Debates of Jan. 29th, 2016

Finance

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member on the opposite side for giving me an opportunity to explain that we are going to introduce the Canada child benefit. It is actually going to focus on those Canadians with children who need help. Nine out of ten families with children will be helped through our new benefit, and we will raise hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.

The Environment

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of those same families, earlier this week, the Liberals announced new roadblocks for resource projects. British Columbians are waiting for these important LNG projects to start. Now it will even take longer for these important Canadian jobs to be created in my riding and across the country.

When will the Minister of Environment and Climate Change admit that the Liberals' disdain for natural resource development is hurting British Columbians, British Columbian families, and British Columbian jobs?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change outlined the interim principles by which all projects will need to abide. They essentially are about re-establishing the confidence Canadians have in the process such that we can actually get to the point where our products can be exported. Those principles involve greenhouse gas emissions being associated with the product being fully transparent. They involve proper consultation with aboriginal communities and appropriate community consultation. These are the ways we restore public confidence in the process such that these projects can move ahead.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals promised to reopen marine communication centres in B.C. that were closed by the Conservatives, but the Comox Coast Guard traffic centre is set to close March 31, and the Liberals are still missing in action. The closure will put lives at risk in coastal communities.

The government has a responsibility to keep Canadians safe. Will it commit today to keeping the Comox MCTS centre open?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, marine safety is the top priority of the Canadian Coast Guard. Through modern technology, we have been able to ensure that no communication gaps will be in place and we will still maintain that safety.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative decision to close the Tofina MCTS centre in Ucluelet left coastal communities without protection. My community is still reeling from the sinking of the Leviathan II and the recent loss of lives. This tragedy underlined that having local eyes and ears is essential for coastal safety.

The Liberals promised to restore the coast guard's ability to respond to emergencies, so will they back this up by immediately reopening the Tofina marine communication centre?

[Hunter Tootoo, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate that the Canadian Coast Guard's top priority is the safety of mariners, to make sure there is communication between vessels, and to monitor that safety is there. The technology we have included in the new system guarantees that safety, and it will always be there.

The Economy

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the economy is still fragile, and middle-class families are having trouble making ends meet. People in my riding want a program that will help those who need it most instead of a program that helps rich families. Can the Minister of Finance tell us how he plans to help families more?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our first step was to cut middle-class taxes. That will help nine million Canadians by reducing their taxes and letting them keep more money in their pockets. The second step, the Canada child benefit, will improve things for nine out of 10 families with children. More money for families will help improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of children.

National Defence

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Conservative government was a world leader in providing economic, diplomatic, and military support to our Ukrainian allies. Ukraine's new ambassador to Canada has requested further defensive military equipment to assist in the conflict with Russian forces. President Putin illegally annexed Crimea and continues to place troops in eastern Ukraine.

Will the Minister of National Defence support our allies and provide the Ukrainians with additional military equipment?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, Canada remains committed to our Ukrainian partners. There are currently 200 of our great men and women working alongside the Ukrainian forces in a training role. I will be attending a very important meeting in Europe with our coalition partners in NATO to discuss the future of what we are going to be doing and how we are going to be continuing to support Ukraine.

Foreign Affairs

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that Canada and Russia had common interests.

Our government was concerned with the freedom and territorial sovereignty of the Ukrainian people. The Liberals are interested in supporting a regime that is currently illegally occupying our Ukrainian ally.

Will the Liberal minister continue to enforce and explore additional sanctions on those responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of Donbass.

[Pam Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we stand steadfast with Ukraine and will continue to do what we can to support it.

The Russian interference and invasion of Ukrainian territory is completely unacceptable. In case there is any doubt in anyone's mind, the minister is travelling to Ukraine next week.

We are always interested in constructive engagements with other countries. With regard to Russia, until it demonstrates full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its neighbours, then we are extremely cautious and completely aligned with the Ukraine.

Finance

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, the Minister of Finance started fiddling with the mortgage rules because he was concerned that too many Canadians would be tempted to borrow money now while interest rates were low.

Could the minister explain why he thinks low interest rates make it a dangerous time for Canadians to buy homes for their families, but a great time for Liberals to borrow all they want to fund their out-of-control spending?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that we took action in December to deal with what we saw as pockets of risk in the Canadian housing market.

We understand that Canadians' housing investments are likely the most significant investments that most people will ever make. It is up to us to ensure that we protect that. By taking prudential measures in the housing market, we believe we have ensured the safety and security of Canadians' investments in their homes.

Interprovincial Trade

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, interprovincial trade accounts for 20% of Canada's GDP. The previous Conservative industry minister had made interprovincial trade a key file and was able to broker an agreement with all provinces and territories on the need to break down interprovincial trade barriers.

Unfortunately, the Liberal government makes no mention whatsoever of interprovincial trade in its vaunted mandate letters.

Will the government actually make interprovincial trade a real priority, or will it just admit it has no plan to break down these interprovincial trade barriers at a time when the economy needs a boost?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, let me make it clear to the hon. member that interprovincial trade is an important priority for this government.

Labour

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour tabled a bill to repeal two anti-union Conservative bills that were adopted to attack workers rights. Having long fought against the Conservative bills, we welcome those first steps.

However, major actions were missing in the bill. The Liberals committed to restore good faith bargaining with our public sector service workers.

When will the minister restore the sick days benefit, and the health and safety provision for our public sector workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government is re-establishing a culture of respect for Canada's public service. We are working closely with our public service. Unlike the previous government, we will not prejudice the bargaining process. We will respect the bargaining process and negotiate in good faith.

At the same time, our government is investing in jobs and growth with the progressive mandate to grow the Canadian economy. Therefore, we will negotiate, respecting the fact that we are in a tough fiscal situation, and we will do the right thing.

Official Languages

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there has been a change in government, but nothing has changed when it comes to the use of French. The Translation Bureau keeps shrinking, Citizenship and Immigration does not even bother translating online forms into French, and immigrants have to pay more for language tests in French than in English.

After years of setbacks under the Conservatives, it is not hard to do better.

Will the government get things back on track? What is its plan?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.

Our government takes our country's official languages very seriously. We will certainly develop a new roadmap, which is set to begin in 2018. This summer we will enter into consultations on this process.

The Senate

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the minister characterized my lack of faith in the government's Senate appointments process as being cynical.

Let me suggest, today, that the antidote to cynicism is transparency. There would certainly be less room for cynicism if the government would stop pretending that keeping Senate appointments under the absolute control of the Prime Minister is the only way to avoid reopening the Constitution.

What the Supreme Court actually says in paragraph 50 of its Senate reference is that the Prime Minister's monopoly is only a non-justiciable constitutional convention.

Why does the government not just admit the obvious? It does not want Senate reform. It wants to restore absolute control to the Prime Minister.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, I do understand the nature of the member's cynicism. For 10 years, we saw broken promises, inaction, and incredible disappointment when it came from the Senate.

In the last election, we promised a new merit-based, transparent and open process that would allow Canadians from coast to coast to coast to apply to serve our great country. I am immensely confident in that process. I would suggest the member share that confidence and take a look at how the process will work, take a look at the eminent Canadians who will lead it, and take a look at the incumbents who will come out of it.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly will not be looking at the list of nominees because that is a secret. There would be a great deal less cynicism about the Senate appointment process if the list of nominees would not be treated like a state secret.

The parliamentary secretary's excuse is that nominees who do not get chosen might face job repercussions. He actually said that. No doubt this explains why the Academy Awards wisely keeps secret the list of actors who have been nominated for best actor, best supporting actor, and so on.

It is not just obvious that the only person who is being sheltered from job repercussions is the Prime Minister, who is being sheltered from the public criticism that he will face when he bypasses the best candidate selected by the nomination committee in favour of the one who suits him best?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, I find the comparison between an executive search for the greatest Canadians, many of whom are in sensitive jobs and in precarious situations to explore new forms of employment, to Hollywood movies, which obviously love promotion and love the fact that they are put out there.

This process, which will be led by Canadians of enormous distinction, will ensure that the greatest Canadians, from coast to coast to coast, are able to apply and are to be considered. I have enormous confidence, as I am sure the member will once he sees the outcome of the process and who is appointed, that this process will invigorate the Senate with a new merit-based process.