Evidence of meeting #38 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was homelessness.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Then thank the witness and tell them that you have another question and want to move on.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
Okay.
I will say, to add to the statement I made, that it was your leader, Justin Trudeau, who at the G20 summit in Argentina said, “there are gender impacts when you bring construction workers into a rural area. There are social impacts because they're mostly male construction workers.” Being the head of a state and saying something like that on the world stage sends a message. That message was sent.
Those were my comments. I'm pointing out the hypocrisy of your government during the time you have sat in cabinet since you were a Trudeau-era appointed minister.
We know that Canada's natural resource sector remains one of our country's largest sources of high-paying entry-level and skilled trades jobs, particularly for our young workers, which you alluded to in your opening remarks. During our youth employment study, we heard that these sectors are facing barriers to investment and expansion. We know, as we have heard not just in this committee but in committees across the precinct, that Liberal anti-energy policies like Bill C-69—the “no more pipelines” bill—and the shipping ban are discouraging investment and sending jobs out of our country and down south.
Given your government's stated goal of building Canada strong and restoring honour to the trades, you must be in support of scrapping these harmful bills, which are choking our economy and holding back job creation. Is that correct?
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
I'd like to go back to the hypocrisy statement, and I would like to—
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
I'm sorry, Minister, but it is my time.
I have given my statements. I have done what the chair has said. I have moved on, and I have asked my questions. I would expect enough decorum and respect from you to answer the question that I am asking. This is not question period. We know we never get answers, which is why—
Liberal
Leslie Church Liberal Toronto—St. Paul's, ON
The point of order is that the member has asked a question, and the witness should be able to give a response.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Thank you, Ms. Church.
I would again remind members, when you're directing a question or a statement, to give reasonable time for a witness to respond and then move on. It is the member's time.
Go ahead, Ms. Falk.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
Thank you.
My question was this. You must be in support of scrapping these policies, because they are preventing youth in Canada from going into the trades, with the well-paying jobs that you alluded to. I agree that trades are great-paying jobs. They give a great work-life balance a lot of times. These people are able to provide for their families.
It would make sense, then, with what you said in your opening remarks, that you do not support the anti-development, anti-energy policies that your government has pushed through.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
I was a Trudeau minister when we built a pipeline. I will say that continually—
Conservative
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
—we have supported energy projects across the country. Most recently, it was very exciting to hear about the sale of LNG to Germany through Ksi Lisims, which is obviously partially indigenous-owned.
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
Thank you, Minister.
My question was specifically about—
Liberal
Conservative
Liberal
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
I would like an answer, but you're not answering the question.
I asked specifically about energy policies like Bills C-69 and C-48, which was the tanker ban that your government pushed through under Trudeau. You're not answering that.
I will note as well that we've had investment leave this country. We had TMX, which was in Canada. It was made such a debacle by over-regulation with your government, with you sitting at the helm next to Justin Trudeau, that it left the country. We sold it down south, and now it's making money.
Our energy projects produce revenue for the government. Is that correct, yes or no?
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
The revenue collected from the government goes to our social programs. It goes to our seniors. It goes to our $10-a-day day care. It goes to parents with the child benefit.
It is baffling to me that your government doesn't want young people to go into the trades. If it did, you would be repealing this legislation—
Conservative
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
—and we would be having energy projects across this country.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bobby Morrissey
Order.
We have the minister appearing here on the supplementaries. I would ask all members to keep within the general context of the subject matter before the committee.
Minister, you have 10 seconds to respond.
Liberal
Patty Hajdu Liberal Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON
It's clear that the member opposite doesn't want a response. She wants to berate the minister, instead of looking at the incredible investment and growth happening in this country, partially stimulated by Bill C-5 but certainly by the Prime Minister, who's been working day and night to make sure that Canada is seen as not only a great country to invest in but also a great country to procure from.
