House of Commons Hansard #94 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was yazidis.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order. I would ask the hon. member for Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix to listen to the answer.

The hon. member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot.

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, thanks to Quebec's health minister, we now know that, when it comes time for the Liberals to fund health care, the question is, “What is in it for me politically?”

Is that what it comes down to for the Minister of Health? She should not be playing politics with the health of Quebeckers and Canadians.

Can the minister stand here today and tell us that the government is prepared to invest in mental health as the provinces requested and the Liberals promised?

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Markham—Stouffville Ontario

Liberal

Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, when I spoke to my counterparts, the ministers of health in the provinces and territories, I made it very clear to them that this is not a political discussion. This is about doing the right thing for Canadians. This is about good public policy. I am very committed to the matter of mental health care.

I have a mandate to make sure that Canadians have better mental health care, but I also have a responsibility to make sure that when we invest in mental health care, when we invest home care, when we invest in palliative care, that Canadians will see that they actually get better access to care.

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

NDP

Murray Rankin NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may be walking away from a new commitment to mental health funding. Quebec's health minister said that he was worried that funding for mental illness is not a priority for this finance minister or this Prime Minister because “they don't see a political gain on that.”

While it may not pay off like cash-for-access fundraisers, I can assure the House that for Canadians suffering from mental illness, there is much to gain.

Will the Liberals commit to real negotiations with the provinces based on that rather than based on political calculations?

HealthOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Markham—Stouffville Ontario

Liberal

Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the matter of mental illness in this country, I will never play politics. I know that mental illness affects every Canadian. Every one of us in this chamber is affected by mental illness. This is a very serious matter.

When I met with my counterparts, they wanted to talk about money. I wanted to talk about health. I wanted to talk about how we can actually help Canadians to have better mental health care. I am determined to do that. I really look forward to working with my counterparts to make that happen.

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB

Mr. Speaker, last year the Prime Minister said, “There should be no preferential access to government”, but his finance minister disobeyed that directive with a $1,500 per ticket fundraiser last week.

While Canadians are struggling to put food on their tables and keep a roof over their heads, the finance minister is giving special attention to his fellow rich Liberal friends, who paid $1,500 for the privilege of talking to him.

When will the Liberals stop padding their pockets and start listening to average Canadians who cannot pay his $1,500 entry fee?

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Waterloo Ontario

Liberal

Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism

Mr. Speaker, events like this have taken place and take place in every single political party. It is important that we recognize that this was an open event available to anybody who wanted to purchase a ticket. That is the case. This event was made available online so that everyone was able to see what the information was.

What is important to note is that our party fully complies with the Elections Act in all cases, and that act was put in place by the previous government.

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Liberals prefer to listen to their wealthy donors, not to everyday Canadians.

The finance minister makes life more difficult for struggling Canadian families: more difficult to find a job, more difficult to save, more taxes to pay, more expensive to live. Canadians who have been hurt the most by the finance minister are the least able to pay the $1,500 entry fee for his budget consultations. When will he start listening to average Canadians?

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to say to the hon. member that we have started our pre-budget consultations, and we are going to consult Canadians.

I am very happy to rise in this House today to speak about the great work the Minister of Finance has done in one year. In one year we reduced taxes for the middle class, we introduced the Canada child benefit, we enhanced the Canada pension plan, we invested in student grants, we invested in our seniors, we invested historically in infrastructure, and we invested in innovation. That is the record of this Minister of Finance, and we will continue.

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I am having no trouble hearing the questions, but I am having trouble hearing the answers. I would ask members to settle down, or we may have fewer questions than normal.

The hon. member for Lévis—Lotbinière.

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Mr. Speaker, this government seems incapable of learning from its mistakes. In fact, it continues to engage in secret fundraising activities and to offer wealthy individuals privileged access to various ministers.

Yesterday the Minister of Finance defended the indefensible, and now, apparently the Prime Minister himself will be attending a secret fundraiser tonight in London that does not appear on his official itinerary.

Could the Liberals spend a little more time working on the economy and jobs, and a little less time selling privileged access to their ministers?

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague exactly what we have done.

In one year, our government has achieved an extremely enviable economic record. We reduced taxes for the middle class, we introduced the Canada child benefit, we enhanced the Canada pension plan, we expanded student loans and grants, and we invested in our seniors. We also made historic investments in infrastructure and we invested in innovation. That is the Liberal's economic record, and we will carry on.

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government was elected one year ago and the Liberal Party of Canada is already up to its old tricks.

These are not sunny ways. These ways are clouded by serious ethical problems. Not only are the ministers hosting cash for access events for the rich, but the Prime Minister is doing the same thing this evening.

Is it too much to ask for the Prime Minister to respect his own so-called ethics rules, which he implemented with the help of his cabinet?

EthicsOral Questions

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

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

I would like my colleague to focus on what Canadians want. During our prebudget tours, Canadians told us that they want us to work for the middle class.

In fact, they told us two things: we need to help families and grow the economy. That is exactly what we did by providing the Canada child benefit, cutting taxes, and improving the Canada pension plan. That is what we will keep doing. The Liberals' economic plan is applauded around the world.

I invite my colleague to learn more about it. He will see how much Canada's economic plan is commended—

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order, please. The hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe.

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister defended his cash-for-access scheme, claiming that it was part of the consultation process for the budget. Average Canadians will be disgusted to learn that they now have to fork over a $1,500 donation to the Liberal Party to be heard on the upcoming budget.

If the event was part of the consultation process, as the finance minister claims, will he rise in the House and tell Canadians who attended the event and what was promised to his friends?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for allowing me to talk about the pre-budget consultations.

Last year we did pre-budget consultations with Canadians. I went from Moncton to Yellowknife with the minister. We heard from more than 215,000 Canadians and had 5,300 submissions, and we are continuing. We started our pre-budget consultations in September, the earliest in history. Tomorrow I will be in Quebec City listening to Canadians about want they want for this economy. We will continue to do that, because that is what Canadians want.

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

How much did you have to pay?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

How much did you have to pay, François, to be there?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order, please. I would ask the member for Barrie—Innisfil and others to listen carefully and not interrupt.

The hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe.

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Mr. Speaker, we have learned that at least 20 cash-for-access fundraisers have taken place within this year with senior cabinet ministers and even the Prime Minister. The finance minister defended these shakedowns as part of the consultation process. The finance minister did two of these events in August, and he will be doing another one in November. Even the Prime Minister is doing his own $1,500 cash-for-access event tonight in London, Ontario.

Will the minister come clean about who he is meeting and what he promised his friends, or do I have to give him 1,500 bucks to get an answer?

EthicsOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Saint-Maurice—Champlain Québec

Liberal

François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to respond to the question from my colleague. I actually invite him to Quebec City tomorrow. I can assure him that it will be free, as are all the pre-budget consultations we will be conducting in this country. We are on the road to hear about what matters to Canadians. Canadians want us to listen to them.

The previous government was not able to do what we are doing, which is engaging with Canadians to hear about their priorities and working for Canadians. It is working fine. That is why we are sitting on this side of the House.

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree on the amount of arrogance shown by the Republican candidate when he told Americans that if he does not win the election, then it must be rigged, yet after promising to end our unfair election system in his platform, in his throne speech, and now in the House of Commons many times, the Prime Minister now tells Canadians that because he won the last election, the system must now be perfect.

Canadians are tired of self-serving politicians making promises just to get elected. Will the Prime Minister honour his commitment to make every vote count, or will he use his popularity to trump promises he does not want to keep?

Democratic ReformOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Peterborough—Kawartha Ontario

Liberal

Maryam Monsef LiberalMinister of Democratic Institutions

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his commitment to this file and for the work he is doing on the special all-party committee on electoral reform.

This Prime Minister has, and is, honouring his commitment. We brought together a committee, made up of all parties, to hear directly from Canadians and hear from experts and academics. The member opposite knows well that it will be providing us with a report on December 1 with its recommendations, recommendations we are eagerly awaiting, and we will use that report to make a thoughtful recommendation to this House.