Debates of May 4th, 2016

Health

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member opposite for drawing attention to the fact that this is mental health awareness week. It is an important week for us to be talking about mental health.

While she said it affects one Canadian in five, I would argue that every Canadian is in one way or another, either directly or indirectly, affected by mental illness.

Our government is fundamentally determined to make sure that we increase access to mental health care in the country. I am absolutely determined to work with my colleagues in the provinces and territories to make sure that mental wellness is a top priority and that we serve Canadians as they deserve.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is Mental Health Week, which reminds us that there was no new money in the budget for indigenous mental health and that last week the government was castigated by the Human Rights Tribunal for its failure to act on Jordan's principle.

In Attawapiskat, the suicide crisis continues, with young people being medevaced out. This community has been asking for a long-term child mental health worker. Some of these traumatized children are as young as six years old.

Therefore, I am asking the minister, what is her commitment to get long-term mental health services on the ground for that community and for those children?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his question and for his relentless advocacy on behalf of communities like Attawapiskat that are in his riding.

I find that the news out of a community like Attawapiskat is devastating. It is almost incomprehensible that children at such a young age could find that life has no hope left for them.

I am working, Health Canada is working, along with the Government of Ontario, along with the Nishnawbe Aski Nation and Weeneebayko health authority to find long-term funding solutions to increase capacity in those communities.

Ministerial Expenses

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, America is well known as the land of the free, not the land of free personal travel for Canadian ministers.

It was $20,000 for an unplanned last-minute sleepover. That is a lot of orange juice.

On Monday, the House leader stood in his place and tried to justify this excess by claiming, “The minister signed important agreements during her visit to California.”

If that is even remotely true, will the trade minister do her job and table those agreements?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, that question is a bit rich coming from the member opposite. He is a prime example of the damage that the Conservatives did to our relationship with the United States. For years under his watch as agriculture minister, our beef and pork farmers suffered from punitive, unfair U.S. country-of-origin labelling. He did nothing about it, but we did in our first eight weeks in office.

I will continue to work with and in the United States to support trade, jobs, and Canada's middle class.

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, that is rich coming from a member who spent more time in LAX than she spent in meetings.

One agreement that is not fake is the trans-Pacific partnership. If the trade minister will not table the supposed California agreements that she did not sign, will she do her job and bring forward the TPP agreement that she did sign?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, after a decade of Conservative damage, I am proud to promote Canada to the world.

Even the Conservatives saw value in promoting our ties to our largest trading partner. In fact, they spent $50,000 to hire one of Bush's top aides to arrange TV interviews in the United States. They defended that by saying, “Canada has a very good story to tell, and it won't tell itself”.

We could not agree more, but we do not need to pay Republican consultants. We get invited on our own merits.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the trade minister tried to explain her vanity trip to LA.

To be clear, it was the minister who created this controversy. She scheduled herself on an HBO television show. She booked first-class flights to LA from Manila when she had a free ride home on the government jet. Then she had Time Warner book five-star accommodations for her. She left her department in the dark until the last minute and then stuck the taxpayers with a bill under the guise of business, yet not one business or trade partner from Canada attended with her.

It is time for the minister to stand in her place and give Canadians an honest answer. When will the minister finally admit that this was a personal trip for herself?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the Conservative member of his own hypocrisy.

Here is a news story: “The Conservative government has hired two former White House communications strategists as part of a 'sustained' effort to raise Canada's profile in”—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

Order. Members will remember former speaker of the Senate, Pierre Claude Nolin, who we are thinking of today. He used to say that one cannot really have a debate if one does not listen to the other side. Let us listen to each side.

The hon. Minister of International Trade.

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, University—Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to quote. That was “to help Harper land interviews with leading American”—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

Order. I remind the minister that we do not mention the names of members of this House.

We are going to go to the member for Red Deer—Lacombe.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if she is referring to Mitch Stewart from the Obama campaign or David Axelrod from the Obama campaign. Oh no, that was the Liberals who hired those strategists.

The trade minister's trip to LA is yet another example of the Liberals being entitled to their entitlements.

Officials were confused and uncomfortable with her trip. In one instance, her deputy minister requested that the minister tweet from her own account, not the department account. In another example, officials stated in an email to remove the reference in the program to the show. They did not want people to know about it in advance.

Why is she using government officials to cover up her personal vanity?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, here is what this is really about. The Conservatives do not oppose speaking to the U.S. media, even though they are not very good at it. What they oppose is the positive message I delivered on television about Syrian refugees, and to the LA Times about reducing income equality.

The LA Times called our new government's approach thoughtful, measured, and one that Americans should emulate.

The Conservative failure to show leadership on these issues is why Canadians rejected their government last fall.

The Budget

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the budget implementation bill is nearly 180 pages long and amends 35 laws. It includes controversial changes to the employment insurance system, greater disclosure of personal information to the Canada Revenue Agency, and major changes to our banking system. It also retroactively repeals an act, which goes against all of the rules of law.

The Liberals promised to do things differently, to be accountable and transparent by splitting this omnibus bill to enable thorough study.

Why are the Liberals behaving like Conservatives now?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, our bill is not really an omnibus bill. Each of the measures in our bill really is something in our budget. We will be very clear with Canadians. We want to be open, transparent, and clear. That is exactly what we did with budget 2016.

Veterans

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after criticizing time allocation and omnibus budget bills while in opposition, Liberals are shutting down debate and tabling, guess what, an omnibus budget bill. They took a just introduced bill on veterans benefits and hid it in an omnibus bill.

In six months, Liberals went from ambitious change to just trying to change the channel, acting like Conservatives. Why are they hiding changes to veterans benefits in an omnibus bill? Why are they avoiding proper consultations with our veterans?

[Kent Hehr, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, budget 2016 was a historic day for our veterans. We invested in earning loss benefits, the community impact allowance, and allowing for more access and more supports for our veterans by reopening the nine offices that were closed under the previous administration and rehiring more staff to give more support where and when they need it.

It is included in the budget because it has financial measures that will make our veterans and their families' lives better.

Disaster Assistance

[Darshan Singh Kang, Liberal, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as a proud Albertan, I am heartbroken by the devastating impact of the Fort McMurray wildfire. This tragedy is leaving no Canadian unmoved.

In spite of the tireless efforts of first responders and the support of neighbouring communities, reports indicate that the danger caused by the wildfire continues to increase.

Could the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness update the House on the government's reaction to this tragedy?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, as we have heard in the House earlier today, all Canadians are standing firm with the residents of Fort McMurray at this very difficult time.

Alberta has requested federal assistance, including air assets to support evacuations, firefighting, and the delivery of essential aid. The Government of Canada is indeed providing this help, and more. As first responders, RCMP members are fully involved in search and evacuation and safety efforts, and there is much more to the federal effort than only this.

In both the immediate and the long term, the people of Fort McMurray can be assured of the federal government's full and unequivocal support.

Ministerial Expenses

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to Treasury Board policies for ministers' offices, and I quote, “All travel expenses must be posted on a quarterly basis within 30 days following the last day of the quarter.”

However, some ministers have been ignoring that policy for over a month now. That is the case for the Minister of Justice who did not disclose her expenses for a number of trips, including trips to Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, and Washington.

When will the minister post her expenses and why do the Liberals think they are above the law?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, our government is completely open and transparent. We make our expenses public and we will continue to do so. It is very important to recognize the transparency of our government. We will continue to be completely open.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, although it was a month late, I was pleased to see that the Minister of Finance finally reported his expenses to Canadians.

Unfortunately, the Minister of Finance is not the only minister hiding things from Canadians. It appears that some ministers need time to manipulate their expenses, to separate ministerial duties from MP duties from Liberal fundraising.

When will the Minister of Justice stop breaking the law and stop hiding her expenses?