House of Commons Hansard #230 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was s-7.
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, Loblaws has announced that it is going to stop production of products containing microbeads, which are bad for the environment.
This excellent decision reminds us that it is urgent that the government take action to eliminate microbeads. The NDP moved a motion that was adopted unanimously by the House, but the Conservative government has not taken any action since then.
When will the government finally take action?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, Environment Canada has initiated a scientific review to assess the effect of microbeads on the environment. This review builds on the work we have already done to reduce harmful chemicals. Since 2006, we have taken action on more than 2,700 substances under the chemicals management plan, and we are on track to assess 4,300 substances by 2020. We are also putting the issue of microbeads on the agenda of this summer's meetings of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment.
Megan Leslie NDP Halifax, NS
Mr. Speaker, it is really not that complicated. The House unanimously passed a motion calling for Canada to move to eliminate microbeads. There are 40,000 Canadians who have signed petitions to get rid of them, and now Loblaws is taking microbeads out of all of its personal care products. There is a lot of momentum to get this done. This Conservative has failed to take any action at all.
When will the government do what Canadians want and what other countries have already done? When will it take the first steps toward banning microbeads?
Colin Carrie ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the premise to that question. We have taken immediate action. Environment Canada has initiated a scientific review to assess the effect of microbeads on the environment. We have to rely on the science. This review builds on the work we have done to reduce the risk of harmful chemicals.
Since 2006, as I said in French, we have taken action on more than 2,700 substances under the chemicals management plan, and we are on track to assess 4,300 substances by 2020. We are also going to include the issue of microbeads on the agenda of December's meeting of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment. We are taking action; we are not just talking.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, with the Liberals' plan for fairness, all families that earn less than $150,000 a year will receive a larger monthly cheque.
A couple struggling to raise two kids on $45,000 a year will receive $9,850 a year under our plan, compared to $5,900 a year under the Conservatives. We are able to do this because we will not bring in policies that primarily benefit wealthy Canadians.
Why do the Conservatives always refuse to support those who need it most?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader admits that he wants to eliminate the universal child care benefit, the child tax credit and income splitting for families.
Even after all that, he admits that there would be a $2 billion hole in his plan, which he will have to make up for by increasing taxes. Furthermore, a few weeks ago he admitted that he wanted to impose a new $1,000 tax on every worker.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, average Canadians need a break, all of them, including single people and single parent families. Our fairness plan will substantially reduce income taxes for middle-class Canadians, including singles. Our child benefit plan is more generous and simplified and is tax free. Unlike the Conservatives' income splitting, it is not aimed only at a small percentage of families that are so rich they can get by on one paycheque. It reaches a much larger number of families, including single parent families. That is what fairness looks like.
Why is the government failing to do as much?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader admits he will get rid of the universal child care benefit. He admits he will get rid of the child tax benefit. He admits that he will cancel income splitting and replace the family tax cut with his family tax hike, but he also admits that even after all those tax hikes and clawbacks, he is still at least $2 billion short. Economists say the number is much bigger.
We know when Liberals have a financial shortfall what they do. They raise taxes on the middle class, and we are doing exactly the opposite. We are cutting taxes and increasing benefits for 100% of Canadians.
Marc Garneau Liberal Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, the National Post writes that "The Liberals' revamped child benefit appears broader, simpler and better targeted than the Tory plan, without imposing punitive clawback rates”. We are reducing middle-class income tax by a full 7% on top of that.
Unlike the NDP's promises, our plan is fiscally responsible. Unlike the Conservatives', it is fairer and benefits a much larger number of Canadians.
Why does the government not take a leaf from our book?
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeMinister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform
Mr. Speaker, the only thing the Liberals propose is a new tax. They confirmed that they support Kathleen Wynne's payroll tax, which would be $1,000 in extra taxes for every single worker earning $60,000 a year. This is a new tax on every single worker that will hit especially hard for middle- and lower-income people, and it will be matched by the small businesses that employ those people. We oppose the Liberal job-killing payroll tax. We are lowering taxes for workers and families.
Dennis Bevington NDP Northwest Territories, NT
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, on the seventh anniversary of the apology to residential school survivors, the Prime Minister had the perfect opportunity to demonstrate the government's commitment to reconciliation by asking the Pope if he would be willing to issue an apology. Indigenous people are deeply disappointed that the Prime Minister refused to do so, with National Chief Perry Bellegarde saying it was “sad and unfortunate that it did not happen”.
Why did the Prime Minister choose to ignore this critical opportunity to show good faith on the path to reconciliation?
Aboriginal AffairsOral Questions
Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon B.C.
Conservative
Mark Strahl ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, of course the Prime Minister did no such thing.
The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development has written to the provinces, the territories, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and the Vatican to bring to their attention the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The Prime Minister referenced that letter in his meeting with Pope Francis yesterday.
Our government remains committed to a fair and lasting resolution to the legacy of Indian residential schools. As acknowledged by the Prime Minister's historic apology here in 2008, there is no place in Canada for the attitudes that inspired the Indian residential schools to ever prevail again. We will continue to take concrete action on behalf of aboriginal people.
Jonathan Genest-Jourdain NDP Manicouagan, QC
Mr. Speaker, as the saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way.
In this case, the federal government clearly lacks political will, and the provinces are the ones showing the way. For example, Quebec recognized that residential schools were a form of cultural genocide against aboriginal nations. As a result, it is calling on the federal government to take action.
Will the federal government follow the example of these elected officials and show some leadership?
Mark Strahl ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, it was this Prime Minister who issued the historic apology in 2008 on behalf of all Canadians. He said that this was an assimilation policy that had no place in Canada and that we should never let the attitude that inspired that policy to take root in Canada again. It was our Prime Minister who set up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which reported just last week.
We will continue to take concrete action and concrete measures to promote reconciliation between non-aboriginal and aboriginal Canadians.
Alexandrine Latendresse NDP Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Supreme Court, our country's highest court, handed down a unanimous ruling regarding the use of medical marijuana. The ruling had barely been announced when the minister declared, “Frankly, I'm outraged by the Supreme Court.”
Once again, the Conservatives are trying to discredit decisions by our highest court. Unfortunately the Conservatives have a habit of thinking they are above the law.
Will the minister stop denigrating our justice system?
Cathy McLeod ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and for Western Economic Diversification
Mr. Speaker, this expansion of a pre-existing court-imposed program to now include cookies and candies makes marijuana more attractive and accessible to youth and really is reflective of the Liberal campaign to normalize marijuana use. It is really important that most medications in Canada go through a very stringent process in terms of being safe for use.
Another important point is that recent figures showed that St. Paul's Hospital saw 63 patients for marijuana intoxication in one day, and most of them had taken edibles.
Craig Scott NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, this is not just some suggestion the minister can just take or leave. We are talking about a unanimous judgment in Canada's highest court. The Supreme Court carefully weighed the evidence and found that the Conservative government's medical marijuana policies are not in the best interest of public health.
I understand that the Conservatives do not really believe in evidence-based policy and that they love to throw blue meat to their anti-judiciary base, but will the minister now stop attacking the court and do her job to implement the decision?
Cathy McLeod ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and for Western Economic Diversification
Mr. Speaker, medical treatments need to meet strict Health Canada requirements so that patients can be sure that they are safe and effective. It is important that serious researchers interested in investigating the potential benefits of derivatives such as oils should go through a clinical process. Continued normalization through cookies and candies is, in our opinion, something that is going to be very detrimental to the health and safety of Canadians.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Senate is a bastion of entitlement, yet the Conservatives have thrown up their hands and given up. The change is not only possible, it is absolutely necessary. Senators have invented a secret process for disputing the Auditor General's findings, and days after the Senate Speaker promised a new age of openness, he has gone to court to block the release of a potentially embarrassing internal report on residency.
Did anyone in the Prime Minister's office speak to anyone in the Senate about this latest attempt to cover up an embarrassing Senate report?
Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I have already answered that. As members know, it was the Senate that invited the Auditor General to review its expenses, and we expect senators to assist in the process.
At the same time, this member could help us out by turning around and looking at his colleagues and asking the 68 of them who owe taxpayers $2.7 million to repay that money to the taxpayers. It is absolutely unacceptable that the NDP owes Canadian taxpayers $2.7 million for illegal partisan offices and are refusing to pay it back. They ought to do the right thing and pay back the taxpayers.
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, after promising to bring change to the Senate, the parliamentary secretary now clearly thinks it is not a priority. That is not acceptable to Canadians. When asked about the use of public funds to attend his brother-in-law's funeral, one senator replied that he brought “the dignity of the office”. The Auditor General is calling for transformational change, yet the Senate refuses even to confirm how much it is paying arbitrator Ian Binnie.
Why have the Conservatives abandoned their principles and refused to demand accountability from the Senate?
Paul Calandra ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is just the opposite. The Senate invited in the Auditor General to review their expenses. A report has been tabled, and we expect the Senate to work with the Auditor General to implement the recommendations of that report, but what is also on the table is the fact of finding that 68 members of that caucus owe $2.7 million to the people of Canada, and they refuse to pay it back.
The member for Louis-Hébert owes $31,888 and refuses to pay it back. The member for Gatineau owes $24,498 and refuses to pay it back. The member for Hochelaga owes $24,000—
Rosane Doré Lefebvre NDP Alfred-Pellan, QC
Mr. Speaker, we still do not know if the Prime Minister looked into where senators reside before appointing them.
Senators' extravagant expenses are downright shameful. They treated themselves to fishing trips, personal trips for themselves and their spouses, rounds of golf and tickets to hockey games, all on the taxpayer's dime and with impunity. It is high time we got rid of this archaic institution. Most Quebeckers no longer want it.
Will the Conservatives finally stop defending the status quo?
