Debates of Nov. 21st, 2016

Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act

[John Oliver, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was very careful in my remarks, outlining in great detail the benefits of CETA to multiple business sectors, people, and professionals working in Oakville.

CETA is a good deal. The member can take one small aspect of it, and focus on it. I do not know why the NDP does not get behind and support trade deals. One in five Canadian jobs depend on trade.

We need to work on drug prices in Canada. We also need to make sure that our pharma companies can make reasonable profits and have reasonable protection for the work that they put into research and development.

This is a good trade deal for Canada.

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it seems like the member does indeed understand the importance of trade and the importance of this deal.

I do want to ask him a question, though, on the issue of international trade. I think he acknowledges that we are going into a time internationally where there may be protectionist sentiments out there. It is very important in that environment for Canada to be taking the lead, speaking up strongly about the importance of international trade, and especially about the benefits of our historic trade agreements.

Why, then, did the Prime Minister, right away, after the U.S. election completely throw NAFTA under the bus by saying that we would be prepared to renegotiate it? Why is the government not actually prepared to stand up for our historic trade deals, which are working, and which have served us and all of North America well, in the midst of pursuing this new trade deal as well?

[John Oliver, Liberal, Oakville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister has been incredibly vocal, and is out there personally meeting with multinational corporations and leaders of other countries to promote trade.

In a period of time when protectionism seems to be growing in certain parts of the world, it is great to see Canada at the leading edge, fighting for free trade, and promoting trade. We all prosper when trade happens.

The government has been open and transparent, unlike the TPP deal that was negotiated by the previous government that was hidden and done behind doors. All of this has been open and transparent. This government continues to promote open and transparent trade dialogue.

Pensions

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the over 1,000 former employees of Wabush Mines in Labrador and Quebec who lost 20% to 24% of their hard-earned pension benefits. When Cliffs Natural Resources walked away from its iron ore operations in Wabush, it also walked away from its unfunded pension liabilities owed to workers.

Cliffs Canada, under the CCAA process, is liquidating assets for its creditors and being allowed to pass over workers' pensions, medical benefits, and deferred salaries already earned by workers. These workers spent decades building the company and the town they live in.

Cliffs Canada may have become unprofitable with the low commodity prices in Canada, but its resources in the U.S.A. remain profitable. I find it unacceptable that profits and assets can be shuffled across the border for years before a company can be assessed, yet CCAA can only look back through one year of a company's operations and it provides no mechanism to fully protect the workers.

When people work for a pension and benefits, they deserve to collect them—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies.

Mike Landucci

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour a well-recognized hockey, softball, and community volunteer, neighbour, and friend, Mike Landucci.

Prior to his passing last spring following a short battle with cancer, Mike was a dedicated Fort St. John minor hockey referee, and softball umpire who was highly regarded as the referee committee member for northeastern B.C.–Yukon district. Further, he was instrumental in training the next generation of young referees in the B.C. Peace.

The Fort St. John Flyers hockey club recently honoured his memory at a pre-season North Peace Hockey League game against the Dawson Creek Jr. Canucks. North Peace referees are honouring Mike this year by wearing an ML patch like I am wearing today.

Michael Joseph Landucci is survived by his fiancée Faye; his son Chris; his sister Kathy, and her husband Michael and their children.

As one of our community volunteers, as a neighbour, and as a friend to all he encountered, not to mention for the Christmas eve visits to our house as Santa Claus, Mike will be missed. May he rest in peace.

Cyanobacteria

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the environment is a priority for our government. Again, the main reason I came back to politics was the quality of the water of the two transboundary lakes between Canada and the U.S. in my riding, Lake Champlain and Lake Memphrémagog.

A month ago, I called a meeting of representatives of Global Affairs Canada's International Joint Commission and of Quebec's ministry for sustainable development, the environment and the fight against climate change, as well as the mayors representing the Lake Champlain area. My goal was to make them aware of the problem of cyanobacteria. The mayors all agree: the quality of the water is deteriorating. This is drinking water for several thousand people.

This needs to be addressed as soon as possible. That is why it is imperative that the mandate of the International Joint Commission, which deals with boundary waters, focus on the cyanobacteria problem, especially as it affects Lake Champlain.

Pensions

[Scott Duvall, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last year many Canadians voted for change. Unfortunately, the change they have so far from the current government is nothing but chump change. How else can we explain the huge mistake the Liberals made in their bill to change the Canada pension plan? How do we explain their refusal to answer a simple question: will they fix their flawed bill?

Ten times I stood in the House last week and asked if the government would fix this flawed bill. Ten times I received non-answers. No one on the government side wants to take responsibility for the Liberals' mistake. More frightening, no one on the government side has stood up to say the Liberals will fix it.

The Liberals' plan would single out women and the disabled for exclusion. We have been calling on the government to recognize the mistake and acknowledge the problem. Seeing nothing from the Liberals, we are proposing to fix the bill ourselves. I hope all members will support my amendment at committee. The supposed feminist Prime Minister is failing Canadian women and disabled people. Shame on him. I ask that he please fix the bill.

Community Service

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank three individuals who have excelled in their field and have made us all proud.

First, I would like to congratulate Manny Bahia, one of B.C.'s most influential young entrepreneurs who created VancityBuzz and Daily Hive, two sites that have some of the largest Canadian audiences, all while working out of his basement. He now now employs dozens of people and earns millions of dollars in revenue.

The second individual is Dr. Kamal Masri of SFU Surrey, who has inspired his business class to raise thousands of dollars for cancer research.

Finally, I want to recognize Charan Pal Singh Gill, a man who has fought for workers' rights. He helped build PICS, a settlement agency that helps immigrants to integrate and to settle and become great Canadians. He also helped build Guru Nanak Niwas, a 77-unit assisted-living facility in Surrey.

Canada is better because of the commitments to research, technology, and charity by these individuals.

Status of Women

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

Mr. Speaker, the wild rose grows prolifically across my province, its delicate beauty often belying its resiliency to flourish after harsh winters. I cannot think of a better metaphor for the women of Alberta. This year, they are being tested, as they and their families are out of work, many for over a year. They bear the burden of their families' lost incomes and lost pride. They do this while making the hard choices necessary to keep a roof over their heads. In the midst of their own struggles, their shoulders are cried on by those who do not want handouts, but just want to work.

I thank them for their strength and their sacrifice. The women of Alberta watch as the government ignores us, calls the work we do dirty, raises our taxes, and prioritizes everything everywhere else except for us.

If one tries to uproot a wild rose, one ends up with a fist full of thorns. The women of Alberta will not be silent. We demand action, and we demand it now. We will ensure a strong Alberta, and in doing so, a strong Canada.

Presidential Election in Moldova

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Canada-Moldova Parliamentary Friendship Group, I would like to congratulate the Moldovan people for holding the first presidential election by universal suffrage in 20 years, during the 25th anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Moldova.

Like so many fledging democracies, Moldova needs support and encouragement from the more established ones. Canada has a great deal to offer this country that is striving to attain the ambitious goals of good governance, prosperity, and multilateral relationships.

Moldova's geopolitical context makes it an important Canadian ally in eastern Europe.

Furthermore, Moldova is working hard to join the European Union.

It goes without saying that the success of one country on the road to reforms and European integration will have a huge impact and mobilizing effect on others.

I would like to congratulate the people of Moldova for the 25th anniversary of their independence.

Holodomor

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 84 years ago, the horror of the Holodomor, the genocide of Ukraine's rural population, began. Stalin decreed food illegal for Ukrainian farmers. The Kremlin's red brigade scoured the countryside confiscating grain and livestock. Farmers who were caught hiding food, even as little as five stalks of wheat, were shot on site. Ukraine's lush countryside was transformed into a denuded and silent darkness as people ate grasses and anything living. The eerie silence that engulfed villages was only broken by the sound of death wagons transporting starvation-bloated bodies.

Let us also contemplate how was it was possible that in the west, with the exception of a few brave journalists and politicians, so many chose to look away? Eighty-four years hence, once again, we confront the darkest of evils, genocide. Collectively, let the House have the moral strength of conviction to give meaning to the solemn pledge of “never again”.

Vichna yim pamyat.

Defibrillators

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2013, the present Minister of Public Safety, then in opposition, presented a private member's motion, Motion No. 446, calling for defibrillators to be installed in all 5,600 RCMP cruisers. Then, as now, this would cost only $10 million.

Statistics from other police forces show that each year one life is saved for every 17 defibrillators installed in police vehicles. Following through on Motion No. 446 a year ago, when the Liberals took office, would have resulted in 5,600 installed defibrillators and 320 saved lives. However, a year has gone by, and even though the very same member who introduced Motion No. 446 is now minister in charge of the RCMP, nothing has happened. In consequence, 320 Canadians who would otherwise be alive today are now dead.

Why has the minister failed to follow through? What does he say to the families of all the Canadians whose lives would have been saved if he had followed through on his own proposal?

Animal Welfare

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend one of my outstanding constituents from Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Planet Paws business owner and internationally known pet nutrition blogger, Rodney Habib. Rodney's life changed forever after his own dog was harmed during the melamine-tainted pet food crisis. At that moment, he devoted his entire life to changing the way we feed our pets.

Rodney continues to give back to our community through improvements at Shubie Park in Dartmouth and by donating a percentage of his business' sales to local schools. Now Rodney has reached a huge milestone. He has reached over 1.3 million likes on Facebook, making him one the largest brand followings on Facebook in Canada. His work on pet nutrition is known and respected worldwide.

They say that a dog is a human's best friend, but I would say that for dogs, Rodney is their best friend. On behalf of pet owners everywhere, and my dog Toby, I congratulate and wish Rodney Habib continued success.

Bombardier Plant

[Don Rusnak, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past week I turned to the Bombardier plant in Thunder Bay, a site that has a rich place in Canadian history.

Founded by the Canadian Car and Foundry Company in 1912, this facility was first made to produce railway box cars. During World War II, the plant began construction of the famous Hawker Hurricane fighter for the Royal Canadian Air Force, led by chief engineer Elsie MacGill, the first woman in Canada to earn a degree in aeronautical engineering.

Since Bombardier acquired the plant in 1992, the facility has been responsible for delivering a number of notable rail car designs distributed across North America, including the Toronto Rocket subway cars for the TTC, and the bi-level cars for GO Transit. These cars carry thousands of Canadians daily, but the site is only as good as its workforce. Production was undertaken by hard-working and skilled men and women to produce a top-quality product.

I am extremely proud to have this facility in my riding of Thunder Bay—Rainy River and it continues to serve as the hub of innovation and—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry.

Ottawa Redblacks

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a bit of snow could not stop the Ottawa Redblacks from emerging yesterday as the CFL's eastern division champions.

The Redblacks came ready to play in front of more than 24,000 loyal fans. When the snow came, in typical Canadian fashion, it was shovelled away, and when the shovels scraped away the lines, again in typical Canadian fashion, they repainted them by hand.

Finishing 35 to 23, thanks to the leadership of quarterback Henry Burris, and the great coaching and support staff, the Redblacks are off to play the Calgary Stampeders at the Grey Cup next Sunday.

Next year when Ottawa hosts the Grey Cup, I am confident it will do so as reigning champions.

Go Redblacks.

Universal Children's Day

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on November 20, to mark Universal Children's Day, I met with students from Alfred-Pellan as part of the UNICEF Canada initiative “Bring Your MP to School Day”.

During this event, I talked with young people about issues that are important to them. By listening to them, Parliament will be more inclusive and we will develop more effective policies to help guarantee respect for their rights.

Yesterday, I joined Maison de la famille de St-François at the rally in support of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to collectively express the importance of supporting universal children's rights.

Our government has taken historic measures to fight against child poverty. We must continue to do everything we can so that all children have the same opportunities to succeed in life.

Veterans

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in the month of November, Canadians remember our men and women in uniform who have stood on guard for all Canadians. Today, I want to pay special tribute to one of those men, Fred Gendron, a constituent of mine in Powell River.

Fred served our country as a soldier from 1942 until 1946. He fought in France and Germany, and he was part of the liberation force in Holland, for which he was awarded a medal. Fred stayed on after the war ended to serve Canada as a member of the occupation force in Germany.

For the past 12 years, Fred has laid the wreath for his member of Parliament at Remembrance Day ceremonies. This year, Fred was too ill, and his wife Shirley and I laid the wreath in recognition of the man she loves so much.

I am so grateful for the courage, dignity, and service that Fred has offered to our country, as so many others have done and continue to do.

I know that the House will join me in offering our gratitude to a remarkably humble Fred Gendron, my constituent and friend in Powell River.

2016 Grey Cup

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, the 104th Grey Cup game will be played in Toronto.

Canadian football remains a distinct game, a unique part of our Canadian heritage. Our game is played on a bigger field with a shorter play clock, only three downs and, of course, in Canadian football, we have bigger balls.

Canadians can be proud knowing that our game is an exciting, high-scoring, and fast-paced game, a game worthy of the annual celebration that is the Grey Cup. It is a game that will be watched by millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

This year also promises the continuation of a tradition begun in 1948 of bringing western-style hospitality to Toronto. So watch out for road apples in front of the Royal York Hotel.

We expect a great game, and although I enjoy my time here in Ottawa, let there be no doubt where my allegiance will be as Calgary goes for its eighth Grey Cup.

On behalf of my constituents and all Stampeders fans, Go Stamps Go.

Wilfrid Laurier

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 175 years ago yesterday in what is now Saint-Lin–Laurentides, Quebec, Henri Charles Wilfrid Laurier was born and Canadian history was inexorably changed as a result.

I rise today to join all Canadians in celebrating a Canadian icon and statesman. Sir Laurier willed into being the open, tolerant, and diverse Canada we know and cherish today.

Since being elected to federal office 142 years ago and 120 years since being named prime minister, Sir Laurier's sunny ways continue to resonate in these halls, albeit sporadically, but fortunately considerably more often across our land. Considered by many Canada's greatest prime minister, Laurier is, on a personal level, my favourite prime minister, with one obvious exception.

His ringing pronouncement “Canada is free and freedom is its nationality” remains as true today as when Laurier first pronounced it.

International Trade

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals were not even playing in the snow like the players in yesterday's football game in Ottawa, but they still managed to drop the ball on the free trade agreement with Europe, not to mention the fact that they have not signed any free trade agreements with our partners in the past year.

Since the Prime Minister is proving to be an inept negotiator, how can Canadians trust him to negotiate good treaties and create jobs here in Canada?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, CETA is clearly in Canada's national interest, and it is time that all members of this House stopped playing partisan politics and rallied around this agreement. We supported CETA when we were in opposition, and I would have expected the Conservatives to do the same now that they are in that position.

CETA is a progressive agreement that is very important for the middle class, and we are proud to enter into it.

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very good answer but for the wrong question.

The Liberals almost dropped the ball on CETA, which was initiated under our government. Then the Liberals have lost a year without signing any important trade agreements with anyone.

Since the Prime Minister reveals himself as an inefficient negotiator, how can Canadians have confidence in him negotiating good treaties and creating jobs in Canada?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am a bit confused as to how the member opposite can claim that our government has failed to sign trade agreements. The most significant trade agreement signed by a government of Canada since the signing of NAFTA is CETA. I would like to remind the member opposite that agreement was signed by our Prime Minister. That signature was only made possible by the hard work of our government.