Debates of Nov. 21st, 2016

Infrastructure

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives delivered a balanced budget, completed over 7,200 infrastructure projects, created over 1.2 million jobs, and set up P3 Canada to leverage private sector dollars, which delivered over $6.6 billion in additional infrastructure. The Liberals gave us a $30-billion deficit, zero new full-time jobs, and they are taking $15 billion away from communities for their bank.

With this record, how can they call Canadians stupid and irresponsible for questioning their methods?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, our government, along with industry, has created an environment which has created 139,600 jobs since we took office.

To illustrate that point, we have invested in small business as well, for example, in new equipment to improve processes for G-Pak Technology Inc., in British Columbia, the same province that the member represents. That created 65 jobs in South Surrey—White Rock, a Conservative-held riding.

We are making investments regardless of which riding it is, to make sure we have growth and opportunities for our small and large businesses. We are creating jobs.

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Zero net new jobs, Mr. Speaker.

Over 99% of announced infrastructure projects by the Liberals are not yet under construction, and zero new full-time jobs have been created since they took office. Announcing projects in a community does not equal breaking ground, starting construction, or job creation. Getting infrastructure projects built is what creates jobs.

Does the minister understand that simply announcing and reannouncing infrastructure projects in communities does not create jobs?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, our government's priority is to create jobs and create growth. That is why, since taking office, we have approved 980 projects, with a combined value of $12 billion from coast to coast to coast. That is including a project that is currently under way, along with 70% of the other projects, in Surrey, British Columbia, the member's own riding, which she represented as the mayor of the city, asking for the same projects to be funded by the federal government that we are funding now.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, all we know about this new infrastructure bank is that the Liberals are considering selling and privatizing Canadian assets. They want to increase fees and tariffs and take $15 billion that was allocated to the municipalities only to spend it on this infrastructure bank, which will not be available to small or mid-size municipalities.

I have a very simple question for the Minister of Infrastructure: can he name one municipality with a population under 50,000 that might be able to use this bank?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we understand we need to invest in Canadian communities of all sizes, large urban centres, small communities, and mid-size communities. It was our government that made an historic $2 billion commitment to invest in smaller communities, which we made as part of the fall economic update. Only $15 billion out of $180 billion is being allocated to build new projects, transformed projects, in all kinds of communities from coast to coast to coast.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is unable to answer such a simple question because it is just not going to happen. There is no municipality with a population of less than 50,000 that will have projects worth more than $100 million.

We now know that the investors the government met with are looking for a minimum return on their investment of 7% to 9%. How do the Liberal government and the party's cronies plan to accomplish that? There will need to be higher fees at Canadian ports and airports and more tolls on the highways.

What I am seeing is endless Liberal taxes. After a year, they have created no jobs and Canadian taxpayers have to pay more taxes.

Does the government realize that the only thing it has managed to create in a year is more taxes?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, while we are focused on creating jobs for the middle class and growing the economy for hard-working Canadians, what are the opposition members focused on? They are focused on opposing taxes for the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. They are focused on opposing increased enhancements to CPP. They are opposing tax breaks for the middle class. As I said earlier, out of $180 billion for infrastructure, the vast majority of the money will be delivered to municipalities of all sizes, the way we have done in the past, creating jobs—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The member for North Island—Powell River.

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

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that the Liberals have hired a corporation that is in the business of buying infrastructure to study the benefits of privatizing our infrastructure. I wonder what it will discover. This, after a report from private sector recommending an infrastructure bank to create tolls and user fees to pay off the private sector. What is next? Stacking an NEB panel with oil industry insiders? Oh, wait, that has been done. The government was elected to invest in infrastructure. Why is it so determined to sell it off?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I would be interested in knowing about the plan by the member and her party to grow the economy and invest in infrastructure. We are making historic investments, $180 billion over 12 years, that will help grow the economy, create jobs for the middle class, as well as help municipalities and communities, of all sizes, to be more socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable. That is the commitment we made to Canadians, and that is the commitment we are delivering on.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the commitment that was made to Canadians was to actually have access to invest in infrastructure and not to privatize it.

As Michael Sabia, a government adviser, has previously said, investors in this infrastructure bank will want to see a 7% to 9% return. Based on current interest rates, we are talking about spending four times more than if the government made those investments itself.

This infrastructure bank is like a PPP project or structure on steroids. Ontario's auditor general recently concluded that PPP infrastructure projects had cost almost $1 billion more than if Ontario had gone ahead with the investments itself.

Does he understand that the definition of madness is to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we were elected on a platform to invest in historic planned infrastructure, including the creation of the infrastructure bank. The role of the bank is to build more infrastructure, not less infrastructure.

$180 billion of historic investment, and leveraging with the private sector, will help Canadian municipalities to build the public transit they need, to build the recreational facilities they need, help us grow our economy, and create jobs for the middle class and those who are working so hard to join that middle class.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's edict to close the Vegreville immigration centre and move it to a Liberal-held city centre riding is just the start. Jobs and families are at risk. We are moving 280 jobs from Vegreville. It is comparable to cutting 55,000 jobs from Edmonton.

The Liberal plan failed to create one single new full-time job in all of Canada in the past year, and now the Liberals are charging ahead to cut 280 from a small rural town.

When will the Liberal reverse this edict and save rural jobs?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I definitely understand that this is an issue, which is why my staff have spoken to the mayor of Vegreville and I have offered to meet with the member to discuss these issues. However, the fact of the matter is that our fundamental responsibility is to improve levels of service and reduce processing time in immigration and, as a consequence, there will be a net increase in jobs in Alberta.

All those currently working in Vegreville will have an opportunity to remain employed.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this is even bigger than 280 jobs, as 250 spousal jobs will be impacted. Small businesses will shut their doors. Struggling farm families will lose the only stable income they have. Schools will lose one-quarter of their students, and then teachers.

The Liberal's so-called business case does not include a cost study or an economic impact assessment., so how can the minister claim anything about job gains when he has actually no idea about the full scope of devastation he is causing?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is talking about jobs in Alberta, so I want to take this opportunity, again, to highlight what our government is doing to create jobs across Alberta and all the regions. I am honoured to work—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. Members have strong feelings on many subjects that come before us, but we still have to listen to the question and the answer.

The hon. minister of economic development has the floor.

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Mississauga—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Immigration has eloquently responded to her question. I want to take this opportunity to talk about what we are doing to create jobs in Alberta.

For example, we invest in commercialization and new technology to improve efficiency in Oral4D Systems, a company in Alberta that will create 12 jobs. Again, these are small businesses that will benefit from those investments. There is development of a new product line for use in the airline industry, Dakota Supplies, in Alberta, for example, that will create nine jobs. That—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Edmonton Manning.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as Christmas approaches, the Canada Revenue Agency has decided to play the grinch with its employees.

Using typical Liberal math, an announced expansion of 70 jobs at the tax processing centre in Summerside, P.E.I., means 182 people are being told they must move to another community or face losing their jobs.

This Liberal attack on another rural area will cause unnecessary pain to all of the affected families. Why is the minister playing with people's lives and livelihoods?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government has stopped reducing staff at regional tax centres.

We have reorganized our operations to ensure that we provide outstanding service and well-paid jobs for the middle class. Canadians are using online services in ever greater numbers, and we understand that the Canada Revenue Agency must modernize how it meets their needs.

Our government is committed to ensuring that Canadians across the country have access to the best possible services when they contact the Canada Revenue Agency.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is not good enough. That is an attack on the middle class.

The Liberal plan to devastate rural communities is getting worse. These are real jobs in jeopardy because the Liberals are taking Atlantic Canada for granted.

Rural communities need jobs like this to survive. When will the Liberals stop their attack on rural areas and allow people to continue to work in their home communities?