Debates of Feb. 4th, 2015

Public Safety

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the example the Leader of the Opposition cites indicates that in fact the system works, that CIRC does take its responsibilities very seriously, provides robust oversight, and has noted that these agencies operate within the law.

On top of that, there are additional clauses in this law that require additional powers to be used to seek judicial authorization.

The oversight is there. The oversight is strong. What we need to do is ensure our police and security agencies have the tools they need—that is the real job here—and ensure we are not going after them but we are going after terrorists and jihadists.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister should know that freedom and safety go hand in hand, and it is the duty of any responsible government to promote and protect both. It has to do both at the same time. Instead of that, the Prime Minister has adopted divisive language, attacked anyone who has raised questions, and failed to adopt even the most basic recommendations to improve oversight.

Will the Prime Minister agree to amend this bill to enhance oversight, yes or no?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the bill already enhances oversight.

Obviously, we agree on this side that freedom and security go hand in hand, which is why on this side we support some security measures. How does the leader of the NDP, if he thinks they go hand in hand, explain his opposition to every single security measure we ever put forward? That is not responsible. That is the kind of approach we expect from a party that takes public funds and uses them for party offices.

Infrastructure

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, infrastructure investment creates the jobs--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Order. We are on to the next question. The hon. member for Papineau.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, infrastructure investment creates the jobs and growth we need to build a stronger middle class. Canada's premiers and mayors are asking for more federal investment, but instead, the building Canada fund was cut by 90%.

Will the government scrap its tax break for the wealthy and restore funding for job-creating infrastructure?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we obviously agree that infrastructure is important for economic development. That is why we are running the largest, longest, biggest infrastructure program in Canadian history. Just within the last few weeks I announced additional funds at the federal level to make sure we eliminate the infrastructure deficit.

Unlike the Liberal Party, we do not believe it is necessary to hike taxes on families in order to fund infrastructure. We can have lower taxes, balanced budgets, and investments that will grow our economy--

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

The hon. member for Papineau.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last year the building Canada fund was cut from over $2 billion to only $210 million for the entire country—nearly 90%. This year, as our economy faces new challenges, the fund is still only at $210 million. An April budget means a missed construction season.

Will the government step up and be the partner the provinces and municipalities need it to be?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, here are the facts. Two years ago, the government announced a program of over $70 billion in infrastructure investments over the next 10 years. Just in the last few weeks I announced an additional $6 billion going into just federal infrastructure, most of that to be spent over the next three years. Those are big numbers. Those are the real numbers. I urge the leader of the Liberal Party to familiarize himself with that basic arithmetic.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister insists on giving tax breaks to the rich rather than investing in infrastructure. That is the wrong priority.

The provincial premiers have called for such investments. Canadians need them. Investments in infrastructure would promote job creation and economic growth.

Instead of giving to the rich, will the Prime Minister reverse the 90% cut he is making to infrastructure funding?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we agree that it is important to invest in our infrastructure.

That is why we have a program of $75 billion of infrastructure investments over the next 10 years. It is the largest infrastructure program in Canadian history.

However, unlike the Liberal Party, we do not believe it is necessary to hike taxes on families in order to fund infrastructure.

Our policy involves a balanced budget, lower taxes and targeted investments in areas such as infrastructure in order to promote economic growth.

Employment

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the closure of Target in Canada represents a loss of 17,000 jobs in 133 municipalities. It also affects 1,800 suppliers who are owed over $5 billion by Target. The list of creditors is 44 pages long. Some suppliers will not recover.

The Conservatives have failed to diversify our economy, and Canadians are paying the price.

I will ask the government once again: where is the plan to fight the downturn and stimulate job creation?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, we are obviously all worried about the number of people who have lost their jobs with Target after two years of failure by this American company in Canada.

We have contacted employees to provide all the services they need, including employment insurance, obviously, training programs and job notifications.

We will continue to help unemployed workers while creating jobs with our low-tax policy.

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

Mr. Speaker, the retail sector has often served as a lifeline for workers in other sectors who lose their jobs. However, even these jobs are disappearing.

Furthermore, January and February are not good months to be looking for a job in the retail sector.

Where is the government's plan for all these people looking for work who must continue to pay their bills?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we obviously continue to provide access to the employment insurance program and the training programs that we have enhanced.

We will soon be launching a new job bank that will better match unemployed workers with employers who are hiring. We are working with the provinces to ensure that training programs are better aligned with the labour market.

Ultimately, we must continue to reduce taxes in order to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

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

Mr. Speaker, a lot of these workers are part-time, and they do not qualify for EI. That is the problem they have created.

Job losses are mounting, retail stores are closing, and the Conservatives have no plan and no budget. A hundred and thirty-three Target stores start liquidation tomorrow. Seventeen thousand, six hundred people are losing their jobs. Hundreds of other retail stores are closing, thousands more jobs will be lost, and the minister thinks if he just ignores it, it will go away. Well, it will not.

Canadians need a plan. Where is their plan?

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, our plan has resulted in one of the best job creation records. We have developed, with the creation of 1.2 million net new jobs, one of the best economic growth records of any of the major developed economies.

I do not know what the NDP is suggesting. Obviously we are all concerned for the employees of Target, but is the NDP suggesting that the taxpayers should subsidize this failed American retail outlet in Canada? We do not believe so. To the contrary, we believe we should continue reducing taxes to create economic growth and to create jobs rather than adopting the NDP approach of higher taxes, reckless spending, and bigger debts.

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that plan is not working. The job losses are piling up, and middle-class families are falling further behind.

On top of thousands of jobs lost in retail, 383 workers at Wrigley Canada just found out that the Wrigley manufacturing plant in Toronto is closing. They are losing their jobs, and the Conservatives have no budget and no plan to fix the damage they have done. When will they do the right thing and agree to the NDP's plan to kick-start manufacturing and job creation?

[James Moore, Conservative, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, actual people who work in manufacturing in Canada, looked at the NDP plan that my colleague is talking about, and they said that the NDP plan will put investment and jobs at risk. By contrast, here is what they said about the Conservative approach.

...the programs the Conservative government has put in place do support manufacturing, and do it very well.

We have had the misfortune in this country, in British Columbia and Nova Scotia, a couple of places that have had an NDP government, and we know what the NDP plan and approach is for small business. If someone wants to create a small business under an NDP government, it is quite easy: start a large business and just wait.

Intergovernmental Affairs

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, despite the Prime Minister's claims, the mayors of Canada's major cities are speaking with one voice, and their demands echo those of the provinces.

We have a serious infrastructure deficit. The municipalities need the federal government to invest in infrastructure and affordable social housing. We need to catch up, and this will create more jobs.

Why is the government incapable of working with other levels of government to stimulate job growth and infrastructure development?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, our government has introduced the largest and the longest infrastructure plan in Canada's history, with $75 billion over the next 10 years. This includes the $53-billion new building Canada plan for municipal, provincial, and territorial infrastructure.

We are making record investments and are keeping taxes low. The NDP, in addition to needing to mortgage its own party, it would appear, would also mortgage the future of our kids and our grandkids.

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's big city mayors are calling for an urban agenda. They are looking for collaboration with the federal government to address crumbling infrastructure, a crisis in affordable housing, and funding for public transit, but the Conservatives govern as though cities do not exist, as if 80% of Canadians do not live in urban communities.

Why are they leaving cities to fend for themselves? Why will they not support the infrastructure necessary to build more competitive and livable cities?

[Peter Braid, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government is making record investments in infrastructure. This includes public transit. In fact, public transit is an eligible category under every component of the new building Canada plan. What is more, we respect the jurisdiction of municipalities and provinces. They choose, they identify, their infrastructure project priorities.

We look forward to continuing to work with our partners.