Debates of Feb. 2nd, 2016

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, as I just said to the hon. colleague, the previous government has put us on track for a $3-billion deficit for this year.

We have a plan to grow the economy, to invest in Canadians, to create investments to grow our economy, and to invest in infrastructure. That is what we said, and that is exactly what we will be doing.

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that prosperity does not come from government spending but rather from entrepreneurs investing. The finance minister is completely wrong when he thinks that we can spend our way to prosperity on borrowed money.

Will he work with us? Will he work with job-creating entrepreneurs by lowering taxes and balancing the budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to invest in growing the economy, but as we have said from the start, we will follow three cardinal principles in our approach. We will reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio, make prudent investments in our infrastructure, and return to a balanced budget before the end of our term.

That is what we promised Canadians and that is exactly what we will do.

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is sad to listen to my colleague. Running deficits is not the answer for stimulating the economy.

When Canadians are managing their budgets, they know that when times are tough it is not the time to be spending more. On the contrary, they know that when times are tough it is time to look closer at their spending, manage it responsibly, and save money. Spending does not create wealth. We do not become richer by spending money we do not have.

I would ask the Minister of Finance and the government to stop living in a parallel universe where spending equals prosperity and to deliver a balanced budget for all Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am always amazed when I hear my colleague opposite.

Canadians know that the time to invest is when interest rates are low. That is what we said. We began in December with our plan to cut taxes for the middle class. In the next budget, we will introduce the Canada child benefit and make historic investments in infrastructure.

Canadians know that the time to make investments that will grow the economy is when interest rates are low.

National Defence

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, theMinister of Foreign Affairs is in Rome today to discuss the coalition's campaign against ISIS. In the 2015 campaign, the Liberals promised to end the bombing, yet it is 2016 and the bombing is still continuing. Today, the Liberal government is discussing its plans with our allies in Rome while at the same time refusing to tell Canadians anything.

The media is now reporting that the government is planning a new, expanded mission on the ground in Iraq. Can the Minister of Defence confirm that he is considering expanding the number of Canadian troops on the ground in Iraq, yes or no?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ending the air strikes, but we do work in a coalition and we have to do it in a responsible manner. There are a lot of things to factor in. When we do end it, it will be done in a responsible manner.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the bombing missions against ISIS authorized by the Conservatives will end in just a few weeks. The government has not yet announced its new plan, even though one was promised during the election campaign.

Naturally, all kinds of rumours have been circulating in the meantime, including rumours about an expanded ground mission in Iraq.

Canadians have the right to know.

Where is the minister's plan? Will he increase the number of Canadian troops on the ground?

[Pam Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for pointing out that today the Minister of Foreign Affairs is meeting with a small group of the global coalition within ISIL. Discussions are ongoing of course within government and with our coalition partners to refocus and optimize our contributions.

The U.S. Secretary of State said last week, when we met with our North American partners, that he has great confidence in the contribution Canada has made and will continue to make.

Canadian Heritage

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, residents of my riding often objected to the process used by the previous government to impose the location of the memorial to the victims of Communism. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage provide this House with an update on the status of that memorial and public consultations?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, our government promised greater involvement of citizens in decision-making. I am proud to announce today that my department has launched an online public consultation on the memorial to the victims of Communism.

I call on Canadians from coast to coast to coast to share their vision on how we can honour the millions of people who fled communist regimes to find refuge in Canada. Based on these consultations, I will announce next steps.

National Defence

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are very concerned with the comments made by the Minister of Defence yesterday when he said we must not “repeat the mistakes of the past”.

Over 40,000 Canadians served in Afghanistan. One hundred and fifty-nine gave their lives. Was it a mistake that the hard work of our armed forces enabled millions of children to go to school, including over three million girls? Was it a mistake that we restored the rights of women so they could work and have health care? Does the minister believe these successes, as we fought the Taliban, were all just a mistake?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member across the floor knows very well, I served from the start of the combat mission right to the end. I was there to witness the issues that happened. I was there also for the successes. This is the conversation that we had on the ground. This is where we talked about how our political leadership failed us. This is why I will take the time to make sure, as we create future plans, that those lessons are not lost.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

After the member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman asks his question, he might remind the gentlemen in front of him from Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis and Durham, this is not The Muppets.

The member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the defence minister said our past military activity was a mistake. Earlier today, when he was asked what his anti-ISIS plan was, he said, “I don't know, ask the foreign minister, he's in Rome”.

Canadians really want to know who is in charge of the Canadian Armed Forces. Is it the minister of defence or the minister of global affairs?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think we need to remind the member across the floor that the election is over, that we do not have to take things out of context.

When we look at creating our plan we also look at learning from lessons from the past. As we move forward we will be making a comprehensive plan with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Development. When we come up with the plan it will be a plan that Canadians can be proud of.

Foreign Affairs

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, that is another example that when faced with tough policy decisions, at home or abroad, the government favours procrastination over principled decision-making.

When Liberals play honest broker, they prefer bafflegab to straight talk. During the election campaign Liberal MPs made strong commitments to match our Conservative government's support and defence of Ukraine, so why, after more than three months in office, can the government not actually denounce the Russian invasion and call it an illegal occupation?

[Pam Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, of course, we have denounced that over and over, and we are steadfastly standing with the Ukraine, as the member well knows.

However, Canada is basing its foreign policy on a policy of engagement. That is much more difficult than a policy of isolationism and choosing to believe one's own point of view. It is a hard path for us and we are choosing it, not to find agreement all the time but to be able to hold other countries to account because we are talking.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, more than 10,000 Ukrainians are dead. More than a million and a half civilians are displaced.

During the election the now Minister of International Trade called for tough new measures against the Putin regime. The MP for Etobicoke Centre called for lethal weapon aid for Ukraine. However, since the election, we have heard only sunny platitudes from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Why have there been no specifics regarding enhanced military and defence co-operation with Ukraine?

[Pam Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, to reiterate, we are steadfast allies of Ukraine. When we were provoked—and this was underscored by the opposition—by the foreign minister of Russia, we said that just because he wanted warmer relations did not mean we did, until they demonstrate respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.

Agriculture and Agri-food

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food said that he understands the importance of protecting supply management and of having a plan to compensate dairy producers. The Minister of International Trade has said that she does not feel bound to pay the compensation announced by the Conservative government, but in the meantime the uncertainty producers are experiencing has already resulted in the loss of 257 family farms in Quebec.

The government is going to sign the trans-Pacific partnership agreement tomorrow. Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food assure the producers who came to Ottawa today that there is a plan to provide more compensation than the Conservative government promised?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the government is engaged with industry stakeholders on the outcome of the TPP. We understand the importance of compensation to the supply management sector. I have met with many stakeholders in the supply management sector and I met with the Canadian Dairy Farmers today. They understand we are working together to make things right.

International Trade

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, dairy producers are not the only ones to lose under this job-killing deal. The TPP would also expand loopholes to bring in temporary foreign workers with no regard for the impact on Canadian jobs and wages. The Conservatives allowed rampant abuse of the temporary foreign worker program on their watch and now the Liberals are about to make matters even worse.

Will the minister cancel her trip to New Zealand and take the time to look at the cost to Canadians instead of rushing to sign this reckless deal?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we are looking at all of these matters precisely because we promised Canadians that we would consult on the TPP. We are signing the agreement precisely to give us time, in order to put the TPP before Parliament for it to be studied in committee. That is what we promised we would do, and that is what we are doing.

The Senate

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister keeps pointing Canadians to her website on the Senate appointment process. However, all that is found there is how this process will take place behind closed doors and leave Canadians in the dark. Let us go over what the website says: the advisory board meets in secret; then provides a non-binding list in secret; then the Prime Minister might choose a senator from the list. Of course, it all happens completely in secret. Why do the Liberals want to leave Canadians completely in the dark on this?