House of Commons Hansard #98 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was immigration.

Topics

2 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Hochelaga.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Tax HavensStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Bloc

Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, today is a historic day. For the first time, we, the people's representatives, will vote either for or against tax havens.

Those who vote for my motion will be sending big Canadian and multinational banks the message that they can no longer hide their profits in Barbados. Those who vote against the motion will be encouraging them to do it, and with the blessing of the political class.

If there are those among us who truly believe that the use of tax havens is desirable and appropriate, this affects them. However, I urge them to remember that we are speaking on behalf of the people, who find tax havens disgusting. They feel they are working harder than ever while being squeezed to the last drop as they watch the quality of government services decline. They feel the game is rigged and our institutions and society are corrupt.

Members must figure out for themselves what their constituents expect them to do.

International DevelopmentStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Iqra Khalid Liberal Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON

Mr. Speaker, responding to an invitation from Engineers Without Borders, I had the opportunity to visit Kenya with the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill. What we witnessed there was extraordinary: creative minds strategizing ways of impact, economically and socially.

I met a woman entrepreneur, innovating for the success of her small business, and children striving toward excellence. They are future doctors, lawyers, and tradespeople. I saw it in their eyes; if they get the opportunity, they will succeed.

I speak from experience. Twenty-five years ago, I was a girl child striving for opportunity in a developing country, uniform dusty but eyes gleaming.

Today I am even more committed to working with the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie to further the partnership between Canada, Kenya, and other African nations. As a donor country, Africa is and should remain a priority for us.

BarrieStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business recently named Barrie the third most progressive city, out of 122 in the country, for entrpreneurial startups in 2016.

Tech companies like FreshSpoke and gShift, web designers Tyger Shark, fresh food producer Not Yer Granny's Granola, realtors March and Joanna Faris, the Mortons of KKP, and Chad and Sandra Ballantyne of The Creative Space, are just some of the examples of excellence in local entrepreneurship.

I commend Barrie city council, Zvi Lifshiz of Invest Barrie, and many others for their focus on supporting the creation of startups and for promoting a sound environment for jobs and job growth.

These small businesses are not vehicles for rich people to avoid paying taxes, as the Prime Minister believes. They are the drivers of jobs and the lifeblood of our economy.

Raising taxes on small business is the wrong approach, and the government's tax-and-spend agenda puts the success of these companies in jeopardy.

ANCOP CanadaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Peschisolido Liberal Steveston—Richmond East, BC

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, October 11, I met with some representatives from ANCOP, an organization that helps families, children, and homeless people. This organization is there to meet the needs of the poor.

ANCOP, which literally means Answering the Cry of the Poor, builds homes, feeds the hungry, and educates children in Canada and all around the world.

Alex Boquerin and Willie Sinconegue, along with others in our Filipino community, are proud of their Filipino background yet are fiercely Canadian. They remind us of the importance of family, faith, and social justice.

We thank ANCOP for its service to our community. It is truly a testimony to the values and principles we all hold dear.

Liber Ero Fellowship ProgramStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC

Mr. Speaker, as an ecologist, I know how important scientific research is to this country, particularly that done by young scientists, with their brilliant curiosity, exploring the world through fresh eyes.

That is why I was so happy today to meet with the Liber Ero fellows. These young Canadian post-doctoral scientists tackle management challenges and conservation issues with novel analyses, novel perspectives, and novel collaborations on subjects as diverse as climate change, marine ecosystems, grasslands, birds, butterflies, bumblebees, and bats.

This program takes its name from the Latin words for “I will be free”, reflecting the importance of independent research.

They are here in Ottawa to learn how the results of their studies can be heard in the halls of government.

I can assure this House that we will be hearing regularly from them and from the new fellows who join their ranks year by year.

Outstanding CanadiansStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Jean Rioux Liberal Saint-Jean, QC

Mr. Speaker, the grandest gestures and the simplest things can both make a tremendous difference in our everyday lives.

Some people, like Lilianne Bessette, risk their lives. This young woman from Saint-Jean saved a man's life, and was awarded the Medal of Bravery, one of the highest honours in the country. Others, like Dr. André Gamache, help disaster victims. He helped Haitians in the village of Labrousse rebuild their village, and was just awarded the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers for his efforts.

Every day, community groups work hard, often behind the scenes, to help people confront the various challenges they face with some dignity. These pillars of our society do not always get the recognition they deserve, so I want to thank them here today. Their efforts inspire us and help us pursue our work while remembering our duty, which is to make Canada a better place.

Stanley CupStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Gord Brown Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow at one o'clock in the afternoon, the Stanley Cup will be in Brockville, Ontario, in my riding of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. It will be on display in the 1000 Islands Mall, just steps from my constituency office, for just over an hour.

It will be displayed by Randy Sexton, a Brockville native who is currently the Pittsburgh Penguins' director of amateur scouting. A Brockville and Area Sports Hall of Fame member, it was not Mr. Sexton's skills on the ice that led him to be part of a Stanley Cup winning team. Rather, he says, his character, team-first attitude, competitiveness, and passion made the difference. It is those attributes that he likes to instill in youth today.

He looks forward to displaying the cup in his hometown to help inspire people. As he said, “I hope somewhere along the line that even if it's one person...one child, one teenager...I can inspire them to dream big”.

University in BramptonStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Raj Grewal Liberal Brampton East, ON

Mr. Speaker, today is a great day for Brampton and a great day for Canada. The Province of Ontario announced this morning that Brampton will be getting a much-needed university, a university that is going to create over 1,800 permanent jobs in Brampton. I want to congratulate Mayor Linda Jeffrey and all of city council for working so hard to get this much-needed university to Brampton.

I also want to congratulate my fellow members of Parliament from Brampton, who have worked very hard over the past year to ensure the important decision by the Province of Ontario to award the university to the city of Brampton. I look forward to building a world-class university in the city of Brampton. I invite everyone in this House to visit our university once it is built in the near future.

Most important, today is the opening night of the Toronto Raptors season. Go Raptors, go.

New Liskeard Bikers ReunionStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON

Mr. Speaker, the 2016 New Liskeard Bikers Reunion took place in my riding from July 1 to 3 and was once again a resounding success. For 15 years, motorcycle enthusiasts from across North America have made the pilgrimage to New Liskeard, Ontario to join the Freedom Ride and help raise money for the local community cancer care program.

The businessman responsible for organizing the event, Barry Phippen, announced that, after 15 years, this year will be his last.

From its very humble beginnings in 1999, Barry was the heart and soul of this annual event, which attracted more than 6,000 bikers and 25,000 visitors to the area. This year, $165,000 was raised, bringing the 15-year total to over $1 million.

I would like to thank Barry and his team of volunteers for their hard work and dedication to this extraordinary cause. The world needs more Barry Phippens.

Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—CharlevoixStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC

Mr. Speaker, just over a year ago, the people of Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix put their trust in me to represent them here in Ottawa.

It has been a year of pure joy working with mayors, reeves, organizations, and people from all around the riding; a year of discovering all that the majestic St. Lawrence and its back country have to offer, as well as its best kept secrets. What can I say about all the walking trails that provide us with such unforgettable moments of wonder?

I want to thank all those who gave me the opportunity to be their voice here in Ottawa. Today I want to confirm my commitment to giving our riding its rightful place. A special thanks goes out to my family for allowing me once again to live my dream.

DiwaliStatements By Members

October 26th, 2016 / 2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend I had the honour of attending a wonderful Diwali gala hosted by the Vedic Hindu Cultural Society in Surrey under the leadership of president Satish Kumar, Parshotam Goel, Munish Goel, Karan Goyal, and Kapil Goyal.

For Hindus, Diwali is a time to remember the release from exile of Lord Rama, his wife, and his brother. For Sikhs, the celebration known as Bandi Chhor Divas marks the anniversary of Guru Hargobind Ji's freedom from imprisonment and return to the Golden Temple.

To all in Surrey-Newton, and across the country celebrating this Sunday, I wish them and their families a very happy Bandi Chhor Divas and a very happy Diwali.

Société franco-manitobaineStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

Mr. Speaker, on October 13, I attended the annual general meeting of the Société franco-manitobaine. The francophone community members at the meeting were pleased with the return of the Mobilité francophone program for encouraging francophone immigration. It also indicated its desire to see the return of the court challenges program. The community talked about overcoming the challenges of recruiting francophone immigrants, an important issue being studied at the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Tomorrow evening, the SFM will hold a special general meeting to vote on adopting a strategic plan, the result of the estates general consultations undertaken by the community a year ago. The goal is to ensure our vitality for future generations.

Ours is a tenacious, vibrant, and diverse community, and I am extremely proud to be a part of it.

Natural ResourcesStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, each day, over 600,000 barrels of oil are imported into eastern Canada. The top source countries are the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Nigeria, Norway, and Angola.

The oil, which arrives via large tankers and rail, represents millions of dollars taken out of the Canadian economy every single day.

The math here is simple. Oil is already being used, but it is not Canadian oil. Not a single greenhouse gas emission is being reduced.

Simply allowing the market to switch to Canadian oil would increase Canadian jobs, increase funding for Canadian health care, education, and other social programs, and increase our own control over the environment. These are undeniable wins on all counts for all Canadians.

Energy east would create thousands of jobs across the country, and bring in billions of dollars in tax revenues, desperately needed as the Liberal government grapples with budget deficit projections that seem to increase almost daily.

It is time for the Prime Minister to show some leadership on this file for the good of all Canadians.

The Veterans Among Us CampaignStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Karen McCrimmon Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, today, one in 35 Canadians is a veteran. Generally speaking, they are younger and more diverse than in the past. If they are not in uniform, most Canadians would not recognize them.

As part of the “Veterans Among Us” campaign, veterans of the Canadian Forces and RCMP are asked to wear their medals and insignia on November 1 and 30.

I hope all Canadians will take the time to express their appreciation to these veterans, who are so deserving of our recognition. I would like to encourage my colleagues, during this month of remembrance, to honour their sacrifice through action and leadership in the chamber, based on our respect for each other.

I invite all Canadian Forces, RCMP, and first responder veterans, including my colleagues in this place, to wear their medals and insignia on November 1 and 30 in honour of all who have served.

Hate CrimesStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Thomas Mulcair NDP Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, hate crimes targeting Muslim Canadians have tragically become more frequent in recent years. Each time we hear of another, it weighs heavily on our hearts.

We know that Canada is fundamentally a country of peace.

We celebrate diversity and differences. That is part of who we are. However, we must protect these values. The sparks of hatred must be put out. History has taught us that we cannot stand idly by.

We need to fight against hatred targeting any group of people because of their religion, ethnicity, language, or sexual orientation.

We must actively fight hate perpetrated against the Muslim community, and denounce, in this House, lslamophobia in all of its forms.

On behalf of all New Democrats, I offer my support to the Sept-Îles Muslim community and remind all Muslim communities across Canada that we are here for them.

The EconomyStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Mr. Speaker, reading the latest Parliamentary Budget Officer report, I could not help but notice that the PBO stated that had the Liberal government not booked increased Liberal spending in the 2015-16 fiscal year, the government would have reported a $2.9 billion surplus.

I mention this as the finance minister has contested this fact multiple times. I hope now that the facts are known, the finance minister will correct the record that the government was, in fact, left a surplus.

We also know that yesterday the Prime Minister was quoted as saying he would not break his promises, yet the Prime Minister was elected on a promise to run a modest $10 billion-a-year deficit budget.

The fact is that we know these Liberal promises have been broken. It is small wonder that young workers yesterday were protesting against the Prime Minister as, ultimately, they know they will be the ones paying the bill.

My constituents would also like to see the Liberal government keep its promises, including the election promise of a balanced budget by the 2019-20 fiscal year.

Indigenous AffairsStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Yvonne Jones Liberal Labrador, NL

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the agreement reached last evening between the Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and the lnnu Nation, Nunatsiavut Government, and the NunatuKavut Community Council regarding Muskrat Falls.

A number of concerns surrounding human health, indigenous food security, and environmental protection were addressed after 12 hours of negotiations by strong leadership on all sides.

Make no mistake, the deal reached last evening sets a new standard for indigenous relations in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is an issue of grave importance to our communities, one that we care deeply about as Labradorians, and one we know that our government and Canadians care deeply about as well.

I look forward to seeing these continued partnerships between all leaders, all governments, and all people in our province.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, while the battle to re-take Mosul from the Islamic State is under way, the Prime Minister is not being transparent with Canadians about our role in these combat operations. He called it a training mission, but we have learned through social media that our troops are on the front lines and engaging the enemy. This is serious.

Why is the Prime Minister withholding information about our true role in this conflict instead of being transparent and admitting our troops are engaged in combat?

Canadians should not learn about this on Twitter.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians can be proud of the men and women of the Canadian Forces, who continue to step up, and put their lives on the line in places all around the world while they stand for our values.

The fact is we have sent them on a mission that is important in terms of supporting, assisting, and training the local forces to take back their towns and communities.

We are engaged, as we predicted we would be engaged, in a mission that is dangerous, but very important to make sure that Canada does its part in the fight against Daesh.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, we support our troops 100%, but this is about transparency.

It has been a regular practice for the government to provide technical briefings to the media, and to Canadians when our soldiers are deployed in battle. Top commanders were made available to explain the threat that our soldiers faced. The Prime Minister has changed that policy for political reasons. He promised to end a combat mission that he is actually expanding.

Will the Prime Minister be transparent, and resume these briefings, so Canadians can know exactly what our men and women in uniform are facing?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we have changed somewhat the approach of the previous government. We will not put our men and women of the Canadian Forces in harm's way for communications purposes.

We remain open and transparent about what this mission is, and about the extraordinary work they are doing, but we will not compromise their safety for a communications exercise here at home.

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the television show J.E. reported troubling facts about discrimination against members of the Canadian Armed Forces based on their sexual orientation.

The Prime Minister is aware of those facts because the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent personally handed him a letter from Lucie Laperle on this very subject on March 21.

Seven months later, Ms. Laperle has still not heard back from the Prime Minister. Why has he not yet responded to these veterans?

National DefenceOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we are always very concerned about discrimination and intolerance, wherever they are happening.

With regard to the troubling report about the Canadian Armed Forces, we are looking into it. As members know, this government is always prepared to stand up for the rights and freedoms of each and every person, particularly those in vulnerable communities.

EthicsOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Sturgeon River—Parkland Alberta

Conservative

Rona Ambrose ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister put in place rules, in black and white, regarding ministerial conduct for fundraising. He did this because he knows that it is wrong to have ministers charging $1,500 on behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada to have a meeting on a government file. Yet, that is exactly what is happening. Sadly, the people of Ontario know this very well.

Is the Prime Minister now taking fundraising advice from Kathleen Wynne?