Debates of Sept. 26th, 2014

National Defence

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, just as a correction, Canada does in fact collect metadata; it depends on it for its security activities.

A Canadian military mission in Iraq is an extremely serious undertaking. Canadians need to be fully informed about what the government is proposing to do on their behalf. There should be no confusion about important questions, such as whether it is the U.S. asking Canada for additional help or the Prime Minister offering to provide additional help for an expanded mission. Can the government assure us that going forward it will be fully transparent with Parliament and Canadians about what undertakings it is proposing?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear that we are going to be reporting back to Parliament. We are looking at the 30-day deployment and renewing it. The one thing we will not do is sit idly by while innocent civilians are being killed in Iraq. There is targeting of the Yazidis, Christians and other religious minorities and the Kurds. We will be there to help where we can. As cabinet considers these options going forward, we will definitely inform the House.

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are leading us into an expanded military role in Iraq, and the Liberals are ready to go along without a vote in Parliament. We have gone from mission creep to mission leap. The most basic questions have been left unanswered, yet the Conservatives offer more military involvement to the U.S. without consulting Parliament. The question is this. When exactly did the Conservatives offer Canadian troops to the United States? When did they do that?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know where the member has been. On September 5, the Prime Minister announced that we are deploying up to 69 special forces from the Canadian Armed Forces, and they are there in a non-combat advisory role, providing strategic and tactical advice. We are proud of those brave men and women who are serving, assisting at the invitation of the Iraqi government. They are there with its authority and co-operating with forces in the north alongside the Kurdish peshmerga. This is a non-combat role and we do not vote on non-combat missions in the House.

Foreign Affairs

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are now hearing that the government offered the Americans our troops before we were asked. That is what I am hearing the parliamentary secretary say. While the Conservatives have no problem expanding our military role in Iraq, they have been failing to tackle the enormous humanitarian needs in this conflict. Over 2.2 million people in Iraq are in need of humanitarian assistance. At the committee on September 9, the minister promised that Canada would help support refugees for the coming winter, combat sexual violence and prosecute war criminals.

Why has the government walked away from those commitments? We have not heard announcements on these very important aspects of the mission.

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, Canada condemns in the strongest terms ISIS terrorists' repugnant killing of innocent civilians in northern Iraq, including women and children, and Christian, Yazidi and other religious communities. Canada has been helping since the beginning of the crisis. We are the seventh-largest donor to the humanitarian crisis. Canada's contribution will continue to allow for those most desperately in need to receive food, hygiene kits, cooking materials, blankets, tents, medical supplies and other essential supplies, which are needed. As well, we are making emergency repairs to water systems.

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the conflict in Iraq began, the Conservatives have been tangled up in their half-truths and contradictions. There are urgent needs on the ground. It is no longer enough to merely condemn. We really need to help. The refugees need help. Children are being wounded and thousands of women are falling victim to sexual violence. We can help our allies by contributing in our own way, by making help for civilians a priority.

Our allies are getting involved by offering humanitarian aid. Why is the Conservative government not supporting those efforts?

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, to the contrary, as I said earlier, we are the seventh-largest contributor to the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. It includes people who are in Lebanon and Turkey. We continue working with our allies. We are continuing with our emergency relief stockpiles of basic lifesaving necessities. They can be shipped around the world at any time. In times of crisis, rapid delivery of basic supplies is a matter of life and death. Maintaining stockpiles on both sides of the globe is going to allow us to reach people far more rapidly. We continue—

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Order, please. The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

La défense nationale

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from the outset, the Conservatives have been refusing to answer Canadians' legitimate questions. They are refusing to explain the nature and scope of Canada's military involvement in Iraq.

With regard to humanitarian aid, the Conservatives are simply not living up to the expectations of our allies and the international community. Now, more than ever, we need a debate and a vote in the House on Canada's role in Iraq.

Why is the government refusing to explain itself to Canadians?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we have troops deployed around the world right now in non-combat missions. The HMCS Toronto is just leaving the Black Sea as part of the NATO maritime task force. We have soldiers who are training in northern Poland. We have a squadron of CF-18 jets that are doing air policing in the Baltics.

All of these deployments happened without a vote in the House. We have 69 members of the Canadian Armed Forces who are providing tactical advice in Iraq. The Royal Canadian Air Force is also providing support in Iraq. I can tell members that all of that is non-combat roles, and we do not vote on that in the House.

Social Development

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have completely bungled the Social Security Tribunal. A former member has confirmed what we already knew, that the government is hiring people whose main expertise is donating to the Conservative Party. Then they are pressured to ignore due process, and all the while waiting times continue to grow. Conservatives are throwing fairness out the window. It is vulnerable seniors and unemployed Canadians who are paying the price.

When is the government going to finally fix the mess that it has created with the Social Security Tribunal?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, the Social Security Tribunal is providing great service to Canadians who put their appeals through. We have added 22 new employees to the Social Security Tribunal, an increase of over 50%. We are getting the job done.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a former member of the Social Security Tribunal has confirmed what we already knew. Tremendous pressure is put on members to adjudicate cases as quickly as possible, to the detriment of Canadians. It is important for the Social Security Tribunal to adjudicate cases and to do it well. Once again, the most vulnerable Canadians pay the price.

How can the Conservatives first pillage employment insurance and then scrap the only institution able to correct these injustices?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, we will not acknowledge spurious complaints by former disgruntled employees that are broadcast in the media.

The Social Security Tribunal is doing the job for Canadians. In fact, we have decreased the amount of complaints that actually get to the tribunal by 90% by adding the ability within the department to review claims before they actually get to the Social Security Tribunal. It is a better system, it is cheaper for taxpayers and it delivers better service to Canadians who use the system.

[Rosane Doré Lefebvre, NDP, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Social Security Tribunal does not take the time to carefully listen to appellants, and now it is more difficult for Canadians, especially youth, to find employment.

A report by the Conference Board of Canada shows that a wage gap is developing between younger and older workers. This is a danger to our economy and our society.

Will the Conservatives adopt the youth hiring tax credit proposed by the NDP?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, under our Conservative government, Canada continues to have one of the lowest youth unemployment rates in the G7. Since coming to office, we have helped 2.1 million youth obtain skills training and jobs.

However, we recognize that more can be done. That is why economic action plan 2014 will help young Canadians get the skills they need to get in-demand jobs, help young entrepreneurs start more businesses and support more paid internships for graduates.

Employment

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we have a youth unemployment rate double the national average and Conservatives want to brag about it. It is incredible.

How about the fact that just last month Canada lost another 100,000 jobs in the private sector? How about the fact that not a single private sector job has been created by the Conservatives in the last year? How about the fact that 1.3 million Canadians are out of work today?

Cherry-picking economic statistics, as the Conservatives are so in favour of doing, brunching with billionaires and bragging does not help Canadians who are out of work, cannot access employment insurance and are looking for a job.

How about a jobs plan for the 1.3 million Canadians out of work today?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is the best cherry picker I have met to date.

Our government is focused on what matters to Canadians: jobs and economic growth. Over 1.1 million net new jobs have been created since the recession, over 80% full time, nearly 80% in the private sector, and two-thirds in high-wage industries. Both the IMF and the OECD forecast Canada to be one of the strongest growing G7 economies in the years ahead.

With a fragile global economy, we must stay the course with our low-tax plan for jobs and economic growth.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let us look at what the OECD actually said, because all the spin that the parliamentary secretary wants to put on the economy does not help and offers no comfort to the 1.3 million Canadians who are out of work.

When it comes to low-wage, precarious part-time work, Conservatives are actually world beaters. In their race to the low-wage economy, Conservatives have Canada sitting at third worst among all developed nations. This is one race that Conservatives should not be trying so hard to win.

How about a real plan to bring Canadians back to those full-time, well-paying jobs with benefits that are actually family-supporting jobs, not these precarious low-wage jobs that do not put food on the table for Canadians?

[Andrew Saxton, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our government has provided record support for low-income Canadians. For example, we have removed over one million low-income Canadians, 380,000 of which are seniors, from the tax rolls. We have increased the amount Canadians can earn without paying taxes. We have created the landmark working income tax benefit to support low-income Canadians who work. We have increased the guarantee income supplement for the most vulnerable seniors. The NDP voted against each and every one of these measures and against low-income Canadians each and every time.

International Trade

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, they say the third time is a charm. Today marks the third time in 12 months that the Prime Minister has falsely announced the completion of the Canada-Europe free trade agreement.

Unfortunately for Canada, our Prime Minister's actual accomplishments on trade are far less than all the jet-setting photo ops would suggest. Now Germany is saying that it will not approve the deal unless negotiations are reopened.

How many more phoney “mission accomplished” photo ops can we expect until this deal is finally accomplished?

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as I said moments earlier in the House, we are proud that the full text of the Canada-EU trade agreement was released today as part of our Canada-EU summit, celebrating a trade deal that will raise trade by 20%, have a net benefit on our economy of $12 billion and 80,000 net new jobs.

I find this ironic coming from a Liberal Party whose trade critic does not even sit on the trade committee, whose trade policies under its last government were about putting politicians on an airplane and serving BeaverTails in China. It should finally get behind a trade deal that is good for Canada.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what is ironic and sad is that the parliamentary secretary is refusing to answer the question. What does he make of the German government's statement that the agreement is not a done deal, that Germany cannot sign the agreement as it stands and that it has to be renegotiated?

Why did the Prime Minister announce three times that the agreement was completed and boast about it at photo ops when it was not true? The agreement is not a done deal.

What does he make of the German government's statement? Can he answer the question?

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in response to another question, in the negotiations of CETA, both Canada and the EU member countries gave direction to negotiators to have investor state dispute provisions within the agreement, much like the hundreds of agreements that EU nations have signed with similar dispute mechanisms. This provides certainty that exporters demand.

The member should think that exporters lead to one in five jobs in Canada. This deal will present an opportunity for 80,000 net new jobs. It is time for the Liberals get on board.