Debates of May 28th, 2014

Taxation

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives pride themselves in cutting taxes. Indeed, our strong record of tax relief is saving the average family $3,400 a year.

Recently the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirmed that our government has delivered significant tax relief for Canadians. While we are focused on creating savings for Canadians, the opposition is proposing risky, high-tax schemes that will threaten jobs and set working families back.

Could the Minister of Finance update the House on what the Parliamentary Budget Officer said?

[Joe Oliver, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Prince Albert for that very relevant question.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer confirms that our government reduced taxes by $30 billion last year, benefiting low and middle-income families the most. Indeed, all families have benefited from our tax reduction program, increasing net worth by 44%.

Unlike the opposition, we believe that Canadians should keep more of their own hard-earned money, and that is why we intend to introduce even more tax relief next year when the budget is balanced. Canadians can count on that.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I met with the Chicken Farmers of Canada, and they are very concerned that the government is undermining supply management. Last year, 97 million kilograms of chicken came in from the United States. The impact is 8,900 jobs and over $600 million lost. The chicken is coming in because the Conservatives changed the rules at the border.

Why are the Conservatives not standing up for supply management?

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, we have a very positive record working with farmers of all calibre across this great country, including the supply-managed sector. We continue to work with them on people who cheat at the border, cheese compositional standards, pizza kits, milk protein concentrates, and of course now we are working on spent fowl, issues that the Liberals never attacked when they were in government.

Housing

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis in this country is severe, and according to a new Royal Bank report, it is only getting worse. In Toronto alone, over 90,000 families are on the waiting list for affordable housing. Thousands more are added every month. Liberals killed the national housing program and then Conservatives buried—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

Order. I am sitting right beside the member for Toronto—Danforth and I can barely hear him. I am going to ask members to come to order.

The hon. member for Toronto—Danforth.

[Craig Scott, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Liberals killed the national housing program and then Conservatives buried it, and it is Toronto families who are paying the price.

Will the government reject the Liberal approach, stand with the NDP, and adopt the national housing program and strategy that Canada so badly needs?

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Minister of State (Social Development)]

Mr. Speaker, what Canadians do not need are more bureaucrats sitting around in Ottawa telling them what they need and how to invest.

What we have done is provide funding for the provinces through our investment in affordable housing. Together with the provinces, together with municipalities, together with our partners, we have provided support to almost a million families and individuals.

Every time we provide that support, New Democrats vote against it, so no, we are not interested in their strategy. We are interested in action.

Public Safety

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the courts slammed the door closed on two convicted murderers' attempts to get rich at the expense of taxpayers. These individuals were involved in the desecration of the Canadian flag as part of the so-called prisoner justice day. They even went so far as to accuse the former minister of public safety of misfeasance for saying that the actions of these prisoners were offensive, unacceptable, and dishonourable.

Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness tell the House what our government's position is on this matter?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Don Valley West, who told us that the court has slammed the door shut on those who want to abuse taxpayers' money.

Of course we are pleased with this sensible decision made by the Ontario Superior Court yesterday. Our correctional system is about correcting criminal behaviour and rehabilitation. It should not tolerate the desecration of Canadian symbols such as the maple leaf. We will continue to put criminals behind bars.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Zamudio family has been living in Saint-Jérôme for almost four years and will be deported to Mexico by June 25 despite receiving repeated death threats from the drug cartel.

A claim for refugee protection on humanitarian grounds was submitted to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration last October. As the safety of the four family members is at issue, can the minister tell us whether he has made a decision or can he commit to making a decision before the Zamudio family is deported?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, if I understood the question correctly, we are talking about Mr. Figueroa, who admitted to being a member of the Front Farabundo Martí de libération nationale. He fought against the government of El Salvador during that country's civil war. Although it is now the political party in power in El Salvador, the FMLN carried out terrorist acts when Mr. Figueroa was a member.

Consequently, Mr. Figueroa cannot remain in Canada and he has been slapped with a deportation order. Everyone has the right to due process and Mr. Figueroa made many applications and requests for judicial review. Once all avenues—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

Order, please. The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

International Trade

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the week of June 4 will begin with the 25th anniversary of one of the most horrific crackdowns on democracy and human rights in recent memory at Tiananmen Square. That same week ends, June 10, with an appeal by the very courageous small first nations band on Vancouver Island, the Hupacasath First Nation, challenging the Canada–China investment treaty.

I wonder if the Prime Minister would be willing to return the Canada–China investment treaty to hearings in this place, and particularly the very draconian 31-year lock-in if that treaty is ever ratified.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that we do not comment on matters that are before the courts.

What I can say is that this investment treaty sets out a clear set of rules under which investments are made. It also sets out a clear set of rules under which investment disputes are resolved. Canadian investors have been asking for this agreement for a very long time. This is about protecting Canadians when they invest abroad. I can assure the member that this government has every intention of bringing this agreement into force.

Oral Questions

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, during question period, the Minister of International Trade mentioned, and we have already had to correct the Prime Minister on this, that the NDP never supported any trade deal. He will know that we supported the Jordan trade deal—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

That is a matter of debate, not a point of order.

[Pierre Dionne Labelle, NDP, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in answer to my question, the minister mentioned a Mr. Figueroa. My question was about the Zamudio family.

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

I suggest that he ask the question maybe at a different time. It is not a point of order.

The hon. Minister of Justice is rising on what I hope is a point of order.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is a point of order. There were several allegations levelled against me about the use of government aircraft. It is public record that I have never used government aircraft for any—

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

The minister is free to answer any question in the House during question period and he can certainly table information, but that did not sound like a point of order.

The House resumed from May 14 consideration of the motion and of the amendment.

Pan-Canadian Palliative and End-of-life Care Strategy

[The Speaker, Andrew Scheer]

Pursuant to an order made on Tuesday, May 27, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recording division on the amendment to Motion No. 456.

(The House divided on the amendment, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #148