House of Commons Hansard #109 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was women.
Amarjeet Sohi LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, we have committed to investing even more in infrastructure than we committed to in the 2016 budget. We have added billions more to our initial commitment. Also, as of today, we have approved more than 983 projects, with a combined value of almost $12 billion in all provinces and territories from coast to coast to coast.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, as the government prepares to invest $15 billion previously earmarked for cities in its new infrastructure bank, the Standing Committee on Finance learned that the people calling the shots on the proposal feel that projects valued in excess of $100 million are not profitable enough for them, so they want $500-million projects. That is even worse.
If that is how things turn out, none of the projects our small and medium-sized regional municipalities put forward will ever see the light of day.
I invite the members across the aisle, especially the 40 members from Quebec, to take a stand, find the courage to talk to the minister, and make him see that the government is on the wrong track.
Amarjeet Sohi LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, I hope the hon. member would actually talk to our mayors and reeves throughout the country.
This is what the mayor of Surrey has to say about our program:
The City of Surrey applauds the Federal Government’s commitment to providing stable grants funding and also looks forward to the additional opportunities the newly announced Infrastructure Bank will offer.
This is what the mayor of Vancouver had to say about our program:
The new $35 billion Infrastructure Development Bank, and more trade and transportation infrastructure funding to help cities maximize their borrowing capacity is good news—
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the member for Spadina—Fort York, who claims to be the architect of privatization infrastructure banks, says anyone who criticizes it is “stupid”. Canadians who are concerned about tolls and user fees in their communities, he is calling stupid. Canadians who understand that private investors who will only invest if they see a return, he is calling stupid.
Will the Liberal government denounce these disrespectful statements, or is it stupid of me to ask?
Amarjeet Sohi LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, we will make historic investments in infrastructure, more than $180 billion over 12 years. We are doing that in partnership with the provinces, municipalities, and territories. As well, we will engage the private sector to build more infrastructure, which our communities need; to build more transit systems; to build more affordable housing; to build more wastewater and water facilities, so that the Canadian people have safe drinking water to drink from coast to coast to coast. That is our goal. That is the commitment we made, and that is the commitment we are delivering on.
Guy Caron NDP Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister is really making like he just does not get it.
Here is what the Liberal platform said: “We will establish the Canadian Infrastructure Bank to provide low-cost financing for new infrastructure projects.”
However, instead of borrowing at 1.3%, which they can do at this point in time, the Liberals are choosing to fill their Bay Street buddies' coffers with a promised return of 7% to 9%.
Is that really what the Liberals want to do, make Canadians pay five times more than necessary and hand over more control to their BlackRock pals?
Amarjeet Sohi LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, I hope the hon. member actually listens to what the mayors and reeves across the country are saying about our historic commitment to invest in infrastructure, as well as the creation of the infrastructure bank to build more infrastructure. They are excited about this plan. We are excited about this plan, because we understand that infrastructure is the foundation of strong communities, to grow the economy, to create jobs for the middle class, and to create opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the transport minister did not have a clue about the need to approve the required export permits for Woodfibre LNG, so he sat in his chair rather than answer my question.
The fact is that it is Transport Canada and not Environment Canada that is holding up this LNG project and the jobs that go with it. The Liberals keep saying “maybe” to resource development, but hope these questions will just go away.
When will the transport minister do his job and approve the export permits for Woodfibre LNG?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I did not want to embarrass my colleague when she asked her question.
What she needs to know is that the way the process works is that Woodfibre LNG needs to submit an application to the government, at which time we will look at it and decide whether a permit will be issued.
That application has not been submitted.
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Mr. Speaker, the fact is LNG is an economic driver in the province of British Columbia and will benefit the entire country. If Woodfibre does not get export permits from Transport Canada, it cannot proceed, regardless of whether it receives the environment minister's approval. There is no point in building this facility if it cannot export its product.
We know the Liberal talking points about working to grow our economy and create jobs. So, when will the transport minister get out of the way, sign the export permits, and get this job-creating project under way?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, talk about rubbing it in here. My answer has not changed. I think my hon. colleague needs to do her homework before she asks a question that shows she is clearly ill-informed.
When Woodfibre LNG submits its application, we will review it under the Navigation Protection Act, and we will then make a decision. That is the way the process works.
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Mr. Speaker, the natural resources minister has said that Keystone XL pipeline is not that important, that the Liberals are more focused on getting oil to Asian markets. I guess his Liberal colleagues did not get the memo. Two of his own MPs from British Columbia have now said that the government should not support Kinder Morgan pipeline, no matter what.
The minister's advisory panel delayed the decision on the pipeline by seven months, which was supposedly done to foster social licence.
If the minister's panel did not even convince Liberal MPs to accept the science, how is it anything but a complete waste of time and money?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, actually, we have said repeatedly all week that we do support the Keystone XL pipeline.
We also gave Canadians an opportunity to express themselves on the Trans Mountain expansion, and they expressed themselves in 35,000 opinions that were sent to a website. Those opinions came from Canadians from coast to coast who have a real interest in this national project.
We, unlike governments that came before us, will take those opinions seriously.
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister's panel had no real powers and delayed the decision on this job-creating project by months. In the end, it made no recommendations; the minister will not respond to it; and, surprise, surprise, it found out that some people support the project and others oppose it. I am glad we waited for that.
If the minister's new and improved panel process cannot even convince Liberal MPs to support an independent, scientific, evidence-based process on pipelines, was this public relations exercise not just a huge waste of time and money?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the reason that more than 35,000 Canadians responded to our request to hear their opinions is that for 10 years no one asked them.
Now, it is the job of the Government of Canada to take in all of that opinion from coast to coast to coast, to look at the work of the ministerial panel, to take very seriously accommodation and conversation with indigenous groups, which was so insufficient by the previous government that courts of appeal had to throw its cases out. We think we are going to learn from the mistakes of others and do a better job.
Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday we asked the Liberals to take real action to prevent violence against indigenous women. Seventy percent of Inuit communities have no access to shelters.
Amnesty International says “The scale and severity of violence faced by Indigenous women and girls in Canada...constitutes a national human rights crisis.” Yesterday, the Native Women's Association called the government inaction “a breach of human rights”.
Will the government take responsibility, so no woman is ever turned away from a domestic violence shelter?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we have been working this past summer to listen to people. We have heard those same concerns. Women are fleeing without a place to go.
That is why I am so proud to be working on a federal gender-based violence strategy that will take into account the many and diverse needs of the communities across our country, including for shelter spaces.
Romeo Saganash NDP Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government's own ministers agree that the government is not investing enough to help young indigenous people.
In committee yesterday, the Minister of Health said that federal health infrastructure investments were merely “a drop in a bucket” compared to the pressing needs.
My question is very simple. When will the minister finally provide adequate funding for the infrastructure and services that communities need?
Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as a Canadian, it grieves me to look at the realities of the state of indigenous health in this country, to see that indigenous peoples have a life expectancy that is about a decade shorter than non-indigenous Canadians, to see the rates of diabetes, the rates of tuberculosis, the rates of suicide in indigenous communities.
We are determined to work with our indigenous leaders in this country, to work with the people on the ground in communities to find solutions to support them. We will make sure that we build a new relationship, and that every Canadian in this country enjoys good access—
John Oliver Liberal Oakville, ON
Mr. Speaker, there is a health crisis in Canada. The number of opioid-related deaths is skyrocketing across the country.
This is not just a mental health and addictions issue. From our children experimenting at parties, to addiction to prescription opioids for pain control, all Canadians are at risk. In my home province of Ontario, 663 people died in 2014 from opioid overdoses, and over 800 are projected to die in British Columbia this year.
It is a national issue. We need to act now. What will the government do to address this crisis?
Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, in this country we are facing a public health crisis. It is a crisis of opioid overdoses and deaths. People die every day as a result.
That is one of the reasons I am co-hosting a conference tomorrow and the following day, bringing together stakeholders from across the country, people with lived experience, health experts, governments, regulators, and educators. We are going to make progress on this when we work collectively, when we develop a comprehensive plan, and I look forward to taking further steps on that.
Peter Kent Conservative Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canada must not forget Palestinian refugees. We should also not forget the Palestinian leadership that is keeping them refugees, holding them hostage, refusing to peacefully co-exist with Israel.
There is abundant evidence that misdirected UNRWA aid is part of the problem. Our Conservative government successfully delivered more than $70 million in aid to Palestinians by other means than UNRWA.
Why will the Liberals not guarantee that all aid gets to the refugees?
Karina Gould LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, Palestinian refugees, especially women and children, are amongst the poorest and the most vulnerable.
After extensive study and consideration, the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie announced $25 million in funding for UNRWA, putting Canada in line with all of our G7 partners. We have put in place strong oversight provisions and robust mechanisms for this funding. This will not only support the 5.5 million Palestinian refugees to access basic services, but is crucial for the peace and security of the region.
