Debates of May 20th, 2016

Temporary Foreign Workers

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday the Liberal government announced that it would allow the sale of genetically-modified salmon in Canada. To make matters worse, the product will not be labelled.

Ninety per cent of Canadians have said that they want genetically-modified products to be clearly labelled, and salmon producers are concerned that consumers will stop buying salmon altogether if they cannot tell which ones have been genetically modified.

Why is the government ignoring the concerns of both producers and consumers, and allowing the sale of genetically-modified salmon without clear labelling?

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

Madam Speaker, we are committed to science-based decision making, and will continue to be.

The production of genetically-modified animals is an important issue facing Canada. That is why I have asked the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food to examine the issues around genetically-modified animals.

The Environment

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

Madam Speaker, people often say that we must protect our environment for future generations. An important part of this is to engage with young Canadians to discuss the future of our country and how we can all contribute to lowering our carbon footprint.

Could the Minister of Environment and Climate Change please update the House on the town hall she recently hosted with young Canadians to discuss climate change issues?

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, earlier this week, I met with more than 400 students from Magee Secondary School in Vancouver and heard great solutions about how we could reduce our carbon footprint.

Young people know that we all need to work together to protect our planet.

Their feedback will be posted on Canada's climate change website. I encourage all Canadians, including all parliamentarians, to share with us their ideas on how we can address climate change at letstalkclimateaction.ca.

Again, that website is www.letstalkclimateaction.ca.

Softwood Lumber

[Bradley Trost, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister and President Obama now said that a new softwood lumber agreement would be made within 100 days. Well, the clock is ticking. Time is running out.

Over half of Saskatchewan is forested. Forestry is northern Saskatchewan's largest industry. It generates $1 billion in forest product sales, $800 million in exports, and directly employs 4,000 Canadians.

What is the Minister of International Trade doing to keep forestry workers in Saskatchewan employed by securing U.S. market access?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Madam Speaker, I am very seized of this issue, and I am personally extremely aware of the softwood lumber issue for Saskatchewan and indeed across Canada.

This week, I met for one hour with U.S.TR Mike Froman in Arequipa, Peru. I also met with Christy Clark, the premier of B.C., this morning. As we are speaking, our ambassador to the U.S. is meeting again with Ambassador Froman to discuss the issue.

I am pleased to report to the House that a U.S. negotiating team for softwood lumber is coming to Ottawa next week to continue our negotiations.

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Madam Speaker, let us see if we can get her to say “seized” one more time.

We are two-thirds of the way through the 100 days and no closer to bringing home a new softwood lumber agreement, regardless of what the Minister of International Trade says.

The Liberals have pitted Canada's small forestry producers against the large producers. They have left them out in the cold. These are the very same large Canadian forestry companies that are growing their U.S. operations, while moving Canadian jobs out of our country.

The Liberals are playing both sides of the border. When will the Liberals start protecting Canadian jobs and bring home a new softwood lumber agreement?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Madam Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member that the previous softwood lumber agreement expired under his government's watch. That is okay with us; we are used to cleaning up the economic messes the Conservatives left for us.

We are working very hard on the softwood lumber agreement. As I have explained, I personally spoke with Mike Froman this week, and negotiators are coming here next week.

Government Appointments

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Madam Speaker, the advisory panel of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard to study northern shrimp allocation is woefully unbalanced and biased. Three of the four panel members are from Newfoundland and Labrador, including Trevor Taylor, a former member of their House of Assembly. In the assembly, he called for any allocation of shrimp in the present and in the near future to be restricted to Newfoundland and Labrador-based interests.

Why did the minister appoint someone with such a clear bias on shrimp allocation to his advisory panel?

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

Madam Speaker, I am well aware of the importance of the shrimp fishery to those who depend on it. The Northern Shrimp Advisory Committee met on March 3, 2016, to discuss the approach to take on interim quotas and the last in, first out policy.

The ministerial advisory panel is an independent committee that provides advice to the minister on the last in, first out policy. The committee began its public consultations by meeting with stakeholders in Iqaluit on May 10, and the next meeting will be in St. John’s on May 24 and 25. Until we receive the report in June, the last in, first out policy is suspended.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Madam Speaker, this panel appears to have been rigged by the Liberals. Where have we seen that before?

In Iqaluit, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated argued against the current northern shrimp policy. Udloriak Hanson is the chief negotiator for that organization. She is also married to Trevor Taylor, one of the panel members.

Trevor Taylor was already biased against the current shrimp policy, and now is clearly in a conflict of interest. Will the minister do the right thing and remove him from his advisory panel today?

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

Madam Speaker, as I just said, the ministerial advisory panel is an independent panel mandated to advise the minister on the last-in, first-out policy. Once again, the panel met and will meet a number of times over the coming weeks and months.

All stakeholders in this segment of the fishery will have an opportunity to express their views. That is what we on this side of the House do: we consult stakeholders. That is what the minister has been doing from day one. We will continue to consult stakeholders in this segment of the fishery to ensure that we are making properly informed decisions.

Status of Women

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Madam Speaker, after decades of talking about pay equity, Canadian women are no closer to achieving it. When we asked if the Liberals would introduce proactive legislation needed to respect women's rights and close the gap, not one single Liberal minister said yes.

Canadian women have waited long enough for their basic rights to be respected. Will the government commit to introducing proactive pay equity legislation within the next six months, yes or no?

[Anju Dhillon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Status of Women]

Madam Speaker, having a gender wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. Budget 2016 announced a number of important measures that would support women's labour market participation and help address the gender wage gap: the new Canada child benefit, which will be better targeted and more generous than previous benefits; the investment to support early learning and child care; a commitment to explore flexible work arrangements for federally regulated employees. We have supported the appointment of the Special Committee on Pay Equity and are looking forward to reviewing its findings when it tables its report.

Mining Industry

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Madam Speaker, mining companies operating abroad are suspected of violating the most basic human rights of local populations.

The situation is ongoing, but the minister is studying the matter rather than taking action. However, when they were in opposition, the Liberals supported the NDP's proposal to appoint an independent ombudsman with investigative power in order to stop the illegal activities of these Canadian mining companies.

Why is the minister trying to buy time instead of taking action?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question.

Canadians expect Canadian businesses with operations abroad to respect human rights and workers' rights.

I am very proud of the work of our mining companies abroad. I met last week with our corporate social responsibility counsellor. We are looking into ways to strengthen protections concerning the work of our mining companies abroad. It is an issue we are concerned with, and we are working with industry and with NGOs on it.

Veterans

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Madam Speaker, during the election campaign, the Liberal Party solemnly promised in writing, and I have the proof in my office, to never force veterans to battle the government in court.

This government is so arrogant that it thinks it can browbeat veterans by increasing a benefit here and there, while not keeping its most important promises. The minister must keep his party's sacred promises.

When will he drop the Equitas lawsuit?

[Karen McCrimmon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, we understand that veterans felt ignored by the previous government, but we are a brand new government. In budget 2016 we have included $5.6 billion to increase the benefits for earnings lost, for permanent impairment and disability awards. With these changes alone, we will make tangible improvements in the daily quality of life for veterans.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Madam Speaker, I hope you will give me an extra moment today to take the time to thank the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs across the floor for her quick response to my question on Friday. Veterans were concerned there was nothing on their website in regard to the budget. By Monday, that was taken care of. I and veterans thank the member.

The Liberal government has broken its campaign promise and forced injured veterans and their advocacy group, Equitas, back into court. However, just two years ago the Liberal member for Charlottetown said that the government must do the right—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order, please. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Karen McCrimmon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I have been long appreciative that Canada values its veterans and wants them properly supported.

The hon. member knows that I cannot comment on a specific case, let alone one that is going before the courts. However, let me assure the member that the care and the well-being of our veterans is a huge priority for this government and that the money put forward in budget 2016 is only the first step.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Madam Speaker, it is clear that the Liberals are reversing their position from two years ago and forcing veterans into court. Again, in the campaign, the Liberals promised not to fight the veterans in court. As late as two weeks ago, one of the Liberal members claimed, in reference to Equitas, that the Government of Canada over the decades had had a social covenant with all veterans and their families.

How can the Liberals justify breaking their covenant with veterans?

[Karen McCrimmon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, the previous government closed offices, laid off staff, and made access to financial benefits for veterans very difficult. We are opening offices, we are hiring staff, and we have put $5.6 billion into improving the lives of veterans. That is what veterans want, that is what we heard at the stakeholders meetings, and that is what we will do.

Status of Women

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Madam Speaker, women represent close to half of the workforce in Canada. However, a gender-wage gap still exists. Could the Minister of Status of Women tell the House how this government is working toward reducing this gap and helping women to reach their full potential?