Debates of Dec. 4th, 2015

A message was delivered by the Usher of the Black Rod as follows:

Mr. Speaker, His Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable House in the chamber of the Senate.

Accordingly, the Speaker with the House went up to the Senate chamber.

And the House being returned to the Commons chamber:

Opening of Parliament

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. I have the honour to report that, the House having attended on His Excellency the Governor General in the Senate chamber, I informed His Excellency that the choice of Speaker has fallen upon me, and in your names and on your behalf, I made the usual claim for your privileges which His Excellency was pleased to confirm to you.

Oaths of Office

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-1, an act respecting the administration of oaths of office.

(Motions deemed adopted and bill read the first time)

Speech from the Throne

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I have the honour to inform the House that when this House did attend His Excellency this day in the Senate chamber, His Excellency was pleased to make a speech to both Houses of Parliament. To prevent mistakes, I have obtained a copy, which is as follows:

Honourable Senators,

Members of the House of Commons,

Ladies and gentlemen,

As the representative of Her Majesty The Queen, I am pleased to be here to deliver the Speech from the Throne.

A warm welcome to those of you who are returning to your duties as parliamentarians, including those who are returning after an absence. Know that your experience is valued.

Welcome also to the 197 members who are newly elected. Your enthusiasm and fresh ideas will serve your country well.

I call on all parliamentarians to work together, with a renewed spirit of innovation, openness and collaboration.

As governor general, I have seen first-hand what a great country Canada is—from coast to coast to coast.

And I also know this: We can be even better.

How?

By being smart, and caring—on a scale as never before.

The times we live in demand nothing less.

Canada succeeds in large part because here, diverse perspectives and different opinions are celebrated, not silenced.

Parliament shall be no exception.

In this Parliament, all members will be honoured, respected and heard, wherever they sit. For here, in these chambers, the voices of all Canadians matter.

Let us not forget, however, that Canadians have been clear and unambiguous in their desire for real change. Canadians want their government to do different things, and to do things differently.

They want to be able to trust their government.

And they want leadership that is focused on the things that matter most to them.

Things like growing the economy; creating jobs; strengthening the middle class, and helping those working hard to join it.

Through careful consideration and respectful conduct, the Government can meet these challenges, and all others brought before it.

By working together in the service of all Canadians, the Government can make real change happen.

It will do so in the following ways.

GROWTH FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS

First and foremost, the Government believes that all Canadians should have a real and fair chance to succeed. Central to that success is a strong and growing middle class.

The Government will, as an immediate priority, deliver a tax cut for the middle class.

This is the fair thing to do, and the smart thing to do for Canada’s economy.

The Government has also committed to provide more direct help to those who need it by giving less to those who do not. The new Canada Child Benefit will do just that.

And recognizing that public investment is needed to create and support economic growth, job creation and economic prosperity, the Government will make significant new investments in public transit, green infrastructure, and social infrastructure.

To give Canadians a more secure retirement, the Government will work with the provinces and territories to enhance the Canada Pension Plan.

The Employment Insurance system will be strengthened to make sure that it best serves both the Canadian economy and all Canadians who need it.

To create more opportunities for young Canadians, especially those from low- and middle-income families, the Government will work with the provinces and territories to make post-secondary education more affordable.

And to support the health and well-being of all Canadians, the Government will begin work with the provinces and territories to develop a new Health Accord.

The Government will undertake these and other initiatives while pursuing a fiscal plan that is responsible, transparent and suited to challenging economic times.

OPEN AND TRANSPARENT GOVERNMENT

Second, the Government is committed to open and transparent government.

The trust Canadians have in public institutions—including Parliament—has, at times, been compromised. By working with greater openness and transparency, Parliament can restore it.

To make sure that every vote counts, the Government will undertake consultations on electoral reform, and will take action to ensure that 2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.

To restore public trust and bring an end to partisanship, the Government will follow through on its commitment to reform the Senate by creating a new, non-partisan, merit-based process to advise the Prime Minister on Senate appointments.

And to give Canadians a stronger voice in the House of Commons, the Government will promote more open debate and free votes, and reform and strengthen committees.

Also notable are the things the Government will not do: it will not use government ads for partisan purposes; it will not interfere with the work of parliamentary officers; and it will not resort to devices like prorogation and omnibus bills to avoid scrutiny.

A CLEAN ENVIRONMENT AND A STRONG ECONOMY

Third, the Government will prove to Canadians and to the world that a clean environment and a strong economy go hand in hand. We cannot have one without the other.

Protecting the environment and growing the economy are not incompatible goals; in fact, our future success demands that we do both.

Last week, first ministers met ahead of the international climate change talks—a first step in an important and ongoing process.

Working together, the Government will continue to provide leadership as Canada works toward putting a price on carbon and reducing carbon pollution.

To encourage economic growth, the Government will make strategic investments in clean technology, provide more support for companies seeking to export those technologies, and lead by example in their use.

And as part of efforts to restore public trust, the Government will introduce new environmental assessment processes.

Public input will be sought and considered. Environmental impacts will be understood and minimized. Decisions will be informed by scientific evidence. And Indigenous peoples will be more fully engaged in reviewing and monitoring major resource development projects.

DIVERSITY IS CANADA’S STRENGTH

Fourth, the Government’s agenda reflects that Canada’s strength is its diversity.

Canadians elected a government to bring us together, not to set us against one another. Canada is strong because of our differences, not in spite of them.

As a country, we are strengthened in many ways: by our shared experiences, by the diversity that inspires both Canada and the world, and by the way that we treat each other.

Because it is both the right thing to do and a certain path to economic growth, the Government will undertake to renew, nation-to-nation, the relationship between Canada and Indigenous peoples, one based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation and partnership.

Among other measures, the Government will work co-operatively to implement recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, will launch an inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and will work with First Nations so that every First Nations child receives a quality education.

The Government will make it easier for immigrants to build successful lives in Canada, reunite their families, and contribute to the economic success of all Canadians.

In response to a pressing international need, and underscored by Canadians’ desire to help, the Government will welcome 25,000 new Canadians from Syria, to arrive in Canada by the end of February 2016.

In gratitude for the service of Canada’s veterans, the Government will do more to support them and their families.

The Government will support CBC/Radio-Canada, encourage and promote the use of Canada’s official languages, and invest in Canada’s cultural and creative industries.

SECURITY AND OPPORTUNITY

Fifth, the Government is committed to providing greater security and opportunity for Canadians.

Canadians are open, accepting, and generous people. We know that helping those in need strengthens our communities and makes them safer, more prosperous places to live.

The Government will strengthen its relationship with allies, especially with our closest friend and partner, the United States.

Internationally, the Government will focus its development assistance on helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.

To contribute to greater peace throughout the world, the Government will renew Canada’s commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations, and will continue to work with its allies in the fight against terrorism.

To keep Canadians safe and be ready to respond when needed, the Government will launch an open and transparent process to review existing defence capabilities, and will invest in building a leaner, more agile, better-equipped military.

And to expand economic opportunities for all Canadians, the Government will negotiate beneficial trade agreements, and pursue other opportunities with emerging markets.

Recognizing that Canada is, fundamentally, a safe and peaceful country, the Government will continue to work to keep all Canadians safe, while at the same time protecting our cherished rights and freedoms.

To that end, the Government will introduce legislation that will provide greater support for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; that will get handguns and assault weapons off our streets; and that will legalize, regulate and restrict access to marijuana.

CONCLUSION

The agenda outlined today is an ambitious one, but it is not one forged in isolation.

Rather, it is the result of conversations with Canadians, who told the Government—plainly and honestly—what they need to be successful.

Canadians are confident people. We know who we are, and we know what kind of country we want to live in.

We know the greatness that Canada is capable of, and we know that our success is not only about doing well for ourselves, but also about leaving an even better, more peaceful and prosperous world for our children.

As you consider the important work that lies ahead, remember that Canadians have placed their trust in you. It is now your sacred responsibility to help build that better world.

By focusing on growing our middle class, on delivering open and transparent government, on ensuring a clean environment and a strong economy, on building a stronger Canada, and on providing greater security and opportunity, the Government will make real change happen.

It will prove that better is not only possible—it is the inevitable result when Canadians work together.

Members of the House of Commons, you will be asked to appropriate the funds required to carry out the services and expenditures authorized by Parliament.

Honourable Members of the Senate and Members of the House of Commons, may Divine Providence guide you in your deliberations and make you faithful custodians of the trust bestowed upon you.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

moved:

That the Speech from the Throne delivered this day by His Excellency the Governor General to both Houses of Parliament be taken into consideration later this day.

(Motion agreed to)

École Polytechnique in Montreal

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

There have been discussions among representatives of all the parties in the House, and I understand that there is consent to observe a moment of silence.

I invite members to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the tragic event that happened 26 years ago at École Polytechnique in Montreal

[A moment of silence observed.]

Former Clerk of the House of Commons

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I think, if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That the House, desiring to record its deep appreciation of the distinguished and faithful service of Audrey Elizabeth O'Brien as Clerk of the House of Commons, designate her as Clerk Emeritus and an Honourary Officer of the House of Commons with an entrée to the Chamber and a seat at the Table.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. minister have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motion agreed to)

Board of Internal Economy

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I have the honour to inform the House that the following members have been appointed as members of the Board of Internal Economy for the purposes and under the provisions of the Parliament of Canada Act, subsection 50(2):

Hon. Dominic LeBlanc and Hon. Judy Foote, members of the Queen's Privy Council;

Mr. Andrew Leslie, representative of the government caucus;

Mr. Andrew Scheer and Mr. Gordon Brown, representatives of the Conservative Party caucus;

Mr. Peter Julian, representative of the New Democratic Party caucus.

Business of Supply

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

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the business of supply be considered at the next sitting of the House.

(Motion agreed to)

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

It is my duty to inform the House that a total of one day will be allotted for the supply period ending December 10, 2015.

Appointment of Chair

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Following my election as Speaker, I have consulted with the leaders of the recognized parties regarding the nomination of the other chair occupants. I am now prepared to propose, for the ratification of the House, a candidate for the position of Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole.

Pursuant to Standing Order 7, I propose Mr. Stanton for the position of Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees of the Whole.

The motion is deemed moved and seconded.

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motion agreed to)

Procedure and House Affairs

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be appointed to prepare and report lists of members to compose the standing and standing joint committees of this House, and that the committee be composed of: Larry Bagnell, Arnold Chan, David Graham, Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Ruby Sahota, Anita Vandenbeld, Scott Reid, Randy Hoback, Blake Richards, and David Christopherson.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motion agreed to)

The House proceeded to the consideration of the speech delivered by His Excellency the Governor General at the opening of the session.

Address in Reply

[Rémi Massé, Liberal, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am especially proud to be here in the House today. I would like to thank the people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia for placing their trust in me and electing me to be their MP. I am very grateful to them and I will work hard to represent all of my constituents during my term in office.

We promised to bring about real change, and that is exactly what the government is going to do by doing things differently. Canadians want a government that keeps its promises and focuses on the things that matter most to them, things like growing the economy, creating jobs, strengthening the middle class and helping those working hard to join it. Today's throne speech confirmed that we will do just that.

In practical terms, our government will cut taxes for the middle class. It will introduce the Canada child benefit, which will give families more than what they are currently receiving and which will also be tax-free. It will be money that stays in families' pockets.

We will be able to keep these promises because we are asking the richest Canadians to do a little more to help balance the wealth in Canada.

After a lifetime of hard work, the people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia and all Canadians deserve a secure and dignified retirement. We will help them reach that goal through a strong and stable retirement income plan. We will work with the provinces and territories, workers, employers, and retiree organizations to enhance the Canada pension plan.

We will also restore the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65. We will increase the guaranteed income supplement for single, low-income seniors. That will put more money in their pockets. What is more, we are committed to establishing the seniors price index in order to measure the cost of living for seniors. We also plan to keep pension income splitting for seniors.

With regard to youth, we plan to get young people involved in government. We will create a Prime Minister’s youth advisory council to provide non-partisan advice to the Prime Minister on issues facing the country. This council will be made up of young Canadians aged 16 to 24 from across the country.

I have already received a letter from Samuel Perreault, a 16-year-old from Mont-Joli who wants to be part of the council. Samuel, Jonathan, Simon, Gabriel, and Christina, along with other engaged and dynamic youth, worked tirelessly to help us throughout the election campaign. These young men and women are the leaders of tomorrow, and I know that with them, my children—our children—are in good hands.

We will also strengthen the employment insurance system to make it more flexible, to provide Canadians with benefits when they really need them, to help people develop the skills they need for their next job, and to ensure that employment insurance reflects our labour market.

We will lower employment insurance premiums to reduce payroll costs for employers and employees. We will reduce the waiting period for employment insurance benefits from two weeks to one.

We will implement higher service standards, including reduced wait times.

As stated in the Speech from the Throne, our government will introduce measures to address infrastructure.

The timing has never been more critical: interest rates for new investments are at historic lows; our current infrastructure is aging; and Canada is in immediate need of a boost in economic growth.

Each year over the next decade we will steadily increase federal infrastructure investment. We will almost double federal infrastructure investment to nearly $125 billion over 10 years. This will be the largest new investment in infrastructure in Canadian history.

Our government will quadruple federal investment in public transit over a period of 10 years. Our funding will respond to what the municipalities need, to ensure that the maximum number of public transit projects are completed in Canada.

Part of the Liberal government's commitment to making an historic investment in social infrastructure is to make affordable housing and seniors' residences a priority. We will also be investing in recreational and cultural infrastructure.

Our plan will spur the construction of more housing and the renovation of existing housing. It will renew existing co-op agreements and provide operational support to municipalities.

We will invest in green infrastructure for projects involving water systems and waste water facilities. We will invest in climate resilient infrastructure, clean energy, and the remediation of contaminated lands for new construction.

We will also be investing in an innovation program. We will provide direct support to incubators and accelerators and research facilities, in addition to providing financing and other support for small companies wanting to grow and export. This funding will also help modernize and strengthen the technology transfer and commercialization functions at universities and colleges.

We will invest more annually to create sector-specific strategies that support innovation and clean technologies in the forestry, fisheries, mining, energy, and agricultural sectors. These strategies will be developed in collaboration with the private sector, government, and research institutions with the objective of producing real innovation that can be deployed in our natural resources sectors, and be commercialized, brought to scale, and exported.

We will invest in clean technology producers so they can tackle Canada's most pressing environmental challenges, whether with respect to our air, our water, or our land. This means we will invest more per year in organizations that have been successful at supporting the emergence of clean technology firms, including Sustainable Development Technology Canada. We will also work in partnership with the private sector to enhance the availability of venture capital for new clean technology.

As stated in the Speech from the Throne, our government will ensure that first nations have access to education and economic opportunities in a way that recognizes and honours aboriginal and treaty rights. We will also close the gap in funding for first nations education.

For instance, we will invest new funding each year in core funding for kindergarten through grade 12 programs. This will include money committed by the previous government that has yet to flow, plus additional incremental funding. Over the next four years this will represent a $2.6 billion new investment in helping first nation students learn and succeed.

We will also invest more money in first nations school infrastructure. We will inject more money in the post-secondary student support program. We will provide new money to aboriginal communities to help them promote and preserve their language and culture.

It is time for Canada to have a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples, based on recognition, rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership. This is both the right thing to do and a sure path to economic growth.

I never imagined that I would get into politics. That was never one of my goals. I am here today because my riding, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, which is in the Gaspé, is facing an extremely difficult economic situation. My region is among the 10 poorest ridings in Canada. My region includes seven of the 10 most disadvantaged cities and towns in Quebec. Our unemployment rate is nearly 17%, and the further east you go, the higher the rate is.

In my riding, we have two great Mi'kmaq communities, Listuguj and Gesgapegiag. I thank them for their support, and I say to them wela'lin, which means thank you.

However, in these communities, the unemployment rate has reached almost 40%.

Families are leaving our region because they are having a hard time finding work. They are leaving our beautiful region and moving to large urban centres like Quebec City and Montreal, where they have a better chance of finding a job. Our industries have slowed to a crawl. Our businesses are shutting down on a regular basis and have been doing so for too long now. Family businesses that had operated for 40 years have shut down. We had a fantastic, established bicycle company located downtown, but it no longer exists.

I got involved in politics to help my region. I worked for the Government of Canada for 17 years, in departments like Justice Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada here in the national capital region, as well as Public Works and Government Services Canada in Matane, where I later ran the CEGEP.

My wife and I have four young boys. I can assure the House that I was not seeking a new challenge or looking for a new job. I truly loved my job, my staff and my students. With my wife Hélène's support, I decided to get involved in politics in order to put my experience and knowledge to work for all our citizens. My riding, the Gaspé and many other regions across Canada like ours need tools and a strong helping hand.

We need to create an environment that will foster the economic development of our region. We need sustainable jobs. We need investments in infrastructure in order to ensure, for example, that the port of Matane is viable in the long term so that we can continue to reap all the benefits of our marine assets; to support the Carleton-sur-Mer wharf overhaul project so that boaters, tourists, and fishers have access to quality infrastructure; and to extend the runway at Mont-Joli airport and decontaminate the land so that it becomes a true regional airport that will support development in the north.

Since 2006, the number of federal jobs in my riding has dropped by nearly 28%. The two ridings that make up the Gaspé and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine have lost more than 100 jobs, which is equivalent to 1,000 jobs in major centres. Jobs have been lost in New Richmond, Gaspé, Pointe-à-la-Croix, Rivière-au-Renard and Mont-Joli. Here is one example of the impact of these cuts. A resident of Mont-Joli had to drive eight hours to Quebec City this week to ensure that her son's passport was renewed in time to travel in mid-December. This woman had initially submitted the forms by mail.

They were unfortunately returned because information was missing. She had no choice but to miss a day of work and drive to Quebec City, in December, so that she could get her application fast-tracked at the Passport Canada office.

This is just one example of how important it is to keep Government of Canada services in the regions. These jobs are important to us. These public servants contribute to our region's economic, social and cultural development. These women and men help employment insurance claimants get their benefits. Workers in the regions digitize documents. These men and women help preserve Canadian archives and make them available. They process all the payments issued by the Government of Canada. They are conscientious, committed, dedicated workers who provide high-quality services to Canadians. These organizations exist because we believed they had potential in the regions.

I would like to create new opportunities to bring back these jobs. I also hope to support the development of various sectors and contribute to them. The government's directions, as set out in the throne speech, are directly connected to my constituents' needs.

I have faith in our region, our young people, our artists, our creators, and our entrepreneurs. I have worked hard in recent years. I will continue to work hard in my new role, with the same energy and determination.

I am proud to be part of this government, and I have faith in it.

I move, seconded by the member for Brampton North, that the following address in reply to the Speech from the Throne be presented to His Excellency the Governor General of Canada:

To His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Chancellor and Principal Companion of the Order of Canada, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Military Merit, Chancellor and Commander of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces, Governor General, and Commander-in-Chief of Canada.

May it Please Your Excellency:

We, Her Majesty's most loyal and dutiful subjects, the House of Commons of Canada, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Excellency for the gracious Speech which Your Excellency has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.