freedom, and a large number have had their freedoms limited by their own government. Being a refugee because of one's faith is a reality that all too many people around the world face. Today, will the government commit to expediting the refugee applications of people who are being persecuted because of their faith, such as Christians in northern Iraq?

Mr. Speaker, the Senate transport committee is recommending that Bill C-48 be scrapped. After listening to provinces, industry, and environmental and indigenous groups, it realized that this bill is not in Canada's interest. Like the carbon tax, this bill is not about the environment, it is about ideology. Will the Prime Minister agree to allow this bill to die and not whip his Liberal senators into reviving this flawed legislation?

Mr. Speaker, one year ago, OmniTRAX announced it was closing the port of Churchill, devastating the economies of communities along the rail line. Rather than considering all offers to get this railway up and running, the Prime Minister is picking winners and losers. A potential buyer, which includes indigenous partners, has announced, “We have halted our negotiations because of interference from the federal government.” Why are the Liberals interfering and limiting the options for this line to get running again?

Mr. Speaker, the government House leader just does not seem to understand. The Prime Minister has been found guilty of committing an illegal act. He took a gift worth hundreds of thousands of dollars from someone who was at that moment doing business with his government. Does the government House leader not understand that the Prime Minister broke the law?

Mr. Speaker, Prairie farmers and farm families are waiting for the Liberals to extend the grain freight provisions, including inter-switching, that have helped them get their grain to market. The minister could have made this decision last year, but will spend the rest of the year consulting, unnecessarily, By the time he is done dithering, these provisions will have ended, leaving producers without reliable access to market.Why is the minister deliberately delaying this extension?

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that the Minister of Transport himself thinks that selling off our airports is good for travellers. If he has listened to any of the advice he has been receiving over the past year, he will have heard that this is a bad idea. However, as he has stated, the Minister of Finance will make that decision, and we now know he needs the billions of dollars that the sale of the airports to international investors will provide to hide the failure of Liberal budgeting. Just how desperate is the minister to hide his mess?

Mr. Speaker, the former attorney general gave shocking testimony on Wednesday about political interference by the Prime Minister. Her testimony was backed with specific names, dates, notes and text messages.In her testimony she said the PM jumped in, stressing there is an election in Quebec and that “I am an MP in Quebec, the member for Papineau”.The Prime Minister has lost the moral authority to govern and must resign. When will he?

Mr. Speaker, inexplicably, Canadian catering companies are being denied access to the Vancouver International Airport. Only two foreign caterers have been granted operating licences. It just does not make sense that a Canadian airport is not allowing Canadian businesses to operate within its space. The Competition Bureau agrees, but the airport refuses to budge.Will the Minister of Transport back the bureau and support the Canadian companies that are being shut out of Vancouver airport?

Mr. Speaker, three more workers continue to work at Trudeau airport, despite having their clearances revoked due to security concerns. To say that Canadians are shocked that these employees were previously cleared to work in secured areas would be an understatement. While the Prime Minister's response on this issue is tone deaf, all that the transport minister is now offering are vague assurances and a secret plan. How can Canadians trust the Liberals to keep our airports secure?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal-created partisan appointments know no bounds. Dwight Duncan, former Liberal finance minister and Liberal appointment as chair of the Windsor–Detroit Bridge Authority, is using his position to take partisan swipes at leaders on both sides of the border. One wonders when he has time to oversee the construction of the Gordie Howe bridge. The Prime Minister's personal directive to public office holders is clear. They must refrain from expressing partisan views. Why do the Liberals not appoint someone who can stickhandle this project without annoying everyone on both sides of the border?

Madam Speaker, too little, too late. Any magnanimous gesture by the Minister of Finance is just an attempt to direct from his grave ethical breach. The Prime Minister, who by the way is also under investigation by the Ethics Commissioner, is allowing this to be swept under the rug rather than dealing with it. This is shocking to Canadians across the country.Could the finance minister tell us if he will claim a tax credit from this grand gesture?

Mr. Speaker, we know that the Minister of Transport met with Air Canada at least four times in the month before introducing his Air Canada Act bill. At committee, he stated that Air Canada aircraft maintenance was never discussed. However, two days later, Air Canada's CEO said that his company always raises the issue of the Air Canada Public Participation Act, including maintenance, during meetings with the government.Why is the Minister of Transport misleading Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, farmers are struggling to survive and the Liberal imposed taxes are not helping. Now the agriculture minister is claiming that farmers support the Liberal carbon tax. The chair of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers said, “I'm not sure who has been briefing [the] Minister... but he is dead wrong if he thinks that most farmers support a carbon tax.”Does the Prime Minister agree with the minister that farmers like his carbon tax or will he listen to farmers and recognize that the carbon tax is crippling our farm families?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know what is happening to women under the Liberals. The former attorney general repeatedly said the pressure she was facing was inappropriate, yet the Prime Minister claimed no one had ever raised concerns with him. However, just last week he was forced to admit that was false. Now he is threatening to take our leader to court for pointing out that he has been misleading Canadians.When will the court case begin so the whole truth can come out?

Mr. Speaker, residents along the railway to Churchill and the residents of the town itself want a solution. What they are getting instead is Liberal interference.The government's chief negotiator has made it clear to iChurchill Inc. that it is only interested in dealing with a Toronto-based financial firm. Yesterday in question period, the Minister of Transport said of the government's chief negotiator, that he was working with all “serious partners”. What is the Liberals' definition of “serious partner”.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, the Minister of Transport was at committee discussing his Air Canada bill. When asked by one of his own members how carrier maintenance obligations affect its competitiveness, he had no answer. Shockingly, he responded by saying, “It's a big, serious question and I don't have the answer at my fingertips..”.If the entire purpose of this legislation is to make Air Canada more competitive, could the minister at least have done his homework before introducing this bill?

Mr. Speaker, with that answer, it is clear that the Minister of Transport still has not done his homework. I also asked if he could tell the committee what Air Canada's maintenance costs are, to which he responded: “No, I can't tell you what the costs are..”.Let me try again. The minister obviously cannot explain the bill. Can he at least provide a shred of evidence to support it?

Madam Speaker, Liberal MPs from Hamilton, Kitchener, and Vancouver have all come out in support of Jetlines' proposal because it will benefit the traveller.The Minister of Transport likes to tell us that he is doing his homework on this file. At the rate he is going, he will hand in his homework long after the school year is over. He will not even get a grade for his work.Will the minister make a decision and get Jetlines in the air?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' weak response to systemic problems in our rail transportation industry has already hurt Canada's agriculture, manufacturing, and natural resources industries. Now the industries are bracing for another blow. A work stoppage at CP Rail will be devastating, not only to these industries but to our economy as well. Is the Liberal government prepared to act to protect the livelihoods of thousands of Canadians, or will the Liberals simply cross their fingers and hope for the best?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been evasive for months when asked about Bombardier's billion-dollar deal. Finally, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development stood up yesterday to say that the government has a plan for Bombardier. The last time the Liberals had a plan, they blocked the Toronto island airport expansion and killed the Porter deal with Bombardier, which would have created thousands of jobs.The Liberals are cooking up a backroom deal with Bombardier. How much would this secret deal cost Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, farmers and manufacturers employ millions of Canadians and contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Due to the Liberal government's weak response to the current rail transportation crisis and the many flaws in Bill C-49, our farmers and shippers will continue to suffer. This morning I met with a manufacturer who has already lost $40 million this year due to shipping issues.When will the Minister of Transport stop ignoring the plight of our farmers, shippers, and manufacturers, and do his job?

Mr. Speaker, the Toronto island airport is a driver of jobs and economic growth. Allowing it to expand would create a multi-billion customer for the new Bombardier CSeries and create thousands of jobs in Toronto and Montreal. The Liberals just do not understand that jobs do not come out of thin air.Will the minister get out of the way, approve the expansion, and help get the CSeries program off the ground?

Mr. Speaker, Jennifer Stebbing has been named the director of the Hamilton Port Authority. She is a failed Liberal candidate and has already said she is going to run again. She is also a self-described politico and outdoor enthusiast. While that might make her a wonderful Liberal candidate, it is not clear how she meets the job requirements, as posted on Transport Canada's website.Will the Minister of Transport tell us what accepted stature within the transportation industry this failed Liberal candidate has?

Madam Speaker, while the Minister of Environment is forcing her carbon tax onto the provinces, the Minister of Transport has introduced a tanker ban, which his own officials acknowledge targets just one industry.This is not a ban on tanker traffic as they will continue to move up and down the coast of British Columbia. It is a ban on Canada's resource development.Why are the Liberals continuing their blatant attacks on western Canada's resource sector?

Mr. Speaker, what we have learned is that the Minister of Finance is quite forgetful. He forgot to disclose the company that held his French villa. He forgot to ask the Ethics Commissioner for clearance to introduce Bill C-27. He cannot seem to recall when he sold 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell. Perhaps he will remember this. Before he made his late November 2015 sale of those 680,000 shares, did the minister clear it with the Ethics Commissioner first?

Mr. Speaker, prairie grain farmers have some of the longest hauls in the world to get their product to market, so when the cost of transport increases, farmers immediately feel the pinch. The carbon tax could be renamed “the farm tax” for the overwhelmingly negative impact it will have on our producers. Does the minister understand the impact this new tax will have on agriculture? Has she met a prairie farmer who supports this new tax?

Mr. Speaker, Bombardier's new plane is quieter than those that were allowed to land at the Toronto island airport when the tripartite agreement was signed in 1983. Rather than block the creation of good jobs, the minister should follow his own advice and use evidence-based decision-making to modernize the regulations governing the use of this airport. Will the minister accept the evidence, consider the thousands of jobs created, and allow the Toronto island airport to expand?

Mr. Speaker, most Canadians do not live the privileged life of the Prime Minister, with 24/7 access to a government jet to fly him around for weekend cross-country surfing trips. For middle-class Canadians, the Liberal's carbon tax is projected to add up to $600 on the cost of a flight for a family of four. Why is the Prime Minister forcing regular Canadians to pay exorbitant prices, while making the Canadian taxpayers cover his own vacation costs?

Mr. Speaker, shippers need to begin negotiating contracts for this fall's harvest. Unfortunately, they will be doing so in a climate of uncertainty.Once again, the transport minister is coming perilously close to allowing key provisions of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act to sunset. These provisions are good for producers and good for our economy. They should be maintained.When will the minister introduce legislation to make these measures permanent?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the National Airlines Council of Canada stated that the Liberal carbon tax would make air travel more expensive for Canadians and really would do nothing to help us reduce our emissions.Unlike the Prime Minister, who inherited a vast family fortune, most Canadian families save for years to afford to fly. According to the council, families will pay hundreds of dollars more to visit grandma and grandpa, making it unaffordable for many.Why do Canadians have to keep paying more for the Prime Minister's mistakes?

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that until this week, a company called iChurchill Inc. was in the process of finalizing an agreement to buy, rebuild, and reopen the Hudson Bay Railway and the Port of Churchill. This agreement included a majority ownership stake for Manitoba first nations. However, for some reason, the Liberals decided to intervene and block this agreement. Why?

Mr. Speaker, transportation is fundamental to Canada's economic performance. For a government that is lacking in policies and standing in the way of job creation, the Canada Transportation Act review provides a clear opportunity to leverage our national transportation system into a strong economy.The minister has had this report since December 21. With the review now tabled, how will the minister use it so industries across Canada can create jobs?

Mr. Speaker, the cost of transport is built into every single good and service. When we increase the cost of transporting goods and services with a new carbon tax, we increase the price of everything, making Canadian products uncompetitive. When asked about the economic impact of the carbon tax, the Minister of Transport's response, “it depends”, does not inspire confidence.Could the transport minister tell Canadians if his department has conducted any analysis of the impact the carbon tax will have on Canada's transportation sector?

Mr. Speaker, while the finance minister has not told us much, he has said that he gave direction to sell some shares in his family company when he came into office. He said he did not remember exactly when, just like he did not remember he owned a company in France. These non-answers simply raise more questions.Why did the finance minister not take the opportunity to sell all of his shares in Morneau Shepell when he was first elected instead of hiding them in a numbered company in Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, Dwight Duncan has now admitted to intentionally ignoring the Prime Minister's own guidelines concerning partisan activities for his appointees. Once again, the rules do not apply if one is a Liberal donor. This is no surprise, as he takes his ethical cues from the Prime Minister himself.The Gordie Howe bridge is too important to Canada to be left in the hands of someone who has damaged his credibility beyond repair on both sides of the border.Will the Prime Minister fire that partisan political hack, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker the truth is that the minister continues to play with the facts by insisting that all the parties affected by this legislation are delighted with it. That is simply not true.The Quebec government has asked for a delay in this legislation, and yesterday in committee, the deputy premier of Manitoba stated that C-10 jumps the gun.Why does the minister keep coming up short when explaining the urgent needs of this legislation?

Mr. Speaker, the new appointments process is the perfect Liberal misdirection. Another one of Ms. Stebbing's qualifications for appointment to the Hamilton Port Authority is that she is also the Liberal Party's golden horseshoe regional president. While the Minister of Transport waxes eloquent on openness and transparency, being a Liberal donor or failed candidate are the qualifications that win the day.Will the Prime Minister direct the minister to go back to the job posting that is still on Transport Canada's website and nominate someone who is actually qualified for the position?

Mr. Speaker, the minister's safe spot to justify his frustrating inaction is more consultation. With whom he consults, and for what purpose, is a mystery. Farmers have been begging for a meeting since April, but the transport minister keeps saying he is “too busy” to meet.Getting our crops to market is too important for the Liberals to ignore. Why are the Liberals ignoring our producers and the jobs they create?

Mr. Speaker, delays in passing legislative changes to improve the rail transportation system are entirely of the Liberals' own making. They wasted over a year between receiving the Emerson report and introducing Bill C-49. Now the Liberals are rejecting the simple amendments that would improve the legislation for grain shippers.Mr. Speaker, this may well be the strangest question you will hear today, but when will the government stop messing around and pass its own bill?

Mr. Speaker, let us see if the Prime Minister can try answering this question.The minister's website states that the requirements for a successful nominee include “extensive experience related to...the operation of a port or to maritime trade”. Ms. Stebbing's own law firm's website states that she specializes in “estate planning, administration and accounting. She focuses on ensuring her clients wishes are respected after they pass away.”Could the Prime Minister explain to the House what in Jennifer Stebbing's resume met the requirements of extensive experience in maritime trade?

Mr. Speaker, only two minutes after tweeting that he was enjoying learning about his files, the Minister of Transport announced that he would not reopen the Toronto Island airport agreement. He completely ignored the fact that the airport handles over two million passengers each year. This decision impacted thousands of jobs across Canada and Bombardier's new C series aircraft program.Could the minister tell us how he made an evidence-based policy decision in just two minutes?

Mr. Speaker, it is clear the Liberals are all show and no action. Perhaps another six months with their deliverology guru will allow the Prime Minister to work on his ability to deliver answers. How many times has the Prime Minister met with the Ethics Commissioner?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport's first act was to kill the Toronto Island Airport expansion. He unilaterally ended consultations on expanding the Toronto Island Airport to accommodate what he called the best aircraft in its class, the Bombardier C-series. Expanding the airport would create jobs that do not require taxpayers to pick up the tab.Why is the minister letting internal Liberal Party politics limit economic development in Toronto and block new jobs at Bombardier?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has not answered any of the reasonable and fair questions we have asked regarding his conduct. What we have discovered is that the minister was actively managing shares in Morneau Shepell while he was promoting Bill C-27, which would directly benefit his family business.Why will the minister not answer this simple question? Was he the one who signed the memo to approve Bill C-27?

Mr. Speaker, once again the Liberals are over-promising and underdelivering, with prairie farmers being their latest casualty. When asked if farmers' shipping rights will be protected under the law, the minister dismissed them by saying “no comment”. If they expire or if the Liberals refuse to make these protections permanent, farmers will be railroaded.When will the Minister of Transport end his obvious uninterest in the concerns of our western Canadian farmers and introduce legislation that protects their shipping rights?

Mr. Speaker, president-elect Trump has made the development of $50 trillion worth of natural resources a top priority, but here in Canada the Liberals are going in the opposite direction.Woodfibre LNG has received the environment minister's approval, but is still waiting for the transport minister to sign its export permits to begin construction.As the U.S. becomes a major energy exporter, Canadian producers need access to Asian markets. Will the minister save the Woodfibre LNG jobs and approve their export permits immediately?

Mr. Speaker, the transport minister claims he has never heard any concerns about the Liberal carbon tax, yet we know the National Airlines Council of Canada has said, “[I]ntroducing a national carbon tax would exacerbate Canadian aviation’s already severe competitiveness problems,” and the CEO of WestJet has said, “They need to be very careful that they don't kill an industry that is so important to economic growth.”Does the minister still claim he has never heard these concerns?

Mr. Speaker, from day one, my province of Saskatchewan has been fighting tooth and nail against the Liberal carbon tax, because we knew all along that it was a scam. It turns out we were right. Not only are the Liberals charging the GST on top of the carbon tax, but residents in Saskatchewan are receiving significantly less than the Prime Minister promised through his so-called rebate. When will the Prime Minister admit that, just like him, his carbon tax is not as advertised?

Mr. Speaker, today is international religious freedom day. Sadly, many people around the world do not enjoy religious freedom, and a large number have had their freedoms limited by their own government. Being a refugee because of one's faith is a reality that all too many people around the world face. Today, will the government commit to expediting the refugee applications of people who are being persecuted because of their faith, such as Christians in northern Iraq?

Mr. Speaker, as a mother and a grandmother, I can only imagine the pain and suffering that Tori's family has experienced. Tori's father has been begging the Prime Minister to reverse the decision that has allowed Terri-Lynne McClintic to serve her time at a healing lodge in Saskatchewan. When will the Prime Minister listen to Tori's father, do the right thing, reverse this decision and put Tori's killer back behind bars?

Madam Speaker, farming can be stressful. Whether it is the weather, transportation issues, or the Liberal government raising their taxes, farmers have a lot to deal with. Therefore, when the agriculture minister stated that most farmers supported a tax on carbon, I know his ridiculous statement received more than a few laughs across my riding.What evidence does the minister have for his claim that farmers support his carbon tax, and could he please let them know how much it will cost them?

Mr. Speaker, whether the Prime Minister and his environment minister want to accept it or not, last night Ontarians overwhelmingly rejected their carbon tax. My home province of Saskatchewan welcomes a new ally in the fight against this Liberal tax grab.Will the Prime Minister learn from the lesson that has befallen his friend, the former premier, Kathleen Wynne, and finally stop forcing his carbon tax on middle-class Canadians all across this country?

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the finance minister's father sold shares at the same time as the minister, but the finance minister continues to avoid every opportunity to tell us when he sold 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell. Instead, he has given non-answers and is trying to bully us with threats of dispatching his pricey Bay Street lawyers.If the finance minister will not come clean and answer the simple question if he sold 680,000 shares in Morneau Shepell two years ago on this day, then he needs to resign.

Mr. Speaker, Premier Wall has written a letter to the Minister of Public Safety asking him to start defending his constituents instead of job-killing Liberal policies, but Saskatchewan's lone Liberal MP has gone into hiding. I would like to believe that the member for Regina—Wascana wants to do the right thing and defend his province. Why will he not? When will the Minister of Public Safety stand in his place and start defending the interests of our province and all Saskatchewanians?

Mr. Speaker, Bombardier is a huge employer in Canada, particularly in Quebec, and the minister's home city of Montreal.Yet the Minister of Transport has killed a major business opportunity for Bombardier. He overruled Toronto City Council and the Toronto Port Authority, and blocked expansion of the Toronto island airport.Why will the Minister of Transport not let Bombardier create Canadian jobs by allowing the Toronto island airport to expand?

Mr. Speaker, amid a busy schedule of family vacations, the Prime Minister squeezed in some visits to Canadian steel plants. In Saskatchewan he visited Evraz where they manufacture pipelines. The Liberals' abdication of federal leadership on the Trans Mountain pipeline is hurting Evraz, the prairie oil and gas sector, as well as the Canadian steel industry. Can the Prime Minister reassure Canadian steelworkers that construction on Trans Mountain will start this spring?

Mr. Speaker, farmers know who their true friends are. Captive shippers in the Maritimes are feeling shortchanged by the Liberal government. The Minister of Transport claims his new long-haul interswitching remedy is key for captive shippers in Canada, but is not extending it to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. All of the Liberal MPs from those provinces have not said a word. Why is the Prime Minister treating captive shippers in the Maritimes so unfairly?

Mr. Speaker, it is now being reported that the government will not renew the lapsing measures of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act before they sunset on August 1.Shippers are getting very nervous as they are being forced to negotiate contracts while the law is in flux. The Minister of Transport keeps telling them that legislation is coming, but shippers continue to be pushed down the line.Why are the interests of grain farmers so low on the Liberals' priority list?

Mr. Speaker, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association is saying that beef producers will have to absorb the cost of this Liberal carbon tax. They export their products and must compete on international pricing. The impact of the Prime Minister's carbon tax will cut into ranchers' bottom lines and these additional costs will eat into the livelihoods of hard-working farm families. Why is the Prime Minister so set on punishing beef producers with higher costs for inputs, such as feed and animal transportation?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals announced their intention to support new ownership, they laid out three criteria: first, a reasonable price for the sale; second, support from first nations; and third, a viable business plan. iChurchill Inc. believes it met all three of these criteria, but the Liberals rejected this deal with no explanation given. Instead, the Liberals are only willing to deal with one specific company, a Toronto-based financial firm. Why?

Mr. Speaker, by not answering the question, the Liberals are just trying to hide the fact that the finance minister will put a big “for sale” sign on Canada's largest and most important airports. The Liberals' propensity for spending money they do not have is forcing them to have exclusive meetings with BlackRock to organize a shotgun sale of Canada's airports before the ink of the budget is even dry. Will the minister commit to maintaining Canadian ownership of these strategic economic assets, or are the Liberals just that desperate for money?

Mr. Speaker, that was not the question. That carefully crafted answer falls short of what Canadians expect.As the former attorney general said, “The role of the Attorney General of Canada carries with it unique responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and the administration of justice, and as such demands a measure of principled independence.” Apparently the Prime Minister thinks otherwise. In December, Gerald Butts discussed a special deal for SNC-Lavalin with the former attorney general. A month later, she was fired. What was said in that meeting?

Mr. Speaker, the changes to the Navigation Protection Act proposed by the minister will delay and increase red tape and costs for rural municipalities building vital infrastructure. The Liberals' changes also reflect their lack of understanding of the importance of resource development to Canada's economy. Why are the Liberals opposing responsible resource development and delaying vital infrastructure projects in rural communities across Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the minister did not need five months to kill thousands of jobs when he blocked the Toronto island airport expansion. MPs from all parties and even several ministers have voiced their support for Jetlines. They all want to see another airline serve Canada's secondary airports using Bombardier aircraft. The only hold-up is that minister's indecisiveness. His apathetic attitude will cost Canadians even more jobs. Jetlines made its request last May. How much time does the minister need to make a decision?

Mr. Speaker, the fact is LNG is an economic driver in the province of British Columbia and will benefit the entire country. If Woodfibre does not get export permits from Transport Canada, it cannot proceed, regardless of whether it receives the environment minister's approval. There is no point in building this facility if it cannot export its product.We know the Liberal talking points about working to grow our economy and create jobs. So, when will the transport minister get out of the way, sign the export permits, and get this job-creating project under way?

Mr. Speaker, every day the fine print of the Liberal platform becomes more and more devastating to Canada's economy. We have recently heard announcements from CP and WestJet. The Liberal government's silence on the job losses in Alberta and Saskatchewan and the resulting impact on the transportation sector is deafening.Will the member for Wascana continue to remain silent or will he stand up and support western Canadian jobs?

Mr. Speaker, apparently the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, not Parliament, will be the first to learn if the Minister of Transport will protect the rights of shippers. Farmers are nervous that the minister's choice of venue is a foreshadowing that his changes will benefit the railways and leave farmers out in the cold. Grain farmers want long-term certainty, but the Liberals are more focused on optics than they are on governing.When will the rights of farmers become a priority for the minister?

Mr. Speaker, Canada is the only major market in the world without a low-cost airline. The five million Canadian passengers who fly out of a U.S. airport each year are telling the Liberals with their feet that Canada needs a low-cost airline like Jetlines to compete. Unfortunately, Jetlines will become another casualty of the Minister of Transport's endless dithering. Will the minister wake up, get out of the way, and get Jetlines up in the air?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has become an expert at avoiding giving answers to Canadians. He hid his shares in a numbered company. He hid the date of the sale of some of those shares. Today, new documents show that the minister is continuing his practice of hiding information from Canadians. When asked simply if he as minister signed the memorandum approving Bill C-27, he refused to answer.If the minister refuses to be transparent about something as simple as this, will he not just resign?

Madam Speaker, the Ethics Commissioner is investigating the finance minister for his involvement in Bill C-27, where he directly benefited from his holdings in Morneau Shepell. We know that those holdings are in a numbered company in Alberta. We also know that he owns several other numbered companies. Will the finance minister come clean and tell the House what else he holds in those other numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau once quipped that there was no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation. This Prime Minister seems to think that the personal financial details of the nation, on the other hand, are fair game. Why is the Prime Minister so out of touch with Canadians, who do not want this unauthorized surveillance to continue?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's rigid ideology is hurting Nova Scotians. Last week the historic Bangor Sawmill Museum announced that it was closing its doors because it was refused Canada summer jobs funding. This is a loss of a tourist attraction and an employment opportunity for young people in that community, and all because this non-religious museum refused to sign the Prime Minister's attestation.Does the Prime Minister not see that his thought policing of Nova Scotians is hurting communities?

Mr. Speaker, no wonder the transport minister could not answer my questions yesterday. It is the finance minister who is calling the shots. We now know the airports are on a fire sale to foreign buyers to fund his infrastructure bank because his runaway spending has drained the treasury. Canadian travellers will now be forced to pay higher costs and more fees to foreign airport owners to pay for the Liberals' reckless spending.Will the minister or anybody on that side finally admit that the airports are being sold solely because they have run out of money?

Mr. Speaker, a closer look at Bill C-49 reveals that the Liberals are trying to sell shippers a weaker version of the Fair Rail for Grain Farmers Act. Adding insult to injury, the pro-shipper measures contained in Bill C-30 will sunset on August 1. As a result of the minister's delay tactics, farmers will be forced to negotiate next year's contracts without the benefit of a law. This omnibus bill is too late for western shippers. Will the minister now separate the rail shipping measures for expedited scrutiny?

Mr. Speaker, Darrel and Kathy hope to have their son, Jackson take over the family farm some day. They told me how their rainy day fund saved them when their combine broke in the middle of harvest. The Minister of Finance's tax grab would have made that impossible. Meanwhile, multi-million dollar companies traded on the stock market are exempt.Why is the Minister of Finance forcing Darrel and Kathy to pay a 73% tax that not even the millionaire owners of Morneau Shepell have to pay? How is that fair?

Mr. Speaker, true to form, the pattern of these Liberals is to say one thing and do another.Yesterday, the Minister of Transport said that the chief negotiator was working with “all serious partners”. However, we know that is not happening. iChurchill Inc. has met the government's three criteria for an agreement, but has been sidelined in favour of a large Toronto-based financial firm. Why?