Debates of Oct. 20th, 2016

Housing

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent for his very relevant question.

We are well aware that buying a home is likely the biggest investment that most Canadians will make in their lifetime. That is why, as of December, we took measures to ensure the long-term stability of Canada's housing market.

The most recent measures announced by the Minister of Finance will make the rules governing mortgage insurance consistent and make the tax system fairer by closing loopholes. We are also going to hold consultations. Thanks to these measures, the most valuable asset a family owns will be there in the long term.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is the dream of most young families to own their own home, but the millionaire Minister of Finance is putting that dream out of reach by making it harder to qualify for a mortgage and by introducing a carbon tax to make everything more expensive.

What does the minister have against young families and why is he making it harder for them to get by?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would invite the member on the other side to look at everything we have done for the middle class. The first thing we did was to reduce taxes and opposition members voted against this, but let me answer his question.

We understand for Canadian families that buying a house is the most important investment they will have in their lifetime. That is why we are taking measures to ensure the long-term stability of the housing market in Canada. The measures that we just introduced will make sure that we bring consistency to mortgage rules, improve tax fairness, and protect taxpayers. I am sure that the member believes that those are the right measures to protect people who own a house in this country for the long term.

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

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is borrowing ever increasing sums of money to fulfill the Liberals' tax-and-spend agenda while lecturing Canadians about the risk of using credit and excessive debt when they just want to buy a home.

Why does he keep adding taxes and making it harder for young families to qualify for mortgages, instead of practising what he preaches and reining in his own out of control borrowing? He is the one mortgaging our children's future.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the member understands that when interest rates are low, that is the time to invest. That is exactly what we have done. We have invested in the Canadian economy. I would point out to the member that the IMF, OECD, and the World Bank think what Canada is doing to invest in inclusive growth, to invest in infrastructure, to invest in innovation, is the way to grow the economy. We will continue to do just that.

Status of Women

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is easy to call oneself a feminist, but standing up for gender equality takes action. My colleague from Burnaby South did just that with his bill designed to get more women into federal politics. However, yesterday, 126 Liberal MPs voted with the Conservatives to defeat the bill. Even the Minister of Status of Women voted to defeat the gender equality act. When women make up only 26% of the House, why did the Liberals vote to defeat the bill?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleagues on the opposite side of the bench for their commitment to gender parity, for ensuring that we bring not only more women to participate as candidates but allow them to win and actually come to this place, and once they get here, allow them to succeed and feel like they belong.

While we agree with the spirit of the member's bill, the bill was flawed. I offered to work with the party opposite to bring forward measures after we have heard from the Special Committee on Electoral Reform to ensure the unintended consequences that the bill presented initially are addressed. I remain committed to that and I look forward to working with members.

Indigenous Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals made real promises to first nations that were based upon respect. It has now been a year since the Liberals took power and we have seen nothing but disrespect from the government toward the Nuu-chah-nulth people. The government's own lawyers are trying to restrict and minimize their rights to catch and sell fish on their traditional territory, rights that were upheld by the Supreme Court seven years ago.

When will the Prime Minister take his own promises seriously, show true respect for the Nuu-chah-nulth first nations, and begin fair negotiations?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that we have committed to renewing a nation-to-nation dialogue with indigenous people across the country. I had the privilege of meeting Nuu-chah-nulth leaders in Ottawa in June to continue the dialogue. We respect the rights that the courts have found for these important first nations.

We also believe that, through a nation-to-nation dialogue, we will be able to advance mutually satisfactory interests, in terms of conserving salmon and offering the rights-based access that we respect.

Justice

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister announced his Supreme Court appointment process, he promised that members of the justice and legal affairs committee would have an opportunity to directly engage with the nominee. However, we now learn that nearly half of the members of the committee will not have an opportunity to ask a question, and those who do will be limited to one one-minute question. That is hardly meaningful parliamentary participation.

Why did the Prime Minister break his word yet again?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to stand to speak about Justice Rowe, who is the Prime Minister's nominee, and the historic appointment of the first Newfoundland and Labrador justice to the Supreme Court of Canada.

We are following through with our commitment to ensure an open and transparent process, engaging with parliamentarians. That is why former prime minister Kim Campbell and I are appearing before the justice committee on Monday; that is why, on Tuesday, we are having an open forum wherein the public and members of this House and the other House can engage and get to know the next Supreme Court justice.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government's parliamentary vetting process has about as much credibility as an episode of Judge Judy.

Instead of an opportunity to engage in dialogue, members of Parliament are being invited to the University of Ottawa to be props before a live studio audience for a Q&A hosted by a non-parliamentarian.

Is this the government's idea of meaningful parliamentary participation, or is this an attempt at creating a reality TV show?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the Prime Minister instituting a new process for the appointment of a Supreme Court of Canada justice, where no process existed before.

We have an eminently qualified jurist who is the nominee for the Supreme Court of Canada.

This is an open and transparent process, where there are multiple opportunities for members in this House to engage not only with me, but to engage and ask questions of the next Supreme Court justice. This is a fundamental institution of our system, and the respect conveyed to Justice Rowe is provided on Tuesday, and I look—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Banff—Airdrie.

Democratic Reform

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it seems the Minister of Democratic Institutions thinks she is different from every other Canadian. In fact, her own staff are saying that the rules that apply to every other Canadian do not apply to her.

Of course, I am talking about the minister providing the results of her cross-Canada consultations to the Special Committee on Electoral Reform.

When asked why she had not submitted, her staff said she's not the general public.

It is the same old story: one rule for the Liberals and another for the rest of us.

Why does the minister think she is above the rules that every other Canadian has to follow?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the opportunity to stand to speak in my capacity as member of Parliament for the beautiful riding of Peterborough—Kawartha where, unlike the member opposite, I hosted not one, not two, not three, but seven town halls: two in Peterborough, one in Havelock, one in Buckhorn, one in Douro, and one in Apsley.

The reports from the results of those town halls, where nearly 500 persons engaged, were submitted to the committee on October 14, just like everyone—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

Members know that it is the responsibility—in fact, the duty—of the opposition to ask tough questions, and that is a good thing. However, the rules here provide we do not interrupt when someone is speaking. The member for Chilliwack—Hope and others know that, and I ask them to follow that rule.

The hon. member for West Nova

Justice

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the judiciary plays a key role in Canada. It upholds the rule of law, ensures that laws are followed, and helps protect the rights and freedoms of Canadians.

We recognize that Canadians want and deserve a judiciary that reflects the diverse face of Canada. Would the Minister of Justice please update the House on the superior courts appointments process?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, today I was pleased to announce that we have moved forward to fill urgent vacancies, and I am confident in the outstanding quality of these appointments and their dedication to ensuring that we have just outcomes for Canadians. Further, I am very pleased to announce that we have instituted a new appointments process, which will identify and work toward having a bench across this country that reflects the diversity of Canada, to ensure that we continue to be a leader in the world with respect to our independence and with respect to the quality of our justice system.

Ethics

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were surprised last spring when the agriculture minister appointed a failed Liberal candidate as his chief of staff; they were astonished when they learned she owned $140 million of egg quota; and, they were speechless when they heard the minister say that he sure did not see that as a conflict of interest.

Now Canadians will learn that his chief of staff will be in court next week to face allegations of perjury over the purchase of egg quota. Canadians are curious. How deep does this rot have to go before the minister will act?

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

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

The minister's chief of staff followed all of the relevant codes of ethics to the letter. I therefore do not believe that the chief of staff has done anything wrong.

Rail Transportation

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the Belledune project, the Liberal members from Quebec do not seem to care much about the resolutions adopted by the municipalities calling for an assessment of potential risks to their residents. Some 220 rail cars transport crude oil every day, which is three times more than the number of cars that caused the Lac-Mégantic tragedy.

Since the Minister of Transport likes to boast that rail safety is a top priority, would he rather run the risk of another Mégantic disaster or order an assessment of the project?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, as mandated by the Prime Minister, our government is reinforcing the safety of the rail transportation system. As such, the Minister of Transport is investing $143 million in budget 2016 to improve rail safety and the transportation of dangerous goods. Transportation officials will continue to monitor all federal railways for compliance to ensure safer levels of operation, and will not hesitate to act to enforce enhanced safety regulations.