Debates of Oct. 28th, 2016

Fisheries and Oceans

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Madam Speaker, holy mackerel.

Fishermen in Atlantic Canada were caught off-guard by the mackerel fishery closure on October 14. This closure was unexpected. Neither DFO nor the government warned Atlantic fishermen or explained the reasons for the closure.

Atlantic fishermen and coastal communities deserve an explanation. Why was the Atlantic mackerel fishery closed without consultation or warning, and when will it be reopened?

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, I am very aware of some fishers' concerns about their access to mackerel and bait. Our department is working with them to try to find a solution to this problem.

The department closed the entire fishery in Atlantic Canada on October 14 in order to assess the total commercial catch in Canadian waters in 2016. The assessment indicates that mackerel catches in 2016 are within the range set for the year. There are no plans to reopen this fishery this year in order not to exceed the catch limit established. The department manages the fisheries to ensure that they are sustainable and to protect the resources we have.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Madam Speaker, I moved a motion in the House to condemn the legal use of tax havens by banks and multinationals. My motion is universally supported in Quebec. Students, workers, nurses, teachers, public servants, consumers, and citizens all support it. It has even been presented again at the provincial level and supported by all elected officials in Quebec from all parties. However, all the Liberal members oppose it but one.

When will the government start representing the population instead of Bay Street and reconsider its shameful position?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Madam Speaker, with regard to the Canada Revenue Agency's services, I can say that, with the historic $444-million investment, we have put all of the necessary measures in place to deal with people who do not pay their fair share of taxes, and we are going to keep our promise.

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is shameful. It is as though the government is setting up more speed traps but eliminating speed limits. The government has mastered the art of catching waitresses who do not report all of their tips, but it is authorizing banks to hide billions of dollars in tax havens. When we talk about banks, all we get is radio silence from the Liberal Party.

Can the government explain to people who work and pay taxes why banks are encouraged to commit the same acts that would send any ordinary Canadian to prison?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Madam Speaker, middle-class Canadians have a right to be upset about the fact that some companies are not paying their fair share of taxes and wealthy taxpayers are evading their obligations. We have invested a historic amount of $444 million precisely to continue putting all the necessary measures in place to ensure that people pay their fair share of taxes and that Canadians are happy with their government.

Natural Resources

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday, the finance minister of Newfoundland and Labrador used “Canadian values” to justify an increase to the federal government's loan guarantee for the Muskrat Falls hydro project.

Can someone explain what these Canadian values are exactly? Forcing Quebec to accept a pipeline without its consent, is that part of Canadian values? Is using Quebeckers' money to fund a project that will compete directly with Hydro-Québec part of Canadian values?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, as I said yesterday, this project will provide a source of clean, reliable energy to meet the needs of the Atlantic provinces. We will continue to follow up on this, and we are working closely with the provinces and the proponents. We are currently discussing the matter with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No decision has yet been made.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Madam Speaker, I still find this hard to understand. Zero dollars for Quebec shipyards out of $100 million in contracts and cutting health transfers while imposing conditions in an area under Quebec's jurisdiction. Does that fit with Canadian values?

Anglicizing Quebec and leaving the forestry and dairy industries to their own devices. Does that fit with Canadian values?

Which Canadian values justify Quebec helping to finance unfair competition with Hydro-Québec?

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

Madam Speaker, I cannot comment on discussions that are under way between the federal government and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, but I can answer that bizarre and outrageous question.

The member just suggested that no partnership exists between the federal government and Quebec. That is ridiculous. Through the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, we are working to build a great economic future for the province of Quebec. We are investing in businesses all across Quebec. The minister was there a few weeks ago with help for the aerospace industry. I can assure the House that our government will—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order, please. That concludes question period for today.

Oral Questions

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, during question period, I made reference to the “Labour Market Assessment, 2016” of the parliamentary budget officer. It demonstrates that Canada lost 6,000 net full-time jobs in the last year; that Canada also lost 20,000 manufacturing jobs, despite a low dollar; and that contrary to the 200,000 additional jobs that were being added in the last five years of the previous government, job growth has now come to a grinding halt.

I wonder if I could seek the unanimous consent of the House to table this important report by the parliamentary budget officer.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to table the document?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

There is no unanimous consent.

Foreign Affairs

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

Madam 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 treaty entitled Amendment to Annex I of the International Convention Against Doping in Sport, notified on October 14, 2016. An explanatory memorandum is included with the treaty.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, following the usual consultations among all parties, I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion:

That the Sixth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, presented to the House on Wednesday, October 5, 2016, be amended by replacing the last line of the second paragraph on page 9 with the following:

“They might be facing refoulement, forced return to their country of origin, or they may be detained because refugees are not supposed to be detained because they are refugees.”

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

(Motion agreed to)

The Environment

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise again in the House today to present more petitions on behalf of the constituents who reside in Shawnigan Lake in my riding of Cowichan—Malahat—Langford.

These residents are petitioning the federal government for some assistance concerning a contaminated soil dump in their area. They would like the federal government to act and to bring into force section 35 of the Fisheries Act to help protect their important and critical watershed.

Palliative Care

[Jim Eglinski, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, I wish to present two petitions, both dealing with palliative care.

They highlight the fact that the House of Commons in the last Parliament unanimously supported a motion calling on the government to create a national strategy on palliative care. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on this Parliament to carry on that work and to create a national strategy on palliative care to make sure that every Canadian has an opportunity to have high-quality palliative care at the end of his or her life.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Questions Nos. 376, 392, and 477.