Debates of Nov. 21st, 2016

Softwood Lumber

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

Mr. Speaker, we all remember Mr. Barroso's visit. I will not get into that again, but I would like to come back to the softwood lumber deal.

It seems we are headed for a legal dispute with our American partners, which raises many questions and concerns since 75% of Canadian products are exported to the United States.

What do this government and this minister plan to do to secure a softwood lumber deal that will protect the 300,000 jobs here in Canada?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised that the hon. member would bring up Mr. Barroso's visit because it cost Canadians a lot of money and was held before the agreement was signed. The Conservatives were celebrating before an agreement was even signed. That is not what our government is doing. We believe in hard work, and that is why we signed the agreement.

International Trade

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals signed the deal into the next stage, but it was already done when we left in 2014.

This has been a lost year for Canada with regard to trade opportunities. Last spring I called on the Liberal government to be ready to forge ahead with the progressive TPP signatories in the event the Americans got cold feet, which they have. Reports coming out of the APEC summit in Lima, Peru indicate that six countries, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, have committed to pursuing the TPP trade agreement with or without the United States.

Why are our Prime Minister and our Minister of International Trade MIA, allowing Canada to be left out of this important deal?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite began with CETA, that is where I will start.

It is very important to point out that the finalization of the legal scrub of CETA was delayed for almost two years because of the failure of the previous government to make the progressive changes that were necessary. We understood what needed to be done, and we got this historic deal done.

When it comes to the TPP, we committed to consulting with Canadians, and that is what we are proud to be doing.

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the two years was budgeted early on for the legal scrub and the translation that would be required. The minister finds herself in the unenviable position of being on the podium but not even playing in the game.

For the last year, the Liberals continued indecision on the TPP has put Canada at a further disadvantage. The Prime Minister has sidelined Canada's economic interests and future prosperity, while six countries forge ahead with a TPP agreement. Why will the government not work with these progressive countries to implement this specific trade agreement and get it done?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am really saddened by the need to point out that the hon. member is as ill-informed about the TPP as he is about CETA. The reality is that CETA was stalled until we formed government and until we made the necessary changes.

As for the TPP, as the hon. member ought to know, and he could consult with one of his colleagues who is well informed about this agreement, that agreement was signed last year. There is a two-year period for all the TPP countries to consult on it. That is what—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Essex.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are trying to push through legislation to implement CETA, while ignoring the outstanding concerns of Canadians with this deal.

When the Liberals were in opposition, they agreed with the New Democrats that more consultations and analysis were needed on CETA. However, the minister has ignored calls for the removal of investor-state rules, refused to address rising costs of prescription drugs, and neglected to consult Canadians.

Trade with Europe is too important to get wrong. Why is the minister pushing through this flawed agreement instead of taking the time to get it right?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, we are in a position where the Conservatives claim we are doing one thing wrong and the NDP claims we are doing exactly the same thing wrong. That is where we like to be, because it shows we are working hard for Canadians.

When it comes to CETA, I am extremely happy to be working energetically to get this progressive trade deal done. This is a deal supported by all the provinces, including Quebec. It is supported by all the socialist parties of Europe.

Are there any trade deals the NDP can support?

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as usual, the Liberals are full of hypocrisy, and around CETA, it is astonishing.

In the 2014 committee report of the Liberals, even they called on the previous government to assess the impact of CETA's IP protections on the cost of prescription drugs in Canada. Canadians already pay some of the highest costs for prescription drugs. Under CETA, they could rise by $850 million every year.

Now that the Liberals are in government, they are in complete denial about this reality. When will the government be honest with Canadians about the impact of CETA on prescription drug costs?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to CETA, we are being absolutely transparent and absolutely consistent with the positions we took in opposition.

In opposition, I was our party's trade critic. I was proud then to support this progressive deal. We have made this deal even better. What astonishes me is that the NDP, which was able to support a trade agreement with South Korea, finds itself in 2016 unable to support the world's most progressive trade agreement.

We are living in a time of—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé.

Dairy Industry

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government says it listened to what dairy producers had to say about a compensation plan in relation to the canada-european union comprehensive economic and trade agreement.

Since the announcement, however, dairy producers everywhere have expressed dissatisfaction. Last week, Quebec dairy producers asked the Liberals to increase the amount for producers by $750 million, and they want the program to last 15 years, not five.

Will the government keep pretending to listen to producers, or will it come clean?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my hon. colleague's question and concern, but I think she is fully aware this government supports dairy farmers and supply management.

CETA is certainly an important deal for farmers, and it would provide additional export opportunities, up to $1.5 billion. My hon. colleague is well aware that we announced $350 million: $250 million for the dairy farmers to innovate, $100 million to make sure that our processors are in a position to work when CETA comes into play.

Through this, the government has done more for supply management than has been done over the last 10 years.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is peanuts.

I do not understand how the government can be proud of a transition plan that provides $250 million over five years when our dairy producers are set to lose about $150 million per year.

As the chairman of the Producteurs de lait du Québec said, the Liberal plan amounts to about $5,000 per farm, and to get the money, producers have to invest money of their own. Five thousand dollars is barely enough to power a robot.

Will the government stop pretending to listen to dairy producers and—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

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

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that we have sat down with dairy producers and processors for the last number of months. This is a program that came in place—

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

They are not happy.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Ontario dairy farmers are quite pleased, my hon. friend.

We will make sure that dairy farmers and supply management and our processors in this sector will be able to deal with CETA when it comes into play and that they will be competitive for many years to come.

That is why this government sat down with the dairy farmers and put a program in place that will innovate the dairy—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Finance

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the election of a new American president could lead to higher interest rates.

The chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, is saying that the rate hike could come as early as December. This is very bad news for Canadian taxpayers, because it is already costing them and our current annual budget $24.9 billion in interest alone.

Meanwhile, what is the Minister of Finance doing? He continues to spend as though nothing were wrong and is running up colossal deficits.

For the 10th time, I want to ask the government the following: when will it return—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent.

The Government of Canada is doing exactly what Canadians know is best when interest rates are low: it is investing. Canadians understand that.

In budget 2016, we invested in families, in the Canadian economy, in our young people, and in our seniors. We reaffirmed our plan in the 2016 fall economic statement. What is most unfortunate is that the members across the aisle have voted against Canada's middle class at every turn.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it was not for lack of trying. We have tried to get an answer 10 times now, but they keep refusing to tell us when there will be a return to balanced budgets.

In the meantime, there is no plan for economic growth either. The Prime Minister recently had the opportunity to meet with key economic decision-makers, but he did not talk about the softwood lumber agreement, Keystone XL, or the TPP.

Such is this government's record: no plan for economic growth and no plan to return to balanced budgets.

Is there anyone at the controls in this government?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, our government has a very clear plan when it comes to economic growth. We have been clear that we are going to use fiscal policy to stimulate growth and invest in the economy. That is why we have made historic investments in infrastructure, $180 billion, which will create jobs across the country and position our companies to be more productive, more competitive, and more export oriented.

We have a plan that is investing in middle-class Canadians by providing tax relief to them. The party opposite has not supported our efforts to help the middle class and help grow the economy, and that is very unfortunate.