House of Commons Hansard #21 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was soldiers.

Topics

Public FinancesOral Questions

11:15 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that we are doing the right thing by investing in infrastructure, by giving middle-income Canadians a break, and by helping low-income families with a new Canada child benefit. We are doing what economists like Larry Summers, former U.S. treasury secretary, say is the right thing to do. We are doing what David Dodge, the former governor of the Bank of Canada, says is the right thing to do. We are listening to experts, not to the Conservatives from whom we inherited debt, deficits, and a low-growth economy.

Business of the HouseOral Questions

11:15 a.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to move on to another topic, and that is the sensitive issue of physician-assisted dying. We know that, from the outset, the Prime Minister has not stopped boasting about Quebec's experience in this regard. I would like to remind members that Quebec's experience ended with a free vote by MNAs. I know what I am talking about. I was there.

Last week, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons announced, not in the House but in the paper, that the vote on this issue would be a party vote and that members would have to toe the party line. The Liberal members for Scarborough and Winnipeg have already said that this does not make any sense, and they are right.

I appeal to the Liberal Party to use common sense and keep its word.

Will the Liberals allow members to vote according to their conscience, yes or no?

Business of the HouseOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue for Canadians. That is why there is a parliamentary committee studying and working on a report on the issue.

We look forward to receiving the report. We will take that report seriously and we will work with members of Parliament from all parties in a non-partisan way on this issue.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeHouse Leader of the Official Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the absolute worst thing one can do during an economic downturn is to burden Canadians with higher taxes. The proposed national carbon tax would kneecap the energy sector.

Canadians out of work across the country expect the government to grow the economy, not add additional burdens.

This is a terrible idea that could not come at a worse time. Higher taxes on energy will make Canadian oil even less competitive on the world stage. Is the minister trying to completely destroy the western Canadian economy, or is he just doing it by accident?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, we are working with all regions of the country to create an environment where we can have economic growth.

For instance, one of the most important issues is to have market access for Canadian petroleum. Under the previous government, the Conservatives were unsuccessful in getting one metre of access to tidewater for Canadian energy. That is because they refused to work with provinces. They refused to work with the environmental community, and they refused to work with aboriginal and first nations leaders.

We are working with our partners and stakeholders because we know what it takes to actually make economic progress for Canadians.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeHouse Leader of the Official Opposition

Mr. Speaker, under our watch, four major pipeline projects were built, and the first thing they did was kill northern gateway.

A new national carbon tax would devastate all aspects of the economy, making Canadians pay more for everything they buy, and it will drive out investment. Premier Brad Wall has warned that this new tax would hurt economic growth and cost jobs across the country. Saskatchewan has indicated it wants no part of this job-killing scheme.

The Liberals talk about working with the provinces. Will the minister stand in the House and guarantee that Saskatchewan can opt out of this terrible idea?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, across Canada individual governments have priced carbon. This has occurred for a long time. Unlike the previous government, we are actually doing something that seems quite unconventional by recent standards. We meet with the premiers and we work with the provincial governments. We look forward to continuing to work with them to ensure that we have an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable energy industry here in Canada.

EmploymentOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Mr. Speaker, former Aveos employees feel betrayed. After winning two court cases against Air Canada to save their jobs in Montreal, Winnipeg, and Mississauga, they have now learned that the government wants to change the law to relieve Air Canada of its obligations.

Before the election, the Prime Minister promised to fight for these former employees. The Prime Minister's response yesterday totally missed the mark.

Why is the government giving up on the 2,600 unemployed Aveos workers?

EmploymentOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, air service, support, and the aeronautics industry is a key industry for Canada. This government understands that. We are working with all stakeholders. We will continue to do that. For instance, we are concerned with the recent issues around Bombardier. We are pleased to see Air Canada purchasing CS300 series planes from Bombardier. This is really important.

Members should make no mistake about it. Our government understands the importance of the aeronautical industry, and we will continue to invest in it, support it, and work with its employees and stakeholders.

EmploymentOral Questions

11:20 a.m.

NDP

Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Mr. Speaker, if the Liberals understood the importance they would not be abandoning 2,600 families, and that is what they are doing.

Before the election, the Liberals promised they would defend Aveos jobs. Now the minister and the government say they will reopen the Air Canada Public Participation Act. This legislation was implemented to protect good aerospace jobs in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Mississauga. Why are the Liberals planning to remove these legal protections for thousands of good aerospace maintenance jobs across Canada? Why will they not stand up for these good Canadian jobs?

EmploymentOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board

Mr. Speaker, our government is not only standing up for Canadian jobs, we are actually investing in creating Canadian jobs. We are investing in science, we are investing in innovation, we are investing in infrastructure, the kinds of investments that will create the jobs of today and tomorrow. We understand the importance of investing in Canadians and investing in Canadian innovation.

CBC/Radio-CanadaOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

NDP

Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, we learned this morning that the CBC/Radio-Canada tower is officially for sale.

This plan has raised some serious concerns from the beginning, and there has been no transparency. CBC/Radio-Canada's production capacity is at stake. Management has not offered any guarantees that it will be maintained.

Can the government tell us whether it truly plans to hand a blank cheque to CBC/Radio-Canada? What guarantees will it require?

CBC/Radio-CanadaOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Edmonton Centre Alberta

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.

We are waiting for CBC/Radio-Canada to consult with its partners to evaluate all the options. We realize that Maison de Radio-Canada is very important to Montreal and that it is a meeting place for Canadians.

We will reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada to help with the digital transformation and plan for the future. All reinvestments will be made in co-operation and consultation with the broadcaster and the artistic and cultural communities.

CBC/Radio-CanadaOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

NDP

Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, such a major transaction will require government approval. At the very least, the government should require transparency from CBC/Radio-Canada.

Quebeckers and Montrealers have an attachment to the CBC/Radio-Canada tower. It has a unique status in our cultural history. The CBC/Radio-Canada board of directors' plans could see the tower torn down.

Can the government tell us whether it considered other options for using this building?

CBC/Radio-CanadaOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Edmonton Centre Alberta

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, all options were considered for the CBC/Radio-Canada tower. It is important that the Maison de Radio-Canada facilities be modern and adapted to the new media reality, with the shift to digital. We value CBC/Radio-Canada. We will reinvest in the corporation. I would remind the House that CBC/Radio-Canada is an arm's-length corporation.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister continues to fly over Saskatchewan. Perhaps he should stop in and feel the pain this province is undergoing right now. Saskatchewan continues to contribute, even in these tough economic times.

Saskatchewan businesses were in Ottawa this week, not looking for handouts but pleading with the current government to stop its job-killing tax schemes. Saskatchewan wants to be competitive, and that does not include a carbon tax. Why do the Liberals insist, then, on inflicting crippling taxes that will send more people to the unemployment lines?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised that the member opposite does not believe in a market mechanism that will help tackle climate change, create clean jobs, and stimulate innovation. More than 80% of Canadians will soon live in a jurisdiction where there is carbon pricing, and major Canadian corporations, as well as international corporations, already build the price of carbon into their investment decisions.

We look forward to sitting down with the premiers, unlike the other government, to actually look into how we can move forward to have a real plan to grow our economy and tackle climate change.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

February 19th, 2016 / 11:25 a.m.

Conservative

Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK

Mr. Speaker, does the delay-and-study party, a.k.a. the Liberals, understand that the people of Saskatchewan are hurting? The downturn in the oil and gas industry has left thousands of Saskatchewanians out of work. I see the devastating effects every time I drive in my riding.

Now the Liberals are scheming to impose a carbon tax, against the will of Canadians in Saskatchewan. Why are they imposing a job-killing carbon tax at a time when people in the energy sector are losing their jobs daily?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, we are certainly concerned about the situation in Saskatchewan and the job losses that are due to low commodity prices. However, unlike the previous government, we believe that the environment and the economy go together. That is why we are working with the provinces and territories to have a comprehensive plan to tackle climate change but to also stimulate innovation and grow a clean economy.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, every week that goes by, the Prime Minister breaks another election promise. Revenue-neutral tax cuts, deficits, balanced budgets—all broken promises. To make matters worse, the Prime Minister is spending billions of dollars of taxpayers' money on foreign vanity projects. Now we are hearing that he has a scheme to impose a harmful carbon tax on provinces like Saskatchewan at the absolutely worst time for our energy industry.

Why is the Liberal government punishing Canadians at a time when hundreds of thousands of Canadians are losing their jobs?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, as I said previously, unlike the previous government, our government believes that the environment and the economy go together. Unfortunately, under the previous government, because the Conservatives took a position against developing resources in a sustainable way and diversifying the economy, we actually were not able to create the jobs that we need to grow the economy of the future.

What we are doing now is that we are going to be working with the provinces and the territories to develop a plan that tackles climate change, one of the biggest challenges of our generation, and that also moves us forward to a lower-carbon economy with good, new jobs.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, for months the Minister of Environment and Climate Change has been promising Canadians a Canada-wide climate-change plan. Despite repeated requests to do so, the minister has failed to deliver such a plan, another broken promise. At the same time, she is boasting about billion-dollar climate-change projects in foreign countries and scheming on a tax grab, which would impose more punishing carbon taxes on Canadians.

My question is for the minister. As the broken promises pile up, why is she abandoning the thousands of working Canadians who are losing their jobs because of her policies?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Ottawa Centre Ontario

Liberal

Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite well knows, I have sat down with the representatives, my counterparts, from the provinces and territories to talk about a pan-Canadian plan to tackle climate change but also to set our economy on a new path where we have sustainable growth. We have done this.

The Prime Minister is meeting on March 3 with the premiers of the provinces, as well as the territories, to actually develop this pan-Canadian plan. We are well aware of the challenges faced by Saskatchewan and other provinces. That is why we are going to invest in green infrastructure and is how we are going to create clean jobs.

Intergovernmental RelationsOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Dan Albas Conservative Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC

Mr. Speaker, the March 2016 deadline for a new agreement on internal trade is fast approaching. I know government members like to tell us that they are working really hard while consulting on consultation, but Canada desperately needs a long overdue new agreement on internal trade.

Will the Prime Minister announce a new agreement on internal trade when he meets with Canadian premiers next month in Vancouver, or will he promise more promises and come home empty-handed?

Intergovernmental RelationsOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Mississauga—Malton Ontario

Liberal

Navdeep Bains LiberalMinister of Innovation

Mr. Speaker, we ran on a growth agenda, and we understand it is very important that we work with our provincial and territorial counterparts. That is why I had the pleasure of meeting with them a few days ago to discuss this very important matter. We were able to make sure that we are making progress on meaningful areas to reduce barriers, to harmonize regulation.

We have goodwill. We are co-operating with them. We are working with them, and I am very confident that we will have positive results to announce to Canadians in the near future.