House of Commons Hansard #120 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, in Abitibi—Témiscamingue, after paying through the nose for cellular service, people have to settle for lousy, at times non-existent reception. Outdoors, on a clear day, they might get one bar; otherwise, they are out of luck.
On long stretches of road, emergency services cannot even be reached. This is unacceptable. When is the government going to present a credible plan to ensure cellular coverage for individuals and businesses in rural regions?
Greg Fergus LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, Canadians' ability to communicate with one another and with the rest of the world is central to the digital economy and Canada's modern economy. In budget 2016, we announced a program to support broadband connectivity for Canadians across the country. We are going to make that connection.
For Canadians in Canada's rural and northern regions, access to high-speech Internet can unlock economic potential. We will certainly keep working in support of the digital economy.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, in order to manufacture the capability gap, the government has increased the number of CF-18s that the army must have available at all times. It took five minutes to make this change before confirming the purchase of 18 outdated Super Hornets. We have also learned that the government has deleted compromising information.
A National Defence report released two years ago on the life cycle of CF-18s and the exorbitant cost of an interim fleet has disappeared. We are beginning to understand why officials assigned to this file are muzzled for life.
What are the Liberals hiding from Canadians?
John McKay LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada always prefers to be open and transparent, except when classified information is on the website. That report has been deleted because there was potential classified information there. The government is looking at trying to re-post that report as a redacted report.
It should be noted that a mixed fleet is not optimal. Possibly the Conservatives should have thought of that 10 years ago, when they should have held an open and transparent competition.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government's love for communist regimes is a well-known fact. Long live Fidel and long live Mao's China.
The Liberals have taken a page from the Russians, who rewrite history with every new leader in order to reinforce the myth that surrounds them.
The Liberals are doing the same thing with the CF-18s. To manufacture a fake capability gap, they change policy, they muzzle those working on the file, and they eliminate compromising documents, such as the report on the life cycle of the CF-18s. The government's story makes no sense.
What else are the Liberals hiding from Canadians besides their gross incompetence?
John McKay LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, maybe a little Conservative history would be in order.
When the Conservatives announced the F-35 purchase, it was 65 jets for $9 billion. Nine billion dollars became $16 billion; $16 billion then became $25 billion to $27 billion; $25 billion to $27 billion became $42 billion to $45 billion. Then the Conservatives were the only government in the history of Canada actually cited for contempt. Then they dropped the program.
Now the jets are 10 years older; and, now the minister is trying to repair this very unfortunate situation largely caused by the previous government.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, very clearly the government is changing its story on foreign and defence policy all the time. In a desperate bid to get a UN Security Council seat, the Liberals are preparing to send the Canadian military to fight in a place where troops will almost certainly encounter child soldiers. While the Liberals scramble to figure out their policy on shooting child soldiers, many Canadians are wondering why this was not considered before a commitment was made.
Why are the Liberals, without a plan and without a vote in the House of Commons, sending our troops into a situation that clearly looks more disastrous every day, again simply to get approval of the UN Security Council?
John McKay LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question does raise a very serious issue when contemplating peace support operations. It does demonstrate a willingness on the part of the forces to change doctrines when necessary. I want to thank General Dallaire for his contribution and for forcing us all to rethink the doctrine with respect to child soldiers.
This is clearly a good outcome from the defence policy review, and it puts the Canadian military at the forefront of military thinking in international affairs.
Chandra Arya Liberal Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, safety in the transportation sector is a priority for my constituents of Nepean. Following the tragic collision between an OC Transpo bus and a train on September 18, 2013 in Barrhaven, the Transportation Safety Board recommended that all “commercial passenger buses...be equipped with dedicated, crashworthy, event data recorders”.
Can the minister please inform this House on the actions he is taking in order to address this important matter?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, safety obviously is a key priority, and our thoughts are still with the victims and the families of the victims of this tragic accident.
As members know, the Transportation Safety Board investigated this accident and made a number of recommendations. We always value its recommendations. Earlier this week, the government put out an RFP for a feasibility study on the possible use of event data recorders on commercial buses.
Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB
Mr. Speaker, last month the Liberals used Shell to claim support for their devastating carbon tax plan. However, Shell, citing bad government policy, cancelled the $10-billion Carmon Creek project in Alberta, killing thousands of jobs in the town of Peace River.
This is only the beginning. Companies from across the country will continue to abandon Canada because of the Liberal carbon tax. Why is the government listening to companies rather than listening to struggling Canadians?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, we are very pleased that we are working with provinces and territories to develop a made-in-Canada plan to tackle climate change. I am also pleased to announce that 93% of Canadians live in a jurisdiction where there is or will be a price on carbon pollution. I am working very hard with all the provinces and territories to help them design a system that makes sense for them, creates jobs, and ensures a better and more sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.
Ron McKinnon Liberal Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is extremely important to Canada's economy to have efficient highways that connect us to our families and communities and to goods and services. Could the Minister of Infrastructure explain how he is helping communities in British Columbia connect faster and more effectively?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, that is a great question. There are many important hubs along British Columbia's highways, and that is why we approved projects worth $310 million for those highways, with 50% of the cost covered by federal funding. This is for upgrades and expansions along the Trans-Canada Highway, including $48.5 million for the Salmon Arm West project, for connecting communities and moving goods.
We are working with the provincial government to improve access to local roads and businesses. We will always be there for British Columbia.
Bob Saroya Conservative Markham—Unionville, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are borrowing every failed Kathleen Wynne policy. Wynne was forced to apologize for driving energy prices so high they are unaffordable for seniors and families. Wynne had to end her cash for access fundraising scheme, because everyone demanded she stop this unethical shakedown. Wynne also had to admit that her infrastructure plan built a bridge upside down.
Why do these Liberals not take Kathleen Wynne's lead, apologize, and quit following all her bad ideas?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, let me tell members where we get our cues. As we did budget 2016, we went across Canada. We heard from 250,000 Canadians. We received about 5,000 submissions. That is why we did not—
Government AccountabilityOral Questions
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Anthony Rota
Order. We were doing so well.
I just want to remind everyone that while someone is answering a question, we cannot throw another question at them and expect them to answer a second one. They will not hear it. I just want to ask everyone to stay calm and let us finish question period on a high note.
The hon. parliamentary secretary.
François-Philippe Champagne Liberal Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, I think we bring the best out in them when we speak.
For budget 2016 and the fall economic statement, we listened to Canadians. We went from coast to coast to coast, and the policies we are seeing in the budget, in the fall economic statement, are about Canadian families. They are about jobs, about the middle-class, about inclusive growth, and about infrastructure. That is what Canadians want. That is what they told us on the 19th of October. That is what we are going to do.
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
Mr. Speaker, would you like some evidence that francophones are second-class citizens in Canada?
At the RCMP, 16,000 jobs are English essential, but only 19 are French essential. That is so ridiculous and over-the-top that it seems like a joke. An independent Quebec will have a police force that speaks French.
That is Canada, a country that scorns Quebeckers and all francophones. It is shameful.
How can the minister explain this disgraceful situation?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, Canada's linguistic duality is a fundamental characteristic of our country. The RCMP has received and welcomes the recommendations of the official languages commissioner, and they will respond promptly with a remedial plan.
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Speaker, as part of the federal strategy to promote climate change, Kinder Morgan and Enbridge both got two fine pipelines, despite the opposition of many municipalities, first nations, citizens, and environmentalists. That has left TransCanada, which continues to lobby for the energy east pipeline, out in the cold.
Quebec has good reason to be concerned because now the government has proven that it does not care about social licence.
I am therefore asking the Minister of Natural Resources whether he will give us a break with the energy east pipeline, yes or no.
Kim Rudd LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our government believes that major projects must be reviewed by a process that carries the confidence of Canadians. The National Energy Board process to review the energy east project continues.
This week, Canada took a step forward in creating thousands of good-paying jobs for Canadians. The Trans Mountain expansion and Line 3 project will go forward, because they met our strict standard to address economic opportunity while protecting the environment we cherish.
Gabriel Ste-Marie Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-29, the federal government is protecting banks against Quebec consumers and the Consumer Protection Act. That means that Quebeckers will no longer have any recourse when the banks impose hidden fees on them or rip them off. What a great precedent.
Next, cell phone companies will be asking the federal government to protect them from the Consumer Protection Act. Then Internet providers, cable companies, and airlines will be doing the same.
I am asking the minister of high finance and his private secretary where the gouging of Quebeckers will stop.
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am a parliamentary secretary, not a personal secretary.
We are proud of Bill C-29. I would remind my colleague that what we did is very simple, as he is well aware. The Supreme Court's ruling in Marcotte asked us to clarify measures that protect citizens and consumers across Canada. That is exactly what we are doing. We have modernized and simplified the rules that help Canadian consumers. That is all.
For example, the rules in Bill C-29 will allow the use of a broader range of personal identification documents to open a bank account or cash Government of Canada cheques. That is what Bill C-29 will do. This bill will help—