Debates of Jan. 28th, 2016

Status of Women

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on January 28, 1916, Manitoba women became the first in Canada to win the right to vote and the right to hold provincial office, a historic achievement and the result of decades of struggle led by women like M.J. Benedictssen and, later on, Nellie McClung. Unfortunately, first nations women fought much longer to receive the right to vote in our province and country.

As a Manitoban, I am proud of the way Manitoba women and Manitoba feminists have blazed the trail, from voting to human rights legislation, to family law, to child care, and access to abortion. Today, we acknowledge the women who fought decades ago and who fight every day for equality.

The fight must go on. We must put an end to the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous women, to sexual violence against all women, to pay inequity, to poverty, to the lack of reproductive services, and the continued discrimination that indigenous, racialized, disabled, lesbian, and trans women face every day.

Today, let us be inspired by Manitoba women and take action to make gender equality a reality for us all.

Energy East Project

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the time has come to carefully examine the issue of transporting oil by pipeline.

Of all the ways to transport oil, pipelines are the safest because of their rigorous technical standards for public safety and environmental protection.

In Quebec alone, many thousands of jobs providing a steady income for many families would be created, and more than $900 million in tax revenue would be generated. That is even before the pipeline becomes operational.

The Prime Minister must show leadership on this issue and consult workers, who are the first victims of this new administrative burden.

In these times of economic instability, we must support businesses that create wealth and, above all, our families. This is not the time to stall the process.

Status of Women

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th year of women's suffrage in Canada. On this day a century ago, a savvy group of Manitoba women succeeded in their campaign to give women the right to vote and hold political office, first in Manitoba, and three years later at the federal level, and only by the mid-twentieth century for indigenous peoples.

While we have made great strides since then, including gender parity in cabinet, in 2016 we still have glass ceilings to break. Women in this House represent 26% of all members. That places Canada at number 49 in the world, behind such countries as Afghanistan, Sudan, and Iraq. Together, with multi-party groups such as Equal Voice, we will work toward real parity in all aspects of public life.

Natural Resources

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, our Conservative Party oversaw the approval of four major pipeline projects that created jobs in every region. Yesterday, the Prime Minister showed the hundreds of thousands of people who are out of work across the country that the Liberal government does not understand the problem. The Prime Minister's plan is to add more levels of red tape and a never-ending series of moving goalposts.

Will the Prime Minister admit that his new process is simply designed to block job-creating energy projects?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in the 21st century the only way to get big projects like pipelines built is to do them responsibly and sustainably. That is the lesson we learned from 10 years of the members opposite being unable to deliver for the province of Alberta, unable to get resources to tidewater.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the Prime Minister is going to devastate the western economy with his own NEP, the no-energy program.

We are debating a Conservative motion today that would send a clear signal of support to out of work Canadians. The thousands of families who are enduring job losses need a champion to promote projects that would get them back to work.

The Prime Minister promised more free votes. Will he allow his members from Saskatchewan, Alberta, and New Brunswick to stand up and vote freely? Will he free the member for Wascana?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the motion that the members opposite have put forward is simply a rehash of their failed policies of the past 10 years. Not only did Canadians vote against those policies in the last election but we will vote against those policies today in the House of Commons.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, we cannot create jobs by inventing new barriers and new obstacles.

The Liberal plan that was announced yesterday does nothing to streamline the assessment process or make it more effective. Hundreds of thousands of families are desperate. The energy east project would be good for Quebec's economy.

Why is the Prime Minister more worried about the opinions of celebrities than those of unemployed Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, even after 10 years of failure, the Conservatives do not understand that we cannot create projects without the approval of the community, without working in partnership with the first nations, and without sound scientific evidence to reassure Canadians.

The Conservatives refuse to accept that their approach does not work. Canadians and Albertans deserve better than what the Conservatives are offering.

The Environment

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government said that upstream greenhouse gas emissions would be part of the transition assessment, but the Minister of Environment and Climate Change said that downstream GHGs would also be part of that assessment.

Did the minister misspeak? Could she confirm that downstream emissions will not be considered in the transition process announced yesterday or in the permanent new process that will be announced at a later date?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make it very clear that we consider our climate change obligations to be very serious. We have been clear that in this process we will, in our new interim principles, include upstream greenhouse gas emissions.

I am also happy to announce that I am meeting with environment ministers from across the country today, where we will be framing our new pan-Canadian climate change plan, which will include consideration of downstream greenhouse gas emissions.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, still more uncertainty for people whose jobs are in the balance, unfortunately.

Now there is another area of confusion with the announcement yesterday. The government said that additional roadblocks would be in place for Kinder Morgan and energy east. It also said that the minister would look at all other projects under way in the NEB process and determine if those proponents would also need this additional assessment, which would look like more interference.

Could the minister tell us how he will determine which other job-creating programs and projects will have to undergo this red tape?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians were offered a brand new image, and that was the image of the Minister of Environment and the Minister of Natural Resources standing next to each other talking about sustainably developing the energy sector and the Canadian economy. Since then, many Canadians have told us, including provincial leaders, industry leaders, environmentalists, and others, that this is the better approach and the only way in the long term to develop our resources.

International Trade

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, next week the Prime Minister intends to sign a Conservative trade deal that was negotiated in secret. However, in spite of calling for transparency before the election, the Liberals still have not released any economic impact study on the deal. In fact, according to recent reports, the Liberals are saying that they cannot find any economic impact study on the TPP. Meanwhile, independent studies have suggested that the TPP could cost Canada as many as 60,000 good jobs.

Can the Prime Minister explain why he is willing to sign this deal without having seen an economic impact statement, when tens of thousands of good Canadian jobs are at risk?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, trade creates jobs for the middle class and growth for the Canadian economy. That is why we are a pro-trade party.

On the TPP deal, we have consistently said, throughout the campaign and since, that we will consult with Canadians and allow parliamentarians an opportunity to discuss the impact on their regions and on the future of this country.

In order to do so, however, we cannot stop debate on it. Therefore, we will be signing it as a way to consider it through ratification.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this agreement is bad for workers, bad for farmers, and bad for creators.

The economy is already in bad shape, and now nearly 60,000 good jobs are on the line if the trans-Pacific partnership is signed.

For someone who was elected on a campaign promise of transparency and change, the Prime Minister apparently has no problem signing an agreement negotiated behind closed doors.

Canadians know that signing an agreement signals our intention to abide by it. Does the Prime Minister often sign deals that he does not fully agree with?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this once again gives me the opportunity to explain to the member opposite that signing and ratifying an agreement are two completely different things.

In order to discuss and review this proposal, we have to move on to the next step. The member will then have the opportunity to make his arguments here in the House. We want to continue the discussion and that is why we are going to sign the agreement.

Social Development

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, thousands of Canadian families are struggling. They do not have jobs, do not qualify for employment insurance, and do not have adequate housing.

However, according to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, these Canadians may be forced to wait. Inequality is rising in our society, but the government chose to make tax cuts for the wealthy a priority.

Does the Prime Minister agree with his minister that many people will simply have to wait?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, since January 1, 2016, millions of Canadians have been getting bigger paycheques as a result of our tax cuts for the middle class. To pay for this tax cut, we increased taxes on the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. I am still surprised that the NDP does not support this measure, since we normally all agree with the principle of asking those who are successful to do a little more for those in need.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, here is the fact: in the first 100 days since the election, it was tax breaks for the rich that made the list of urgent priorities, because if they make $200,000 a year, they got the maximum benefit. A family earning $45,000 got nothing.

However, low-income seniors have also been left struggling with their rent and rising grocery bills. This, in spite of Liberal campaign promises to boost the guaranteed income supplement "immediately".

The Minister of Families, Children and Social Development warns, "There will be things that will have to wait”. So the question is clear: is it immediately, or tough luck this time?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian people elected this government with a clear mandate to support our seniors, to grow the middle class, to give help to those who need it by asking those who are doing well to do a little bit more.

That is exactly what we are going to do. I look forward to our Minister of Finance presenting a budget that includes help for seniors, investments in infrastructure, and growth for the middle class.

Ethics

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for Canadian democracy and accountability. This morning, the government announced that it would repeal two fundamental labour laws. The first is the law to allow union members to vote by secret ballot, and the second requires union bosses to be accountable. Today it became clear that the Liberal Party is thanking the big union bosses for spending millions of dollars against the Conservative Party. That is the reality of the Liberal Party.

How can the government go along with this lack of democracy and accountability? It is completely unacceptable.

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, it was my pleasure today to try to right some of the wrongs of the past. Earlier today I introduced legislation in this House to repeal Bill C-377 and Bill C-525, both a direct attack on the Canadian labour movement.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Our government intends to—