Debates of Dec. 9th, 2016

Taxation

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' new health and dental tax will hurt Canada's most vulnerable. People with serious diseases and pre-existing conditions are worried. In Quebec, about one in five policyholders lost their coverage when this was implemented, with only one in 10 securing their own coverage afterward. Why do the Liberals keep attacking Canada's most vulnerable?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that we are the government that is working for those in need in this country, and the Conservatives have voted against every measure we put forth to help the middle class and those who need it.

Let me tell the member what we are doing. We are in process of reviewing our tax system as a whole, because we are the government of tax fairness. We are not looking at any one particular measure. No decision has been made, but he can rest assured that at every step of the way we will continue to improve tax fairness in this country, make our tax code efficient, and make sure that we always protect the middle class in this country.

Public Safety

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the issue of federal immigration detainees at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay is extremely concerning. This provincial maximum security institution was to be used as a temporary holding facility but now officers are dealing with challenges far beyond their scope. To make matters worse, the CBSA is providing extremely limited support. These detainees need to be moved to a federal facility that is properly set up to deal with their unique needs. When will the public safety minister take action and move these detainees?

[Michel Picard, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, this is the perfect opportunity to remind the member that we already announced, last June, a $138-million investment to upgrade immigration detention centres. In addition to the upgrades, we are going to find other alternatives, because we believe that these detention centres should be a last resort. We have begun moving forward on that.

Indigenous Affairs

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago the indigenous affairs minister threw 38 first nations a pass, and they did not want to share their financial information. In doing so, it threw members into the dark. Their concerns have continued to grow, and they are starting to mobilize. What does the minister have to say to Karen McCarthy, who stated to the CBC, “The system does not protect the rights of band membership”?

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I think the system does not protect the rights of a lot of indigenous members and business on reserve as well. That is why our government and everyone involved wants increased transparency and accountability, including first nations. We want to be able to achieve this through fully working together in partnership to ensure that we have a solution to this that is not going to be top down, like the former government had implemented, but will be one that is developed working together in partnership to ensure that first nations' fiscal transparency is open, accountable, and works for first nations.

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals talk about being concerned about transparency. They and the minister just spent three days at AFN meetings. The word “transparency” and how we can be accountable to the membership did not come up once.

According to Karen McCarthy:

And the system where we file grievances and allegations to INAC [Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada] — it doesn't really go anywhere.

Further, we heard from Charmaine Stick:

They (INAC and AFN) need to help us. We need help instead of taking our own leadership to court.

It has been over a year now. They have done nothing. When will the minister put actions to those words and show these women some respect?

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, one thing the member is exactly right about is that the minister, myself, and the staff in INAC have spent the entire week meeting with first nations governments from all across the country on a variety of issues, day in and day out, that are important to them.

We have talked about the financial transparency act. We have made it known, over and over again, that where there are any complaints, any allegations, as a department, they are being investigated, they are being looked upon very seriously. Where forensic audits have been required, they have been—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. member for Courtenay—Alberni.

Infrastructure

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is considering privatizing our airports, yet Canadians already pay among the highest travel fees in the world, and provincial tourism ministers agree. They do not want Canada's airports privatized.

Canada ranks number one for airport infrastructure, so why would the Liberals try to get private investment in this area? Is it because they want their friends in big business to reap the profits, or simply because they do not care about middle-class Canadians paying more for air travel?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to mention that our government is obviously committed to getting Canadian products to global markets.

Canada is a trading nation, and being competitive on a global scale requires world-class infrastructure. That is why, to support this, we are investing $10.1 billion over 11 years, as announced in the fall economic statement. We will make strategic investments in trade and transportation projects that build stronger and more efficient transportation corridors to international markets and help Canadian businesses to compete, grow, and create more jobs for Canada's middle class.

Employment

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over the years, countless plant closures have affected the economy in Montreal East. After the Shell refinery and Mabe Canada appliance plant, now the Mr. Christie's factory is closing in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

Within the next year 454 more good jobs will be lost in my riding. I met with the plant managers and we talked about solutions, but they were clear: the decision is final.

Does the minister have a plan to ensure the survival and creation of good jobs in Montreal East?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question.

I understand the concerns raised by the member, and that is why we are making significant investments through DEC, the regional development agency in Quebec, which is focusing on job opportunities in that region.

I would like to highlight that we actually made an investment in maintaining and creating 1,000 jobs in Mirabel, in the aerospace sector. We also invested $54 million in space, $54 million in aerospace, $108 million in total, looking at those areas. We are also focusing in those regions to make sure that we help diversify the economy and help small businesses. We will continue to make sure that we make investments that create jobs.

Rail Transportation

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the petition in favour of a rail bypass in Lac-Mégantic was signed by a very important public figure, the Prime Minister himself.

The people of Lac-Mégantic did not have to pay $1,500 to get that signature because the Liberal leader was not the Prime Minister at the time.

Can the Prime Minister send a clear signal to the people of Lac-Mégantic today and commit to building the rail bypass that will finally allow the locals the heal?

Can the Prime Minister prove that a free signature is worth as much as a $1,500 meeting?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, our government is committed to improved rail safety, and we stand by the people of Lac-Mégantic. I repeat that our thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy.

The member should note that the final results of the city-led study have not been released. We are still awaiting the technical details. Therefore, we would like to see the results before rendering a final decision, but we are conscious that the citizens of Lac-Mégantic would like a rail bypass.

Public Services and Procurement

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

Mr. Speaker, Coast Guard employees in my riding have not been paid, as a result of the Phoenix pay fiasco. Single mothers have not been paid in multiple pay cycles and may lose their homes, and some workers are owed $20,000 in pay.

It is Christmas, and the Liberals have made promise after promise about fixing this system. I approached the minister last week on these specific problems. Yet, she has done absolutely nothing; she has not even contacted them.

Will the minister finally ensure that everyone owed money gets it in time to actually enjoy Christmas?

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, there is no question that the problems with the pay system are unacceptable. This government is doing a number of things to mitigate the problems, and we are focused clearly on improving the pay system. Resolving these cases is our top priority.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, public servants affected by the Liberal Phoenix pay fiasco are maxing out their credit cards to make ends meet. With Christmas weeks away, they are wondering if there will be anything left to put under their trees. These are real people, not just case numbers.

When will the minister devote the same energy to fixing her mess as she does to blaming others for it?

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, the public service pay problems are totally unacceptable. I know how unbearable the situation has been.

It is important that we do things properly. I assure my colleagues that we are working hard to fix the pay problems. Clearing up the backlog of cases is our priority.

Science

[Stephen Fuhr, Liberal, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this government values the role of science and the ongoing contributions that our scientists make to our environment, our economy, and our communities. Can the Parliamentary Secretary for Science update this House on what the government is doing to support innovation and research?

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Science]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Kelowna—Lake Country and our government know science is the foundation of a strong, healthy, and prosperous society. That is why we are committed to supporting cutting-edge genomics research.

Just yesterday, the Minister of Science announced an investment of $32 million to support the latest recipients of Genome Canada's large-scale applied research projects competition. This investment will help renew our traditional industries like forestry, fisheries, and mining, and will increase Canada's global competitiveness, our economic growth, and our social well-being.

Natural Resources

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal announcement to expedite the phasing-out of coal-powered electricity has created panic in my riding. For over 10,000 residents, mainly in Coronach and Estevan, this announcement is a death knell. There will be no jobs, which will cause mass exodus; property values will plummet; and the trickle-down effect will devastate families.

When will the Liberals stop pretending to care about southeast Saskatchewan, and actually start creating jobs?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that putting a price on carbon pollution is a priority, not just for this government but for governments all across Canada. There are a variety of ways in which governments have chosen to do that, running the range from a carbon tax in British Columbia to the cap-and-trade system in Ontario and Quebec. We also know that the Prime Minister is meeting with indigenous leaders today and with premiers from the provinces, which is a refreshing change to the way this country does its business.

[Gagan Sikand, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week the Senate transportation and communication committee released an interim report on the safe transportation of crude oil. The report makes seven recommendations, and calls on the Minister of Natural Resources to modernize the National Energy Board by broadening the board's mandate to ensure effective communication with stakeholders and improve consultation with indigenous people.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources update the House as to the progress our government has made on this important campaign commitment?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the members of the Senate committee for their report and recommendations on this important file.

I have appointed a panel of distinguished Canadians to look at ways that we can create the best energy regulator in the world and ensure that Canadians feel confident that their views on energy projects have been heard. The panel will be reporting back to me by May 15, 2017. Addressing concerns head-on and building a process that is more inclusive and transparent, our energy regulator will make decisions that will carry the confidence of Canadians.