Debates of Dec. 5th, 2016

HMCS Ville de Quebec

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the honour of joining Commodore Baines, Commander LaFrance, and the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy aboard the HMCS Ville de Québec on a voyage from Halifax to Boston.

It was an incredible experience for a prairie girl, not only to be at sea but to see our officers and sailors in action. The professionalism that each member of the crew displayed is a credit to both their character and their training.

I would like to thank the members of the RCN for this tremendous opportunity, and for the work they do each and every day on behalf of all Canadians.

If members have not already done so, say yes to the Royal Canadian Navy the next time its members offer parliamentarians the opportunity to join them on a voyage.

To the crew of the HMCS Ville de Québec , Godspeed on their journey home.

Islamophobia

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am a young, brown, Muslim, Canadian woman. When I moved to Canada in the 1990s, a young girl trying to make this nation my home, some kids in school would yell as they pushed me, “Go home, you Muslim”, but I was home. I am among thousands of Muslims who have been victimized because of hate and fear.

I am a proud Canadian among hundreds and thousands of others who will not tolerate hate based on religion or skin colour. I rise today with my fellow Canadians to reject and condemn Islamophobia.

On this historic day when petition e-411 is tabled, I am honoured to bring forward motion 103 calling on our government to condemn Islamophobia and work toward eliminating all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination.

I look forward to the support of all members of this House. We are all Canadian.

Electrification of Transportation

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, global warming is a fact, and it is time to require elected representatives from all levels of government to take real action on speeding up the electrification of transportation.

Longueuil is already part of the solution. The smart and sustainable transportation technology hub “IVÉO” is our entrepreneurs’ answer to this industrial revolution. This is something we can be proud of. The greater Longueuil community is a leader in Quebec with TM4 motors, Blue Solutions batteries and the spectacular SORA electric motorcycle.

As citizens, we must demand from all our elected officials an unwavering commitment within a coalition to make our region a champion. At a time when 37% of its young people are living under the poverty line, Longueuil badly needs the long-term jobs that will come with such a system of innovation.

It is with the people’s enthusiasm and support that I pledge to do everything in my power as an MP to build this coalition of elected officials so we can all work together tirelessly to bring these major forward-looking projects to our region.

Israel

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, most Canadians recognize that, at its extremist core, the boycott, divest, and sanctions movement seeks to eliminate Israel by destroying its economy. That is why, in August, Canadian Jewish community groups were supported by citizens across the religious spectrum in condemning a Green Party resolution to embed BDS as official party policy.

This weekend, the Green Party passed a rewritten so-called compromise resolution that is in fact its most anti-Israel position yet. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, CIJA, said that the resolution confirms that the Green Party has been co-opted by extreme activists who, in an obsessive campaign of prejudice against Israelis, threaten the party's own credibility and relevance in Canadian politics.

Earlier this year, by a large majority, the House formally condemned the demonization of the state of Israel. I hope MPs will reaffirm that powerful statement today.

Violence Against Women

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, November 25 was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. To raise awareness on this issue, our Minister of Status of Women initiated the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign, 2016.

Through this initiative, the minister is inviting Canadians to think about the link between casual sexism and gender-based violence.

To partake in the conversation, I must recognize Yellow Brick House, a not-for-profit charitable organization in Richmond Hill, which has been working with abused women and children in York Region for over 38 years. Last year alone, it assisted more than 5,500 women and children suffering from violence and abuse.

The hashtag for this 16-day period is #actionsmatter.

I attest today in this House that the actions of Yellow Brick House matter for changing lives in my riding of Richmond Hill.

Employment

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has now lost 30,500 full-time jobs since the Prime Minister took office, and it is about to get a lot worse. While the Prime Minister continues to hike taxes and drive up the cost of doing business in Canada, the U.S. is going in the other direction. It is committed to cutting corporate taxes in half and lowering the price of energy.

How many more Canadian jobs need to be lost before the Prime Minister wakes up to this new reality?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, since we formed government, along with industry we have helped create 183,200 jobs from coast to coast to coast. For example, GM Canada is investing in up to 1,000 new engineering and high-tech software positions. Do members know what the GM executive VP of global product development said? He said, “We selected Canada for this expansion because of its clear capacity for innovation, proven talent and strong ecosystem of great universities, startups and innovative suppliers”.

That is why companies are investing in Canada.

Taxation

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development knows full well that the measure that people look at is the number of full-time jobs created. We have lost 30,500 full-time jobs, and the government, the parliamentary secretary, and the Prime Minister have not created one additional full-time job since coming into office.

Now we hear he also wants to tax the health and dental benefits provided by employers, which will mean working Canadians will have to pay even more income tax. Can the Prime Minister now promise in the House that he is not going to tax the health and dental benefits that 13.5 million Canadians rely on?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, we are making Canada's tax system fairer and more progressive. We have raised taxes on the top 1% so that we could cut taxes for the middle class, and beyond that, we introduced the Canada child benefit, which will mean that the average family will receive $2,300 more tax free. That will raise 300,000 Canadian kids out of poverty.

We, as a government, are acting to make Canada's system fairer and more progressive and to help Canada's middle class and those working so hard to join it.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, they are working so hard, that is for sure.

In the most recent budget, the Liberals cut tax breaks for small businesses and for families. Afterward, they announced Canada Pension Plan increases and the introduction of a carbon tax, which will cost families thousands of dollars each year. Now they want to tax drug and dental plans.

Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what he intends to tax more to pay for his out-of-control spending?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, our government has made significant changes to make our tax system more progressive for the middle class. We are going to keep making important decisions to improve conditions for the middle class.

We are doing that because we understand that we cannot have a strong economy without a strong middle class. The previous government did not get that. For 10 years, Canada's middle class fell behind. We are standing with them to build an economy that grows.

Ethics

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the more we learn about the Prime Minister's cash for access fundraising practices, the worse it gets. We were all shocked when the Prime Minister first confessed that he was discussing business at these fundraisers. That is not only unethical, it is illegal. The Prime Minister discussed various issues at his events with Chinese billionaires, including changing Canadian investment rules to directly benefit them.

The Prime Minister's job is to defend Canadians' interests, not to put them up for sale. When is he going to realize that this wrong?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House many times, when it comes to fundraising, Canada has some of the most strict rules. Even the Chief Electoral Officer stated that Canada's political financing laws are the most advanced and constrained and transparent in the world.

This government has undertaken unprecedented levels of consultation with Canadians. We will continue to engage with Canadians to do the good work they expect us to do.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we may have some of the strictest fundraising rules in Canada, but the Prime Minister is breaking them every time he holds one of these events when he is talking about government business. He is actually selling access to himself, the most powerful person in government. Discussing government business to fill Liberal Party coffers is wrong, it is unethical, and it is actually illegal.

When will the Prime Minister come to his senses and end this cash for access fundraising?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am pretty sure that the member opposite is not implying that the Prime Minister would be breaking the law, and if the member is saying it, there is a better place, which would be outside this chamber, to make such an accusation.

When it comes to the fundraising rules—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I know the members have very strong feelings on some subjects in question period, but we know that each side gets its turn. I would ask members to listen to the answer from the hon. government House leader, who has a few more seconds.

Order. I would ask the members for Grande Prairie—Mackenzie and Chilliwack—Hope to include themselves in the listening process.

The hon. government House leader.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that when it comes to fundraising, we have some of the most strict rules across this country.

This government will continue to follow the laws so that we can continue to do the good work we are doing for Canadians.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let me read a statement dated November 24, just two weeks ago, from the minister for fishy fundraisers:

...at events like this, government business is not discussed

He was talking about a cash for access event involving the Prime Minister. We are now told that the Prime Minister did indeed discuss government business. How do we know this? It is because the host of the fundraiser himself said it was discussed.

Does the minister wish to correct the record with regard to his November 24 statement, which we now know to be false?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that when it comes to fundraising, we have some of the most strict laws across this country. Even the Chief Electoral Officer has said that they are the most advanced, constrained, and transparent in the world.

This government will continue to follow the laws, and we will continue to do the good work Canadians expect us to do.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I guess he does not wish to correct those false statements. That is reassuring.

We have a government that makes the rules and then cheerfully breaks them, that claims to set new standards and then justifies its actions on the grounds that it did not technically do anything wrong, and that tells Parliament that attendees at these exclusive dinners do not discuss government business.

By accusing the event host of lying, is the minister signalling plans to investigate? Or did someone else lie?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have told the House several times, we have the strictest fundraising rules in the country. The Chief Electoral Officer also states that Canadian election financing laws are the most advanced, constrained, and transparent in the world.

Marijuana

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister just forgot to say that following those rules is important too.

Quite a few Canadians were under the impression that the advent of a Liberal government meant an end to criminal records for simple possession of marijuana. The Liberals have been in power for over a year now, and they are still handing out criminal records by the thousand, especially to young people. The Prime Minister just urged the police to continue enforcing these archaic laws.

This is causing young Canadians a lot of problems, so why does the government not put an end to that by decriminalizing marijuana right away?

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

Mr. Speaker, to reiterate, our government is committed to legalization, strict regulation, and restricting access to marijuana to keep it out of the hands of children and the profits out of the hands of criminals. As the member opposite actually once said, it would be a mistake to simply decriminalize.

We are entering into, and are going to undertake, a comprehensive review, taking recommendations from the task force in order to introduce legislation in the spring of 2017.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister led many Canadians to believe that under a Liberal government, the recreational use of marijuana would no longer be a crime.

He used to say very clearly that the current war on marijuana is not working. Well, a year after forming government, he has not only refused to decriminalize possession but he is now urging police to enforce all marijuana laws. He is urging police to crack down on recreational users.

How did the guy who once thought the war on pot was not working become its most enthusiastic general?