Debates of Dec. 10th, 2015

Public Safety

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government is punishing law-abiding gun owners again by bringing in a needless permit regime that would require gun owners to get a permit every time they go hunting or go to the range. Clearly, it is a gateway to bringing back the billion dollar gun registry and make life as difficult as possible for rural Canadians.

Why do the Liberals always target law-abiding gun owners? Why do they not go after criminals for a change?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is simply wrong in what he says about the long gun registry.

We made it very clear in our platform that we had no intention of reinstating the long gun registry. We announced a number of other measures in the platform that had to do with public safety, and gun safety in particular. We will implement our platform.

Public Service of Canada

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the member for Gatineau, I know just how much our federal public service stands out for its professionalism. Like my colleagues, I have met thousands of our public servants who expect their government to respect them and value their contributions. This government is committed to negotiating in good faith with our public servants. Can the President of the Treasury Board tell the House what steps he has taken to improve the federal government's relationship with its public servants?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Gatineau. Restoring a culture of respect towards our public service is a priority for us. I recently met 2,000 public servants at a gathering. I met union leaders and spoke with them about the report on mental health in the federal workplace. Our commitments are clear: we will respect the bargaining process, we will negotiate in good faith, and we will restore a culture of respect.

Foreign Affairs

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, members of the media are telling us that they have been unable to get hold of the ambassador for religious freedom since the new government was sworn in. The ambassador has previously been a highly effective advocate internationally, earning widespread acclaim and achieving substantial results.

At a time when religious minorities are more vulnerable than ever before, why is the ambassador being muzzled?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, that is quite rich coming from that party. We do not muzzle officials at all. The Conservatives did. They did it all over the place.

We will fight to protect the right of freedom of religion, and all freedoms will be protected as much as possible by this government.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, this week Canada is back in the hall of shame on climate change.

First the government showed up at the Paris negotiations with the Conservatives' weak targets. Now it is blocking agreement on compensation for the world's poorest people.

This has earned Canada a fossil of the day award. Just like the old government used to get. It is déjà vu all over again.

When will this government stop blocking negotiations and finally show some real leadership on climate change?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I disagree completely. For the first time in 10 years, Canada is a leader in the fight against climate change.

Instead of being a laggard, we are a leader. That is a change. We must congratulate the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change. She has been appointed as a facilitator by the chair of the COP21. It shows how great she is at helping to reach the result we want in the fight against climate change.

Canada is back.

Canadian Heritage

[Paul Lefebvre, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we were proud to hear the Prime Minister talk about the efforts being made by the government to settle Syrian refugees in Canada. This is a testament to the commitment we made to Canadians and the world in response to the urgent need that is being felt internationally. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell the House what measures the government plans to take to help Syrian refugees integrate into society?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sudbury for the question. In fact, federal agencies and other partners are currently working with my department on helping Syrian refugees with social inclusion.

When the refugees arrive in Toronto this evening, we will provide them with a welcome kit, which will include movies and books in French and English that will give them a sense of our country's diversity of cultures, including aboriginal culture. We can count on Canadians' warmth and hospitality when the new Syrian refugees arrive.

Infrastructure

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, during the election, the Liberals told Canadians that $10 billion a year in deficits would pay for new infrastructure, but as we have seen, the government has already committed billions of dollars in spending, and it has also a $1.2 billion revenue shortfall from this week's tax announcement. On top of this, no new infrastructure spending has been announced.

How much are the Liberals going to cut back from their infrastructure plan that was promised to Canadians?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to doubling our infrastructure funding over the next 10 years. That will help us create sustainable, livable, and healthy communities. We have committed to do that.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Michel Boudrias, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2013, the previous government decided to support a court challenge of Bill 99, the legislation that reaffirms Quebec's right to determine its own future.

I would like to remind the government of the unanimous motion of Quebec's National Assembly, which reaffirms the right of Quebeckers to determine their political future.

Does the government intend to withdraw from this case in order to respect the unanimous will of the National Assembly, or will it continue to thwart Quebec's right to determine its own destiny?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, no pro-independence government has the right to take Canada away from Quebeckers who want to remain within Canada. It is a matter of rights and democracy.

In any event, the vast majority of Quebeckers are very proud Quebeckers and very proud Canadians. They do not want to be forced to choose between these two wonderful identities.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 3,500 Haitian and Zimbabwean refugees, including those who survived the earthquake in Haiti, have been facing deportation since June. That is unacceptable and inhumane.

The Government of Quebec has submitted several stay applications to try to help these individuals obtain permanent residency. Since the federal government has the capacity to immediately welcome thousands of refugees, it is certainly capable of taking action on this.

Will the Prime Minister commit today to regularizing the residency status of these individuals in a comprehensive and collective way?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.

After discussions with my colleague from Bourassa and the Quebec immigration minister, I decided that my department was going to help these Haitians to regularize their status in Canada. I am consulting with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety, and we will provide more details about this soon.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of Ms. Catherine Baylis who will receive the Governor General’s Meritorious Service Medal in the Civic Division tomorrow.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Tabling of Documents

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, subsection 49.8(5) of the Parliament of Canada Act requires that the chairs of the recognized parties inform the Speaker of the House of Commons of the outcomes of the four votes that took place in the caucuses that met on November 5.

I also note that it is the practice that the Speaker tables certain documents, such as bylaws stemming from the Parliament of Canada Act, and seeing that these three documents that your office has received stemmed from that Act, I am wondering if the Speaker has any plans to lay upon the table the three documents that pertain to the outcomes of the recorded votes that were to have taken place at the first meeting of the three recognized parties of this House of Commons.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I thank the member for his intervention. I can assure him that all actions required by the act to be taken by the Speaker have been taken.

The member for Calgary Nose Hill.

Oral Questions

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period I asked the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship a fairly important question on which I think he could have engaged in any number of ways.

The worst logical fallacy we can make is the ad hominem attack, and in saying that I should look a little sunnier—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

—and I am being heckled now as I raise this point of order—and given that you, yourself, Mr. Speaker, said that this Parliament should be about how we conduct ourselves as parliamentarians, and while I would question whether or not he would have said that to a man in this place, I would ask, Mr. Speaker, if you would consider asking him to apologize.

As well, and I will admit I became a little heated after his response and I asked him that question, the Prime Minister laughed at me, and I asked him, “Are you laughing at this?” and he said, “I'm laughing at you”. My colleagues saw that.

I would ask both of my colleagues to stand up and apologize, on behalf of all women in this place.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, my comment was intended in a light-hearted way to celebrate the arrival of the refugees this evening, but I understand it could have been taken in a number of ways. I understand now, on reflection, that I should not have made it, so I am happy therefore to apologize for that comment to my colleague.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I thank the hon. minister for his comment and his apology. I remind members that we ought to avoid the kind of language that provokes a reaction. We should show respect for one another, and I am sure that new members in this House will appreciate the fact that, when we make a mistake—we are all human and we make mistakes—we apologize for it.

Now I believe it is time for the Thursday question. The hon. House leader of the opposition.