Debates of Nov. 30th, 2016

Natural Resources

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to our government than the one with indigenous peoples. We are committed to a renewed nation-to-nation relationship based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership. We have had the opportunity to meet many of the indigenous chiefs, including in the Lower Mainland, affected by these projects to hear their concerns first-hand.

Our government continues to work with indigenous leaders in the development of our sustainable natural resources.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

I know that members are capable of self-discipline, including the member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands. He is a farmer after all. He has to be disciplined a lot of the time. I know he can do it here too.

The hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government members promised Canadians that if they were elected, they would base their energy decisions on scientific evidence. In reviewing the Kinder Morgan project, the NEB heard clear scientific evidence that the sevenfold increase in oil tanker traffic through the Salish Sea would deliver a near certain extinction of the southern resident killer whale pod.

The NEB agreed that these are significant adverse effects. How does the government explain ignoring the science with the resulting death sentence to these threatened whales?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, our government shares the hon. member's concerns for the importance of protecting the southern resident killer whale population. This is a population that has been under stress for many years. There are three principal factors that have contributed to the stress: contaminants in the water; the whales' inability to find sufficient prey, in this case often chinook salmon; and the increased noise, represented by a whole series of marine traffic.

I am prepared to tell the House and all Canadians that the Minister of Transport and I have a very ambitious plan to more than mitigate all of these measures to ensure that this iconic species survives.

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Kinder Morgan pipeline will triple the capacity of the current pipeline and increase tanker traffic in Vancouver's harbour sevenfold. The likelihood of a spill from the pipeline or a tanker is as high as 97%, which would devastate the environment and the economy of the entire region.

Why are B.C. Liberal MPs turning their backs on British Columbians, ignoring the evidence, and putting politics before safety?

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

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to achieving a world-leading marine safety system, one that will meet Canada's unique context. That is why the Prime Minister announced our new $1.5 billion national oceans protection plan. This would allow us to put in place concrete measures to enhance marine safety, to prevent and better respond to marine pollution incidents. We will work with partners, including indigenous and coastal communities, to develop, update, and modernize regulations and other tools to better respond to community issues related to marine traffic.

Ethics

[Alex Nuttall, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on November 16, stock trading of Canopy Growth was halted on the TSX, after its stock doubled for no apparent reason. Canopy was founded by Chuck Rifici, the former chief financial officer of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Now, Canopy is refusing to answer questions about allegations that insider information was used to influence stock trading. Was the marijuana task force report leaked?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

Order. I think members want to hear the answer.

Order. This could be a short question period, folks. We're losing time from question period. Let us have some order.

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased that an excellent task force has been hard at work over a number of months. It has been tasked to respond to a number of questions that were put to it by myself as well as my colleagues, the Minister of Public Safety and the Minister of Justice.

We look forward to the task force delivering its document later today. In due time, it will be made public to all Canadians.

[Alex Nuttall, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, members of the Liberal cabinet are not the only ones questioning what happened. Even stock experts are. Stock analysts are being quoted saying, “Why did it move? Nothing special seemed to be going on. So this is highly unusual”. We know that Liberals used the marijuana task force report, and now it is signed sealed and delivered.

On November 16, Liberals were made millionaires using marijuana stocks. Was this insider trader, and what will the minister do to prove that it was not?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, our government is pleased that a number of excellent, well-informed Canadians have met over the last number of months. They have received input from thousands of Canadians who have commented on the discussion paper related to the introduction of legislation, a new project that will require legalization, regulation, restriction of access to cannabis.

We look forward to receiving the report, which will be delivered by the task force later today.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Chuck Rifici was in charge of the Liberal Party of Canada's finances. He was also a co-founder of Canopy Growth Corporation.

Canopy Growth Corporation's share price doubled on November 16. Share prices do not normally double in a single day. It is possible that the report by the task force on marijuana legalization was leaked.

What measures did the government put in place to ensure that the recommendations of that task force would not be disclosed?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as has been stated, our government is committed to legalizing strictly regulated and restricting access to marijuana.

We have had the fortune of having a task force that will be reporting and sending its report forward today.

It is my understanding that the chair will release a statement publicly. Once translation is complete, the task force recommendations and report will be provided to the Minister of Public Safety, the Minister of Health and myself. We will move forward in this regard.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canopy Growth Corporation, which two weeks ago had a market capitalization of over $1.7 billion, was co-founded by the former chief financial officer of the Liberal Party of Canada, Chuck Rifici. However, it gets worse. Laurier Club Liberal donors Bruce Linton and Mark Zekulin are also large shareholders and executives of Canopy Growth. Something does not add up here unless an individual is a well-connected Liberal pot shareholder.

What preferential information did these well-connected Liberals get in return for their large Liberal Party donations?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, the member is intentionally mixing things that need not be mixed.

The member very well knows that when it comes to fundraising, Canada has some of the strictest rules across this nation.

I can assure Canadians that this is the case. Even the Chief Electoral Officer has stated that Canada's political financing laws are the most advanced, constrained, and transparent in the world. We will continue to follow the rules.

Natural Resources

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it has been said that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Two and a half years ago, against the wishes of first nations and British Columbians, Stephen Harper approved the northern gateway bitumen pipeline. A year ago, B.C. helped—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. The hon. member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley has the floor. We need to hear the question and the answer.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

A year ago, Mr. Speaker, British Columbians helped throw them out of office.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister approved a Kinder Morgan bitumen pipeline, once again, against the interests of first nations and British Columbians. He promised a credible review process, and he broke that promise to Canadians.

Does the Prime Minister actually think he can betray British Columbians and get away with it? Will any of the B.C. Liberal caucus stand up for our province and stand against this pipeline?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canada took a step forward in supporting thousands of well-paying middle-class jobs. Our government had taken concrete actions to protect our coasts. It put a price on pollution, while finding new markets for our resources.

However, do not take my word for this. This is what Alberta NDP Premier Rachel Notley had to say:

We don't have to choose between the environment and building the economy. Canada is going to be a global leader on climate change. And our country will still create jobs and greater economic equality.

The Alberta NDP seems to get it. When will the party opposite?

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, while B.C. Liberal MPs sit silent, B.C. New Democrats stand united to fight the Kinder Morgan pipeline.

Southern resident killer whales were designated as endangered more than a decade ago. Yet neither the Conservatives nor two Liberal governments have ever produced the recovery strategy required by law. Instead, we get yet another vague promise today.

How could the Liberals betray British Columbians and approve the Kinder Morgan pipeline without a recovery plan in place knowing that this project could wipe out these iconic orcas?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans outlined a draft plan and made it public this past summer. We received over 11,000 comments from British Columbians and other Canadians. Those are being incorporated into a new action plan, which will be released in January. It will take into account these suggestions from Canadians.

Make no mistake about it. The Minister of Transport and I will take our responsibility to protect these iconic orcas and will do what is necessary to ensure that they not only survive but that they recover.

The Economy

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Pickering—Uxbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today Statistics Canada released the quarterly GDP numbers for Canada. Would the Minister of Finance please update the House with what Canada's GDP performance was in this quarter of this year?