Debates of Nov. 14th, 2016

National Defence

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the reality of sexual trauma in the military is public knowledge. Canadians know that sexual assault is wrong no matter where it is done and no matter who does it.

The women and men who have suffered while serving this country are asking for two simple measures: post online what help and services are available; and screen all exiting Canadian Forces members for post traumatic stress and inform them of the available assistance for military sexual trauma.

Will the government implement these simple requests?

[Karen McCrimmon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for asking this question, because these are important questions that we all need to share.

Right now we have a website that is up and operating, so a list of services is there.

We know that we need to improve our outreach and the availability and accessibility of the website, and that is exactly what we are working on.

Indigenous Affairs

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Charmaine Stick is a courageous band member from the Onion Lake Cree Nation. When she heard about financial trouble with the band, she demanded answers from her leadership. They refused. She went on a 13-day hunger strike. She is now going to court to force the disclosure of salaries, expenses, and financial statements.

Does the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs realize that by failing to enforce the First Nations Financial Transparency Act she is complicit in hiding this information?

Why is the minister forcing band members to go to court for basic information?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, everyone, including first nations governments, wants increased transparency and accountability. However, we will only achieve this by working in full partnership with first nations leaders and organizations.

With regard to this situation, I have asked my department to look into it and report back to me.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the situation in Onion Lake is about to get worse. Charmaine reports that the leadership stopped development of dozens of new housing units, claiming that there was no money. How would they know? They do not have access to basic information. They have not seen the books.

This paternalistic approach of the minister is deplorable. The community members deserve to be empowered and know what is going on with their money.

When will the minister enforce the First Nations Financial Transparency Act and provide basic information that all other Canadians enjoy?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is additional information in that case that the member ought to know.

I will be happy to have that conversation with the member privately, because I think it is hugely important that we understand that what is put in place is very important in terms of transparency and accountability and that we develop a system that works for all bands.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's excuses to shut down the Vegreville immigration office do not add up. He claims that there is a strong business case, but there was no cost analysis, and that there will be a net gain of jobs. However, the hundreds of immediate and spinoff job losses will devastate the town and region.

The minister claims that everyone will get a job in Edmonton, but only permanent, full-time employees will be covered. More than half will not.

Will the minister immediately reverse this edict and keep these rural jobs in Vegreville?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we do share the concerns of the people of Vegreville, but it has to be understood that the government inherited a completely broken immigration system, so our priority has to be to improve service, to reduce processing time, and to spend taxpayers' money wisely. In making the move from Vegreville to Edmonton, we are in fact increasing the total number of jobs in Alberta. All the employees in Vegreville, permanent and temporary, will be offered jobs in Edmonton. This is something that has to be done for efficiency—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Scarborough Centre.

Public Safety

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am a member of a Muslim community that has too often in the past not been part of the discussion when it comes to designing a national security framework. We are proud Canadians who want to keep the country we love safe and free.

Can the Minister of Public Safety please tell the House how he is ensuring that all communities are involved in the current national security review?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, our national security consultations must be open and inclusive, and they are. I have met with Muslim Canadian organizations personally, and my parliamentary secretary met just last week with the South Asian community in the member's riding of Scarborough Centre. That process will continue. Meanwhile, our online consultation has attracted more than 10,000 submissions.

Canada is strengthened by its diversity, and it is in partnership with all Canadians that we are working to keep our country safe, and equally, to safeguard the rights and freedoms we all hold dear.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, against the advice of the public service, the Prime Minister lifted the visa requirement for Mexico. He did this without taking any steps to prevent a new rush of false asylum claims, as Canada experienced before the visa requirement was put in place.

Last week, his officials once again warned him that Canada might see a huge spike in false asylum claims, yet he remains committed to a rush lifting of this requirement.

The Prime Minister's first priority on this issue should be safeguarding the integrity of Canada's immigration system, but it clearly is not. Why?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, this visa lift was brought about to strengthen our ties on a continental basis. It is well known that with the visa lifted there will be enhanced tourism traffic coming from Mexico, which will create many jobs and much income in the Canadian economy. We are monitoring the situation very closely, of course, but this project stands to bring major jobs and benefits to the country.

Status of Women

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Liberal government shelved pay equity legislation in 2005, and this Liberal government has further delayed it to late 2018. It is just not good enough. Women have waited 40 years and should not have to wait even longer. We are calling on the government to table proactive federal pay equity legislation by December 2016.

The Prime Minister has already indicated that it is 2016 and that gender parity it overdue, so what are they waiting for?

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, pay equity is an important issue for the government, and we are taking action. Equal pay for work of equal value is a human right, and we are very proud to be bringing forward pay equity after 12 years of inaction. Pay equity between men and women and the fair treatment of all workers in the workplace, regardless of gender, is critical for creating growth and a thriving middle class.

Housing

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, in the north we have a high need for investment to supply suitable and affordable housing. I would like to ask the minister about the consultations he is doing on a national housing strategy, and more specifically, if there will be a northern housing strategy.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from the Northwest Territories for his important work on behalf of his constituents.

Our national housing strategy will cover the entire housing continuum and will consider different regional needs, including the important needs of northern communities. Round tables and focus groups were organized in the north to give a strong voice to our northern communities. We are reviewing the important inputs received from the consultations and will release the highlights on November 22, which happens to be National Housing Day.

Health

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the health minister has announced that she is going to repeal the right of Canadians to have a say in the location of heroin injection sites. This means law enforcement, families, and different levels of government would no longer be consulted before sites are approved in their very own communities. We are beginning to see a trend. Liberals only consult when they know they are going to get the answers they want.

If the minister is so sure that communities want these sites in their backyards, why will she not guarantee them the right to say no?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to protecting the health and safety of all Canadians through evidence-based policy. The evidence is absolutely clear: harm reduction is an important part of a comprehensive approach to drug control. The Minister of Health has directed the department that there should be no unnecessary barriers for communities that want to open supervised consumption sites; and we have also directed the department to review all options to assist with the opioid crisis, up to and including amendments to Bill C-2.

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, we in Quebec are proud of those who make our specialty cheeses, which add to the unique nature of our regions.

However, Canada just negotiated the opening of our markets to nearly 18,000 tonnes of imported cheese, almost all of which will be specialty cheeses. A tidal wave of cheese is about to crash, and this government is offering our producers peanuts and hoping they will find something else to sell.

Will this government finally acknowledge the importance of Quebec specialty cheeses and fully compensate our producers, as promised?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question, and as I indicated a number of times in the House today, we are going to make sure that our processing sector is innovative and ready to deal with CETA when it comes into power. CETA is a very important trade deal. It will give the agricultural sector up to $1.5 billion in export potential, but we will also make sure that our processors are innovative enough to supply the quality cheeses that will be available for export.

[Simon Marcil, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the same government that promised to resolve the diafiltered milk problem in 100 days is once again mocking us.

It is compromising the very heart of Quebec farming once again, for the benefit of industries in western Canada. Let us not kid ourselves; fine cheeses are a Quebec specialty, since we produce over 60% of Canada's total production. Quebec also makes up 40% of Canada's dairy industry.

Why is Quebec agriculture always the sector sacrificed in free trade?

Here is the real question: is letting Quebec's dairy producers starve yet another Canadian value?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated a number of times in the House today, we have shown it by where we put our money. I made an announcement on behalf of the government last Thursday of $350 million to make sure that the dairy farmers and processors are in an innovative situation so they can deal and make sure that the supply management system supplies for many generations. We consulted with the farmers and processors, and now we implemented a program that will make sure the supply management system lasts for a long time in this country.

Air Transportation

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers thought they were masters in their own house. However, I have bad news for them: the federal government would like to remind us that we are not.

After Neuville and Saint-Cuthbert, Ottawa wants to impose a new recreational airport in Mascouche which will have no significant economic benefits and disregards Quebec laws. Does social licence mean anything to him?

Will the Minister of Transport finally accept that concerned citizens in the cities of Mascouche and Terrebonne, the Montreal metropolitan area, members of UPA and the National Assembly are opposed to the project, or will Ottawa unilaterally make this decision for us?

[Kate Young, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of our transportation network are the Minister of Transport's priorities. Last March, wanting to ensure that the implementation of a new aerodrome at Mascouche was secure and in the public interest, the minister issued a ministerial order to prevent the implementation of such an aerodrome until a public consultation was conducted by the aerodrome proponent. Following its evaluation, Transport Canada was satisfied with the conclusions contained in the proponent's report of the consultation.