Debates of Dec. 6th, 2016

Taxation

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's new tax on health care is just one of the things he is doing to make it harder for Canadian families to get by.

We already knew that the wages of Canadian workers are not keeping up with the rising cost of living under the Liberals, but now we have learned that families may pay up to $420 more for food each year.

At a time when Canadians are struggling to make ends meet, why is the Prime Minister making life more expensive?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that many Canadians are struggling. We know that middle-class Canadians have seen a decade where their taxes have not been the key issue, but where growth has been the big challenge.

We moved forward immediately as a government to lower taxes on middle-class Canadians. We moved forward with the Canada child benefit, which is helping nine out of 10 families with children to have a better situation with their family.

We recognize the challenges facing middle-class Canadians. We have taken measures to help them today. We will invest in tomorrow so their children will be better off tomorrow.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are planning yet another new tax on employee health and dental benefits. Nowhere during the election did the Prime Minister say he would tax health and dental benefits, but that is not a surprise, because he has raised income taxes, carbon taxes, and CPP taxes. He has hiked taxes on Canadians' savings and he is even raising taxes on kids' sports and music lessons.

Why is the Prime Minister raiding health care taxes to pay for his own out-of-control spending?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, again, the first thing we did was to lower taxes on Canadians. We think it is important to remember that the party opposite did not vote for the reduction in middle-class taxes. They did not vote for the Canada child benefit.

What is true is that we are focused on tax fairness. We are focused on tax simplicity, so we are looking at ways to ensure that our tax code is fair for Canadians. We are looking at ways to make sure that Canadians can understand the tax code.

We will move forward on helping Canadians through lower, understood taxes.

Ethics

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that cash for access fundraisers with the Prime Minister are not in keeping with the government's ethics rules. Now, we know that the people who attend those events discuss government business with the Prime Minister and that he is happy to engage in those discussions. His plan is so worrisome that we asked the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and the Commissioner of Lobbying to investigate.

When will the Prime Minister admit his total failure when it comes to ethics?

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

Mr. Speaker, we held unprecedented public consultations in order to respond to the real challenges Canadians are facing. The rules governing fundraising are among the strictest in the country, and we follow the rules.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that political financing laws in Canada are the most advanced and constrained and transparent in the world.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's cash for access events are not open and transparent. They are hidden and they are secretive.

We found out about his event with Chinese billionaires only after it was reported on a website in China. Guests have plainly said that at several fundraisers the Prime Minister has openly discussed government business on which they were seeking his support.

What are we to believe? Has the Prime Minister ever discussed government business with someone who paid the Liberal Party to meet with him to seek his support on a topic that benefits them directly, yes or no?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I just finished saying in French, but I will say it in English, when it comes to the level of consultation this government is having with Canadians, it is unprecedented. When it comes to the rules around fundraising, they are the most open and transparent, and they are the most strict across the country. This government and this party will continue to follow the rules.

The member knows very well that only Canadians can donate to Canadian political parties.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the fisheries minister told the House that government business is not discussed at cash for access events, but the host of one of these events not only contradicted him but confirmed that he lobbied the Prime Minister without being registered. Now we learn that this same individual was personally invited by the Prime Minister to meet the Chinese premier. As a result, he accepted to hold a Liberal fundraiser.

Is there really nobody on the government side who can see the problem here?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will remind members and Canadians that if they do not want to listen to me, they can listen to the Chief Electoral Officer who stated that Canada's political financing laws are “the most advanced and constrained and transparent” in the world. We know that when it comes to fundraising, the rules are very strict, especially across this country. This party will continue to follow the rules.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from sunny ways to shady deals.

If, as the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons says, Canada has some of the strictest fundraising rules, then why did the Prime Minister go to the trouble of introducing new rules prohibiting cash for access to his own political party?

Was this just another one of their shams?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has confirmed that he heard the response I have given many times. The rules governing fundraising are among the strictest in the country and we follow the rules.

The Chief Electoral Officer said that Canadian election financing laws are the most advanced, transparent, and constrained in the world.

Indigenous Affairs

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer was crystal clear: the government is shirking its responsibilities, and indigenous children are paying the price.

The Liberals promised to do better than the Conservatives, but the list of broken promises is getting longer. Legal battles against indigenous rights continue and the Liberals keep using Harper's system for approving pipelines.

Does the government understand that the first nations communities are fed up with the lies and broken promises?

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

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer rightly noted that the previous government underfunded K-to-12 education on reserve. That is why we prioritized closing the gap in first nations education outcomes, including a historic $2.6 billion over five years for K-to-12 education on reserve, and nearly $1 billion in educational infrastructure, which today's report said is addressing these shortfalls.

We will not let another generation of first nations youth behind.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Justice Sinclair said that the government's attitude on first nations court cases like the sixties scoop is “unconscionable”. Following the Kinder Morgan approval, Grand Chief Stewart Phillip said the Prime Minister “completely failed to do [his] job”. And to add recklessness to betrayal, the natural resources minister mused about calling in the military to quell protests.

Will the Liberals back away from this dangerous rhetoric, and will they show first nations communities the respect they deserve?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that among the reasons that Canada is such a special place and a great country is because we welcome diversity of opinion, we appreciate the importance of peaceful protest, and we are protected by the rule of law. That is what I intended to say in Edmonton last week, and I now look forward to working with indigenous people and all Canadians so that our children and those who follow will have a brighter and cleaner future.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, they can give any answer they want, but the fact is that the Prime Minister admitted to the House that he attended a fundraiser with Chinese billionaires to talk about Canadian issues. He said that his intent was to attract investors to Canada.

Was it a Liberal Party of Canada fundraiser or an event during which people could lobby the Prime Minister on matters of personal interest to them?

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

Mr. Speaker, we are holding an unprecedented number of consultations to respond to the real challenges Canadians are facing.

As I have said several times, the fundraising rules are among the strictest in the country, and we are following the rules.

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

Mr. Speaker, when non-Canadians attend a gathering and did not pay to be there, obviously they are there to lobby the Prime Minister. That is very clear.

This morning, we discovered that we have a very hard time getting access to the Prime Minister so we can ask him our questions.

Will MPs have to pay $1,500 to ask a question?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member is very well aware that only Canadians can donate to Canadian political parties. He is also very well aware that our government is holding consultations at an unprecedented level.

Everyone has access to our government and to the Prime Minister. We will continue our work to make things better for Canadians.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals do not seem to get what is wrong with their cash for access fundraisers, so I will spell it out for them. It is not a problem to have a fundraiser, it is a problem to invite people who are clearly doing business with the government. That is called conflict of interest. Then, when they do favours for their fundraising guests, like approving their bank or appointing them to the Halifax Port Authority, that is called preferential access and undue influence. When will the Prime Minister stop violating government rules, ethics rules, and his own rules?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have some of the strongest rules around fundraising in the country, and those rules are always followed. I have said this time and time again. I will continue to remind members of this House and Canadians that this government is committed to responding to the very real challenges that Canadians are facing. We will continue to consult with Canadians, we will continue to engage with Canadians, and we will continue to work hard for Canadians.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve a real answer from an open and transparent government.

When I used to work in engineering and construction building projects for China, I was aware of the corruption there. Bribes to get permits were common practice. However, this is Canada. When I see wealthy Chinese investors donating to the Prime Minister's family foundation and looking for openings to buy up our country's assets by greasing the palms of the Liberal Party with a $1,500 cash for access fundraiser, I get concerned. When will the Prime Minister put a stop to this Liberal corruption?

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

Mr. Speaker, I will repeat once again that when it comes to fundraising we have some of the strictest rules across this country. It is important that the member understands that it is also true that the rules clearly state that only Canadians can donate to Canadian political parties.

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

Mr. Speaker, it appears that China is now dictating how we spend money on health care for our seniors. Eighty elite business people attended a fundraiser in the home of a wealthy Chinese businessman where the Prime Minister was directly lobbied to support this Chinese foreign investment. This type of investment appears to need approval by cabinet under the Investment Canada Act. The Prime Minister has exposed himself by selling access to an issue that will have to come before cabinet. When will the Prime Minister finally put an end to these shady, corrupt cash for access events?