Evidence of meeting #19 for COVID-19 Pandemic in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Unfortunately, because this is an operational decision of the RCMP...to make that commitment on behalf of the member, but I will acknowledge the value of automatic defibrillator machines in our communities. I'm certain that the RCMP is aware of that as well.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
For more than a week, my colleagues and my leader have been trying by every means possible to ask the government to be transparent when it comes to infrastructure. However, history shows that when a Liberal touches infrastructure, it always ends badly. I'm going to give the minister a chance to start from the beginning.
How many projects have been authorized by her government since the launch of the Investing in Canada plan, how many have been completed and how much federal money has been invested in them?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Chair, as I have said before in the House, we are investing in infrastructure all across the country. It is very important that we move forward. We have an infrastructure plan that focuses on green infrastructure and public transit for recreation centres and rural communities.
I would like to talk about the previous government—
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chair, once again, the minister is unable to give us any numbers.
The government contends that 50,000 projects have been completed in Canada. The Parliamentary Budget Officer talks about 30,000 projects. We are short 20,000. The minister cannot even tell us how many projects have been carried out in Canada under the Investing in Canada plan.
How many are there, Madam Minister?
NDP
Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC
Mr. Berthold's volume was at the same level as the interpretation. I was hoping that you could—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Anthony Rota
Is the honourable member on the right channel? Sometimes that messes things up.
Conservative
Liberal
Liberal
Catherine McKenna Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, as I have said before in the House, we have already presented to the Parliamentary Budget Officer the 33,000 projects in which we have invested directly. We are also supporting 20,000 gas tax and CMHC projects. However, the answer—
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chair, first of all, the government waited two years before providing a list of gas tax funding to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. They did so last Friday.
Next, they said they could not give out the list of projects for security reasons. Then they said they could not give out the list because of the previous government. However, after two years of waiting, a partial list was provided to the Parliamentary Budget Officer on Friday.
Is it not time to give the Auditor General the power to investigate this Liberal infrastructure fiasco?
Liberal
Catherine McKenna Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we have already outlined the projects in which we are directly investing, and I will speak frankly to the hon. member.
It was the Conservative government that negotiated a ten-year gas tax plan that does not require reporting on projects. Quebec is not required to report on a project-by-project basis.
I can assure you that, when we renegotiate this agreement, we will require municipalities and provinces to publicly report on projects.
I cannot believe the hon. member, a Conservative—
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Chair, this is unbelievable. How can the government say that there were 20,000 gas tax projects when the minister herself says that the provinces do not have to report on the projects in which the government has invested?
In fact, we have received another answer. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has learned from Infrastructure Canada officials that the government does not collect detailed data on CMHC projects.
How can this government claim to have completed a given number of projects when, based on its own statements and those of its department, it is not able to obtain the numbers?
Why is the minister spinning her wheels so much instead of providing all the information to Canadians?
Liberal
Catherine McKenna Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we have provided the information. I find it truly incredible to hear these questions from the Conservative Party, the hon. member's party, when the Conservatives wanted to cut our infrastructure investments in the last election campaign.
So I am asking the hon. member which projects they would have cut.
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Municipalities are asking for help. A Royal Bank of Canada economic study released this morning is very clear: the COVID-19 pandemic has had a tsunami effect on municipal finances. In 2020, the revenue shortfall from lowering property taxes and user fees, including public transit, will be $11.7 billion for Canada as a whole, including $5 billion for Ontario.
Why is the minister playing petty politics instead of helping the municipalities?
Liberal
Catherine McKenna Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Chair, we are helping the municipalities.
We are investing in infrastructure every day. We recognize the need to be flexible during this crisis. That is why we are advancing $2.2 billion to municipalities to help them get back on their feet, to build more infrastructure and to create jobs. We will certainly continue to work with the provinces and territories. It is extremely important that our essential workers be able to travel by public transit.
Conservative
Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON
Thank you.
Over the weekend, the Prime Minister sole-sourced a contract for over $100 million to buy two brand new private jets to add to the government's fleet. Why was this contract sole-sourced?