Debates of Oct. 24th, 2016

Regional Economic Development

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, those are some excellent central Canadian talking points.

The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has said that a minister from central Canada can best look out for Atlantic Canada's economic development agency at the cabinet table, not someone from Kings—Hants, not someone from Beauséjour, not someone from Bonavista—Burin—Trinity, and certainly not some from Cardigan, someone away from greater Toronto.

When will these silent Liberals stand up to the central Canadian PMO, stand up for the region, and start speaking for Atlantic Canada?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, according to the member's logic, he would want a minister from Atlantic Canada being responsible for Atlantic Canada. How did that work out for the members opposite? How many seats did they win in the last election campaign?

Do members know why? People are sick and tired of these partisan games of pitting one region against the other.

We are investing in Atlantic Canada, we are investing post-secondary institutions, we are investing in businesses, communities, and people. We are proud of our agenda. It is an honour for me to work with outstanding MPs from Atlantic Canada.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, the agriculture minister is silent on another issue as well. His chief of staff is a failed Liberal candidate who owns $140 million worth of egg quota. Canadians shake their heads because the minister has blindly and blatantly ignored this obvious conflict of interest.

This week, his chief of staff faces allegations in court of perjury over the purchase of egg quota and egg grading. This is an issue of integrity.

When did the minister find out about this court case and why has he not removed her as chief of staff?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I am certainly pleased to serve in a cabinet that works for every region in the country. Without a doubt, it is an asset to serve in a cabinet that works for every region. They help me and I help them.

My chief of staff is an outstanding member of her community, a successful lawyer and businesswoman, and has been named the citizen of the year in her community. She has deep commitment to Canadian agriculture and Canadian service.

I am fortunate to have her. So is Canadian agriculture.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[TJ Harvey, Liberal, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the 2016 Canadian harvest and the farmers who produce it, would the minister inform the House what steps our government is taking to invest in agriculture across this country, from coast to coast to coast?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for all of his hard work on the agricultural file.

Our government has invested nearly $70 million in agriculture research and infrastructure, gaining access to key markets around the world, a record $60 billion in exports, and given $27 million to help farmers reduce greenhouse gases.

We will continue to work with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and our stakeholders to make sure that Canadian agriculture thrives in this country.

Justice

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian police officers work hard and put their lives on the line every day to serve and protect Canadians. That is why they have earned a position at the table on the federal Judicial Advisory Council. Now, the Prime Minister has decided to revoke that membership.

Why is the Prime Minister showing such disrespect for the men and women who serve and protect Canadians, and will he reconsider this bad decision?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate being able to speak to the new appointments process for superior court justices across the country. We certainly recognize and respect law enforcement officers for the work they do.

The purpose of the new judicial advisory committee is to open up the process to be more public and more transparent and to ensure that we are making a concerted effort to ensure that there is diversity on the bench so Canadians can see themselves in terms of the judges they see.

Aerospace Industry

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that Bombardier will be cutting 2,000 Canadian jobs, including 1,500 in Quebec alone. That is a huge blow to our economy.

For the past 10 months, this government has been saying that it supports Bombardier, but what has it put on the table? Nothing. What do workers want? They want to keep their jobs.

Will the 40 Liberal members from Quebec get off their butts? Will they go and see the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and get him to finally unveil his plan for Bombardier?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I disagree with my colleague. Our government understands the importance of the aerospace industry. That is why we made a commitment to Bombardier. I am very confident that we can find the right solution for Bombardier, the aerospace industry, and all Canadians.

Taxation

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, I am very concerned about allegations that wealthy Canadian taxpayers avoid paying their fair share of taxes, particularly in the real estate sector.

Can the Minister of National Revenue tell the House what this government has been doing to prevent tax avoidance in connection with real estate transactions?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question.

Canadians engaging in tax avoidance is unacceptable. Our government has redoubled its efforts to stop them. Over the past year, the Canada Revenue Agency has conducted real estate audits in British Columbia and Ontario and collected $240 million in unpaid taxes and over $12 million in penalties.

I can also report that the agency stepped up its efforts in the Vancouver area. We now have 70 auditors looking into real estate transactions in British Columbia and Ontario.

Our government is working hard to defend the interests of middle-class Canadians—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Edmonton West.

Public Services and Procurement

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services told us in committee last month that the backlog of 82,000 government employees affected by the Liberal Phoenix pay fiasco would be cleared by October 31. We are now being told by the minister that they will fail to meet this deadline.

It is unacceptable that some employees are waiting months and months to get paid. Why does the minister keep making promises she knows she cannot keep, and when will she call in someone who will actually get the job done?

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing public service pay problems are completely unacceptable. Many employees across the public service are facing financial hardship because of the current pay issues.

Department employees are working tirelessly to meet the deadline, but we are tracking behind our project's schedule. Resolving these cases is our priority.

International Trade

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the free trade agreement with Europe is important to Quebec. Our role is to be the bridge between North America and Europe. However, the government's intransigence is standing in the way. Now the Walloons are worried about ceratin provisions of the agreement that could allow multinationals to impede the sovereignty of states. Those fears warrant further attention.

Instead of slamming the door, could the Minister of International Trade not remain open and continue the negotiations until a deal can be reached?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the deal had stalled under the previous government and we got it back on track. It is now supported by 27.5 of the 28 member states of Europe. As the President of the European Parliament said, “...it's quite clear that the problems on the table are European problems”.

Canada has done its job, and now it is up to Europe to do its part.

Health

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it took closed doors for the Minister of Health to be transparent. It seems that Ottawa is refusing to increase health transfers because the Minister of Finance does not see any political advantage to doing so.

When it comes to helping the sick, there are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies or Canadian flag cheques in the mail. It does not please the Minister of Finance. That is pretty weak.

Can the Minister of Finance get serious and stop holding the sick hostage because they do not score enough political points for his taste?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my counterparts and I reiterated our commitment to providing stable, predictable funding for health care.

Canadians expect us to work together to improve our health care system. They also expect health investments to truly go to health.

We will continue to collaborate on building a system that meets the needs of Canadians.

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals invest in health once they have calculated how much they stand to gain politically. According to the Minister of Health, the only thing the Minister of Finance wants to know is how much can be gained politically by the health transfers. It is so cynical it feels like an episode of House of Cards.

Does the Minister of Finance realize that his little political calculations could jeopardize the health of those who are ill in Quebec?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I will never play games when it comes to health. Health is a very important issue to Canadians.

When I met with my counterparts last week, we talked about how to improve the health care system. We are interested in investing in health, but health investments need to go directly to health.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

That concludes question period for today.

Global Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaties entitled Film Coproduction Treaty between the Government of Canada and the Government of the People’s Republic of China, done at Beijing on August 31, 2016; and the Canada-New Zealand Audiovisual Coproduction Treaty, done at Toronto on September 11, 2016.

An explanatory memorandum is included with each treaty.

Criminal Code

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

moved that Bill S-217, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (detention in custody), be read the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in this House to introduce Bill S-217, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (detention in custody), also known as Wynn's law, which last week passed the Senate by a very wide margin.

In December 2015, Constable David Wynn was shot and killed in St. Albert by an individual who was out on bail, notwithstanding that the individual had more than 50 prior criminal convictions, multiple outstanding charges, and numerous failures to appear, yet none of that information was brought to the attention of the justice of the peace at the bail application hearing.

Bill S-217 seeks to close this glaring loophole in the bail application process by requiring the crown to read evidence of past criminal convictions, outstanding charges, and failures to appear. There is no doubt in my mind that had Wynn's law been the law, Constable Wynn's killer would have remained behind bars where he belonged, and Constable Wynn would be alive today.

I urge this House to join the Senate in the speedy passage of this important legislation.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Taxation

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by over 25 campers who stayed at Gordon's Park Eco Resort on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, which is located in the beautiful riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing.

The petitioners call on the government to ensure that campgrounds with fewer than five full-time year-round employees continue to be recognized and taxed as small businesses.