Debates of Dec. 5th, 2014

The Environment

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Sherbrooke and I are concerned about protecting the environment.

However, protecting the environment is last on the Conservatives' list of priorities. That is in part due to the fact that they have an incompetent minister and in part due to the fact that they simply deny that climate change exists. As world leaders are laying the foundation for a new international agreement, Canada is playing the role of a mere onlooker or even a saboteur.

Luckily, for my generation and future ones, in October 2015, we will finally have an NDP government, which will take its climate change responsibilities seriously and will ensure both a healthy environment and a sustainable economy.

One of the first things our government will do is go to the Paris conference and move from being an onlooker to a leader. Waiting is not an option. We need to take action now.

Halifax Explosion

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, December 6, is the anniversary of the Halifax explosion.

Ninety-seven years ago, the SS Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, and the SS Imo, a Belgian relief ship, collided in Halifax Harbour. Minutes later the SS Mont Blanc ignited and quickly exploded. That explosion was the largest prior to the atomic bomb. The blast was heard and felt over 200 kilometres away. About 1,600 people were killed immediately, and another 9,000 were seriously injured. Hundreds more perished in the resulting fires. Worse yet, that evening a winter nor'easter dropped freezing temperatures and heavy snow on the survivors.

Much of Halifax was a destroyed city, and relief trains were sent from the rest of the country, but the first to reach Halifax, carrying doctors, nurses, and supplies, was from Boston, Massachusetts.

In 1919, the province of Nova Scotia sent a giant Christmas tree to Boston as a thank you. In 1971, that tradition was continued, and every year since, a 15-metre-tall Nova Scotia Christmas tree is lit in the Boston Common as a reminder of our gratitude for Boston's assistance long ago.

Taxation

[Maurice Vellacott, Conservative, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK]

Mr. Speaker, 100% of families with children in Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, and for that matter across Canada, will be better off thanks to our Conservative government's new family tax cut.

We expanded and increased the universal child care benefit so that every family in Canada, such as the Penners and the Wiebes and the Klassens in my riding, will now receive nearly $2,000 per child. That is nearly $12,000 over a child's first six years of life.

The NDP has never met a tax it did not like, and the Liberals have never seen a tax that they would not hike. The Liberals and the NDP would reverse our Conservative tax cuts and force every Canadian to pay more.

Only this Conservative government can be trusted to put more money back into the pockets of hard-working Canadians and to support families, which are the basic building blocks of society and the bedrock of our society.

Oil Industry

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago the Conservatives gutted the process by which we approve new oil pipelines, eliminating the voices of ordinary people and tilting the process to favour companies.

It is so bad that many Canadians who might have their homes expropriated cannot even send a letter to the National Energy Board to express their objections.

Disturbingly, the Liberals completely back these Conservative process changes. The Liberal leader says, “So I' m very much a proponent of Keystone XL” and “I am...very interested in the Kinder Morgan pipeline.... I certainly hope that we're going to be able to get that pipeline approved....”

The last few weeks have seen the arrests of over 100 ordinary people who oppose Kinder Morgan's plan to build a new pipeline through our community. These are not radicals, but regular people who have been silenced by the Conservatives' changes to the approval process, changes that the Liberals support.

I went to Burnaby Mountain ten times over the course of the recent turmoil and have spoken many times in the House to the stress these changes have caused.

It is clear that the NDP is the only choice for Burnaby voters in the next election, as we are the only party to stand with them.

Taxation

[Lois Brown, Conservative, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, moms and dads should be able to make the important decisions that affect their own children. That is why our new family tax cut will give 100% of families with kids an average of more than $1,100 per year to spend on their own priorities. The majority of benefits flow to low- and middle-income families.

Our government trusts parents to invest in their children, but both opposition parties are against putting money back into the pockets of hard-working families. In fact, the Liberals have said they will reverse our tax cuts.

On this side of the House, we will not hike taxes, as the Liberals and the NDP propose to do; rather, we are proud to ensure that mom and dad have the final say in where their money is going.

Holiday Season

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the holiday season approaches, most of us are planning to buy presents for our loved ones. People of Beauharnois—Salaberry, this year I challenge you to make all your purchases locally.

You could attend one of the many craft fairs in places like Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Sainte-Martine, Beauharnois, Sainte-Clotilde and Sainte-Anicet or a Christmas market in Hemmingford, Huntingdon, Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague or Saint-Cyprien-de-Napierville, where you can buy artisanal products or local delicacies and meet the people who made all these things by hand.

By buying locally, people will be killing two birds with one stone: they will find unique gifts while stimulating the local economy. If they have the means, they can take the opportunity to donate locally grown and prepared food to the food banks in our region, buy a gift to donate to Sapin du petit bonheur, an organization that provides presents for the less fortunate, or help fill the Christmas hampers in a number of businesses and at my office in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

Thank you to those who organize these initiatives to help the less fortunate enjoy a holiday season with a full belly and a twinkle in their eyes.

Violence Against Women

[Joy Smith, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is Canada's National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, which commemorates the 14 young women who were brutally murdered at École Polytechnique in 1989.

Women and girls continue to face violence and harassment in their homes, schools, and workplaces, as well as online and on the streets.

Women's equality advocates identify prostitution and human trafficking as two of the most serious forms of violence against women. It is fitting, therefore, that Bill C-36 will come into force tomorrow. This is a historic moment for Canada.

Under Bill C-36, Canada's laws will uphold the equality of women as human beings, not objects to be bought and sold. It will seek to end the violence against women that is inherent in prostitution and human trafficking, tomorrow and every day of the year.

Let us remember the victims, and let us be resolved to continue to stand against violence against women in all its forms.

[Claude Patry, Bloc, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for 25 years now, Quebec has been coping with a wound that will not heal, grief that will not end, and unease that will not go away: 14 female students were killed because they were women.

We must always speak out against all forms of violence against women and never let our guard down. We need to work constantly to promote gender equality. We also have a duty to reflect and take action to ensure that all men and women can live in safety and free from violence.

This House needs to do everything in its power to ensure that such events never happen again. Out of respect for the victims and our children, let us work together to ensure that there will never be another incident like the one that occurred at École Polytechnique.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow and always, we remember 14 promising young women who, just because they were women, did not have the opportunity to grow older, pursue their dreams, and have the gift of time with their families. We hope that their families know that their daughters are not forgotten, that they instill courage, that they inspire, and that they remind us all to fight tirelessly to end violence against women, which sadly remains a daily reality for 3,000 women in Canada and sends 1,000 women and children to shelters each day.

Twenty-five years later, none of us can imagine the pain experienced by the families of these young women, and we are deeply saddened. We hope that the presence of loved ones and the compassion of an entire nation can bring them some comfort.

We profoundly thank the families for sharing their smart, courageous, motivated young daughters with us. We promise never to forget them.

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz, Geneviève Bergeron, Hélène Colgan, Nathalie Croteau, Barbara Daigneault, Anne-Marie Edward, Maud Haviernick, Maryse Laganière, Maryse Leclair, Anne-Marie Lemay, Sonia Pelletier, Michèle Richard, Annie St-Arneault, and Annie Turcotte were 14 women killed for the simple reason that they were women, 14 women who we will never forget.

Tomorrow we will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal. Even though we have made progress since then, violence against women remains a concern.

I am referring to women like Zahra Mohamoud Abdille of Toronto, killed with her sons this week after seeking shelter from abuse, and the 1,200 indigenous women and girls who have gone missing or been murdered.

In memory of all those women, today let us renew our commitment to put an end to violence against women once and for all.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago, on December 6, 1989, a horrific crime took place: 14 young women at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal were brutally murdered. On that awful day, their lives were senselessly ended, along with the hopes and dreams they had for the future. In shared sorrow, families across our country hugged their daughters a little tighter that night.

The tragic events of that day brought a new focus in our society on violence against women, yet well over two decades have passed since then, and many challenges still remain. Sadly, Status of Women Canada must continue to focus on initiatives to address gender-based violence across the country. This includes engaging men and boys to understand that gender-based violence is not acceptable or normal behaviour. While we cannot and probably never will be able to make sense of the crimes of that day, we must continue working to ensure that they never happen again.

On this anniversary, let us resolve to respect one another and value each other as equals.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

I now invite the House to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tragic event that happened 25 years ago at École Polytechnique in Montreal.

[A moment of silence observed]

The Environment

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Secretary-General of the United Nations is speaking out against the Conservatives' laissez-faire attitude towards climate change and is calling for a more ambitious and visionary policy. He notes that Canada lacks leadership and that it should immediately start transitioning towards a green economy.

Why are the Conservatives letting down the United Nations and the international community? Why do they not have a plan to fight climate change?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, our government wants to reach a fair agreement in Paris, one that includes all emitters and all economies. It is important that the agreement be durable, flexible and effective. In the meantime, Canada will continue to take concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while keeping the economy strong.

Furthermore, Canada is responsible for less than 2% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. Canada's per capita emissions are now at their lowest level.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that their so-called policy is a failure and is costing the Canadian economy billions of dollars. That is the reality.

What is more, instead of attacking climate change, the Conservatives are attacking honest people with the shameful bill introduced by the member for Vancouver South.

Ban Ki-moon has good reason to criticize this government's lack of action. Canada is ranked as one of the worst industrialized countries because of 20 years of inaction by the Liberals and the Conservatives.

The question is clear: will the Conservatives accept a binding international agreement to fight global warming, yes or no?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, we are working with all of our international partners so that we have an effective agreement. We are very proud of our record. We are a founding member of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. We have made significant investments to help support green energy and infrastructure internationally. We have one of the cleanest systems in the world. We have already regulated the transportation and electricity sectors. We are planning to reduce HFCs, one of the fastest growing greenhouse gases in the world.

Thanks to these actions, carbon emissions will go down close to 130 megatonnes from what they would have been under the Liberals, and we have done it without a job-killing carbon tax.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is killing jobs in Canada. It is costing the Canadian economy billions of dollars already. That is the reality.

The UN Secretary-General is begging Canada to act on climate change, which means the Conservatives should put their extreme ideology aside. However, instead of acting, the Conservatives prefer shameful bills, like that of the MP for Vancouver South, that risk criminalizing people who speak out on the environment.

Leadership is needed. The Conservatives promised oil and gas regulations for almost a decade. When will they finally act? When will this decade of darkness for the environment finally be over?

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to oil and gas regulations, the member knows that this is a continental issue that needs a North American solution.

Our government will continue to work with the Obama administration on reducing greenhouse gas emissions for the oil and gas sector. We feel it is best to align with the Obama administration, as we have already done in the transportation sector.

We will continue to protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a way that maintains job creation and economic growth, and we will do it without that job-killing carbon tax.

Status of Women

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 14 women were killed at École Polytechnique, 25 years ago on December 6. These women were killed because they were women. I know that all of our thoughts are with the families of those women, but we must also commit ourselves to action. Twenty-five years later violence is still targeted at women because of gender. Will the government commit to working together with the NDP and our action plan to end violence against women?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the massacre at l'École Polytechnique de Montréal was a Canadian tragedy. This week we remember the crimes that took place 25 years ago. While I would never think we could make sense of why those crimes took place that day, we must continue to ensure this never happens again in Canada. Our government will continue to stay focused on supporting the victims of these crimes, as well as punishing the criminals who commit these heinous crimes.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the tragic murder of Zahra Abdille and her children shows how our system fails women fleeing violence. Women like Ms. Abdille need support, like legal aid and housing.

A Canadian Bar Association report said:

...victims of domestic violence are among the most vulnerable in society and require access to legal and other services to protect themselves and their children.

What measures is the government taking to improve access to legal aid and housing for women who are fleeing violence?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, our government has been committed to preventing violent crimes and violence against women and girls.

Let me list some of the things we have done, and I would encourage the members opposite to participate in supporting these initiatives: the victims' bills of rights act; the creation of a DNA-based missing persons index; passing new laws to protect victims who have been harassed by those who have committed crimes against them; eliminating pardons for serious crimes; and better protecting youth from adult sexual predators.

These are a few of many initiatives this government has taken. I am very proud of that record of supporting victims and putting criminals behind bars.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago tomorrow, a killer shot 14 students at the École Polytechnique in Montreal. They were killed simply because they were women.

Now, 25 years later, how are we doing at protecting Canadians? People who sell firearms, including the kind used during the École Polytechnique massacre, are no longer obligated to confirm whether the buyer has a licence or to keep a record of the transaction. That is irresponsible. The Conservatives are doing everything they can to destroy gun control.

When will they stop jeopardizing the safety of Canadians?

[Kellie Leitch, Conservative, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, as I have already mentioned, this week is a time to remember that crime that took place at the Polytechnique 25 years ago, in fact a Canadian tragedy.

We will continue to support those victims as well as punish criminals.

As I have mentioned already in this House today, there are a number of initiatives that this government has already taken, whether they be the victims bill of rights act or making sure we have safe streets and communities. These are initiatives we have moved forward on, and we will continue to do so.

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow we remember 14 young women who were murdered simply because they were women.

Twenty-five years later, the government wants to pass legislation that will make Canadians less safe. The bill would ease transport restrictions on automatic weapons so they can be moved more freely outside public places like a grocery store or a school campus.

Given that tomorrow is the 25th anniversary of the Montreal massacre, will the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness re-consider these elements of his bill?