Debates of Feb. 4th, 2016

Foreign Affairs

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will ask the question again and maybe we will get an answer.

For days now we have been asking the Minister of National Defence what his plan is to deal with the Islamic State. He said that the Minister of Foreign Affairs was dealing with it while he was in Rome.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has returned. Did he submit his plan to the Minister of National Defence and can he share that plan with the rest of us?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, I was in Rome, where I took part in the coalition meeting. I assured the coalition that Canada would be a strong and committed partner whose approach would complement the work of the other coalition members.

This integrated and effective plan was very well received. I cannot provide any details, as the Prime Minister will share the details with us and all Canadians, right here in Canada.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has been causing confusion for weeks now. We still do not know how we are going to combat terrorism. We are not looking for reasons. It is time to find solutions.

The minister is confused when he talks about the reasons for the rise in terrorism.

Can he tell us how climate change is helping terrorists to cut people's heads off with knives and plant bombs?

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

Mr. Speaker, in the complexity of conflict and the horrible atrocities that terrorists commit around the world, we have to be smarter in this fight, because these threats are also increasing.

I will be taking the time to ensure that we get the right capabilities in the right areas at the right time so we can fight this terrorist threat.

International Trade

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, prescription drug prices in Canada are already the second highest in the world, and the trans-Pacific partnership will increase the cost of prescription medicine even more. A new study released this week estimates that TPP will add over $600 million to drug costs in Canada.

Too many Canadians already cannot afford to purchase their medication. We need action to lower prices, not drive them up. Therefore, why is the government signing on to an agreement that would increase drug costs for Canadians?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite that Canadians pay for too much for prescription drugs. We do, in fact, pay the second highest per capita cost in the world.

Part of my mandate is to address the rising cost of drugs to ensure that prescription medicine is affordable and available to Canadians who need it. We intend to do that. We have a number of mechanisms by which we will do that. We have already taken steps in that regard. I will continue to address this issue.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the previous Conservative government notoriously mismanaged the temporary foreign worker program and allowed abuse to flourish. It meant downward pressure on wages and working conditions for Canadian workers, while encouraging the exploitation of foreign workers.

Now the TPP will make this worse. Employers will not even have to show that they could not hire Canadians to do the job before bringing in temporary foreign workers.

Will the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour stand today in the House and urge her government not to ratify the TPP unless changes are made in this clause to ensure it will not bring the TFW back to Canada through the back door.

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

Mr. Speaker, in our consultations thus far in the TPP, we have heard opinions for, we have seen studies for, we have heard opinions against and have had representations against.

We are taking all of this into consideration. That will be the work of the committee. That will be a decision made before this Parliament. It will be this Parliament that decides whether we ratify the TPP.

Foreign Affairs

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the government to clarify its foreign policy positions, given the confusion and contradictions coming from the Liberals.

On the one hand, the foreign minister has said that Canada will break from our Conservative government's principled positions on Russia and its illegal occupation of Ukraine. On the other hand, the Liberal MP for Etobicoke Centre said in Kiev this week that there is no change in Canadian policy on Ukraine.

Exactly who speaks on behalf of Liberal foreign policy?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, our position is very clear. It is only my colleague who is a bit confused. I will try to clarify it again for him.

Indeed, Canada's support for Ukraine is solid and will remain. Our friendship for Ukraine is not a matter of party or of government. It is a friendship between two countries that will remain.

Our ability to help Ukraine will be improved, though, because instead of snubbing Russia and not speaking to it, we will speak to Russia and tell it that what it is doing to Ukraine is wrong, as other countries are saying. Our—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please.

The hon. member for Thornhill.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Russia has failed to implement any of its commitments under the Minsk agreement with Ukraine.

Fighting continues between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian rebels despite the ceasefire, and a buildup of additional Russian forces is reported along the border.

Ukraine has appealed for tough new sanctions and more weapons. Here the Minister of International Trade and the Liberal MP for Etobicoke Centre are clearly at odds with the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Why are the Liberals leaving the defence of Ukraine to others, just as they are doing in the fight against ISIS terrorists?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to answer with a quote: “I believe Canada will be direct, strong, and firm in its pressure on Russia.”

Who said that? The Prime Minister of Ukraine.

That is the point.

If the Government of Ukraine understands it, I am sure my colleague will.

Public Safety

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. Senate hearing on Canadian fast-tracking of Syrian refugees heard yesterday that it would almost be impossible for Canadian officials to acquire the specialized skills needed to screen refugees under the pressure of the Liberal election timeline.

My question is for the chair of the public safety committee.

This morning, Liberals on that committee blocked a study on refugee security screening. Why is the safety of Canadians not important enough for the committee to study it immediately?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the committee met for the first time this morning and established a process whereby we will look at all important issues and determine which ones need to come first. Every issue dealing with the safety and security of Canadians will be considered seriously.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, a fishing boat called the Jill Marie and its crew ran into trouble off the coast of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

As we know, our oceans can become dangerous for fishermen, with unexpected changes in weather.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard explain to the House the response of the Canadian Coast Guard to this crisis situation?

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, on January 30, the joint rescue coordination centre in Halifax responded to a distress call from a fishing boat, and the Canadian Coast Guard quickly took action to help the people aboard the Jill Marie.

A Canadian Armed Forces aircraft and a Coast Guard vessel, the CCGS Spray, were dispatched to conduct the search and rescue effort. The five fishermen on board were rescued before the boat sank and they are safe and sound, much to the relief of their families. This is one of 9,000 rescue operations conducted by the Canadian Coast Guard each year.

I invite all members of the House of Commons to recognize the work done by the men and women of our Coast Guard.

Suicide Prevention

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while we recognize this week as National Suicide Prevention Week, suicide continues to be a major national public health issue in Canada.

In December 2012, Bill C-300, An Act respecting a Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention, was passed into law. This framework will help the hundreds of Canadians across Canada who are working with some of Canada's most vulnerable people.

Would the Minister of Health inform the House as to when we can expect some information as to when this bill will actually be implemented?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his tireless advocacy on behalf of this important issue.

I am pleased to inform him that as a result of his work in the past, the Public Health Agency of Canada has been working on the federal framework on suicide prevention. In fact, I have just seen an almost final copy of that framework.

I would be happy to meet with the member opposite to discuss it at any time, and we will continue to work to address this very serious matter of preventing suicide in this country.

Democratic Reform

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, governments in the past have chosen conflict over co-operation and have unilaterally changed voting rules in an often self-serving manner.

With the commitment that October 19 was the last first-past-the-post election, we must now create a voting system that truly respects and reflects the wishes of Canadians. They expect that the committee tasked with this momentous responsibility must also respect and reflect their wishes.

Will the minister agree to our proposal to work with the NDP, the Conservatives, the Bloc, and the Greens and seize this historic opportunity together?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to make something perfectly clear: the reforms we choose must be designed to address the needs of all Canadians and go far beyond addressing the interests of the parties we represent. I urge all members of the House to adopt the same principle and work with us as we enhance our democratic institutions and serve the best interests of Canadians.

Regional Economic Development

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as the 150th anniversary of our nation's capital draws near, many of my constituents feel that Ottawa has not received equal treatment from the economic development agencies over the last decade to help develop local projects and strengthen the local economy. In fact, Ottawa has received less than a dollar per capita in federal development agency funding.

Can the minister assure my constituents and all residents of the Ottawa region that we will be treated fairly when it comes to economic development projects?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for that very important question.

The national capital region is not just home to an amazing public service but home to a dynamic, innovative high-tech industry. I am working to support start-ups, scale-ups, and helping high-growth firms in Ottawa and across the country.

I look forward to working in partnership with my colleagues as we gear up to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary here in the national capital region and across Canada.

Persons with Disabilities

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Statistics Canada estimates that there are over one million blind or partially visually disabled Canadians. However, only 7% of literature is available in accessible formats like Braille, large print, and audio formats.

The Marrakesh Treaty amends copyright rules to give visually impaired Canadians access to 285,000 accessible books. We recently introduced legislation in the previous Parliament to adopt this treaty here in Canada, but it was interrupted by the election. I wonder if the government today would consider re-introducing that legislation so it could be passed forthwith.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to support the work of my colleague, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, as he leads our work on the Marrakesh Treaty.

Over one million Canadians who suffer from vision loss, including me, really need to have this kind of alternate format.

I am very proud to be part of a government that triumphs and trumpets accessibility and inclusion, and I look forward to bringing this to the House.