Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2017

Ethics

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as often as the members opposite want to focus on my personal situation, I am going to come back to them and tell them how well the economy is doing for Canadians. We know that is what we are here to do. We know that the actions we have taken, the middle-class tax cut, the Canada child benefit, have helped families.

What we are going to be able to report on tomorrow is excellent news for Canadians. They made a great choice. They chose a team that has helped families, which is helping the economy, which is going to help their families and their future generation to do better.

National Defence

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today CBC/Radio-Canada reported that the sexual assault conviction rate is much lower in the military justice system than in civilian courts.

In addition, victims do not enjoy the same legal rights and protections. More often than not, the alleged offenders get a slap on the wrist and carry on working in the same place as their victims. The consequences are administrative, not criminal. It is not like in a civilian court.

Can the Liberals understand the impact on victims in the armed forces and provide them with better support?

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

Mr. Speaker, inappropriate sexual behaviour of any kind is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the Canadian Armed Forces. Our investigators now have better training. We will provide more support to victims. Furthermore, career action is being taken against perpetrators and extensive training has been provided to prosecutors on sexual misconduct prosecutions.

We will not stop until sexual misconduct is stomped out of the Canadian Armed Forces.

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

Mr. Speaker, today the CBC reported that the conviction rate for prosecutions for sexual assault in the military was well below the prosecution rate for the general population, and we know how low that bar is. More often than not, alleged offenders are simply found guilty of the lesser charge of disgraceful conduct. In addition, victims fear reprisal or ostracized when they testify in military court.

Will the Prime Minister, if he is really a committed feminist and believes in equality, take concrete actions to help these survivors?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I stated, inappropriate sexual behaviour of any kind is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Every person who willingly serves his or her country, despite the many dangers and sacrifices of military service, deserves a professional environment in which he or she is treated with respect and dignity.

There is still work to be done, and we remain committed to ensuring the military's culture reflects dignity for all.

Foreign Affairs

[Michael Levitt, Liberal, York Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been horrified by reports of the abhorrent treatment of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. Hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes into neighbouring Bangladesh. Their villages have been burned to the ground and there are terrifying reports of brutal killings of civilians. These are crimes against humanity.

Our government has repeatedly spoken out against the ethnic cleansing being perpetrated against the Rohingya by the security forces in Myanmar. Would the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us what further steps the government is taking to address this terrible violence?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for York Centre for his very hard work on this issue. I know we all agree that the ethnic cleansing and the crimes against humanity being perpetrated against the Rohingya must stop.

Today the Prime Minister announced the appointment of the Hon. Bob Rae as his special envoy to Myanmar. I think we can also all agree that this great Canadian is going to help ensure that our country continues to lead globally on this pressing issue. The time to act and seek accountability for the Rohingya is now.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's shares in Morneau Shepell put him in conflict of interest with the position he holds. We also know that he has shares in a number of other holding companies.

When will the Minister of Finance meet with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner as promised, and will he finally disclose all of his other investments to the House so Canadians will know if he is still in conflict of interest?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, while the opposition focuses on my finances, I am going to focus on the finances of Canadians. That is very important. We will continue with our program to help Canadian families do better, and I can assure everyone that our program is working. We now have the highest level of growth in a decade, and we created nearly 400,000 new jobs in this country last year. Things are going very well. Tomorrow we will have more to say about our positive economic situation.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, by his own filings, the Minister of Finance has multiple corporate entities. We know he has a numbered company in Alberta that has held publicly traded shares in Morneau Shepell, and this has led to controversy here and consternation right across the great country.

The minister must recognize this ongoing controversy impairs his ability to carry out his office and undermines Canadians' fundamental trust in our system of public disclosure. As this very same situation might exist with his other corporate holdings, why not clear the air and simply disclose all of his investments in these companies? Will he do so?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to live up to the highest standards of integrity. I know that is important for Canadians to have confidence.

I know what is most important for Canadians to have confidence is for them to see they are in a good economic situation and for them to see they have the ability to invest in themselves and their families for today and tomorrow.

The programs we have put in place that have helped families, such as the Canada child benefit and a reduction in taxes for middle-class families, are working. Our economy is doing well. We have more jobs. That is the kind of confidence we need to keep focused on for the future.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance cannot be trusted. For two years, he misled Canadians into believing he had placed millions of dollars of shares in Morneau Shepell into a blind trust. He did not. Instead he made millions off a company that he regulates as Finance Minister.

In light of that record of deception, why should Canadians believe the minister when he says he is not hiding other conflicts of interest in eight numbered companies that he owns?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, while the members opposite may obsess over my personal situation, I think what Canadians expect us to do is to continue to focus on their situation. The really good news is that our work on behalf of Canadians is having the kind of impact Canadians expected it to have, that we expected it to have.

The kind of growth we are seeing, growth that we did not see in the years before we came into office, is really making a big difference for Canadian families, with new jobs, more money for them to invest in their families, and a better future for all of us.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister had $20 million of Morneau Shepell shares until he got caught. He hid from Canadians his private offshore company in France until he got caught. Now the minister is trying to hide his investments in eight numbered companies.

If the minister really has nothing to hide, then why will he not disclose his investments?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to live up to the highest standards that the Prime Minister expects of me and that Canadians expect of me. I know that confidence is important. I know that for Canadians, the confidence they get from being in a good economic situation is critically important.

Therefore, the good news is that we are going to be able to announce tomorrow a very positive economic update. We have a situation where we have worked for a couple of years. We know there is much more work to be done. However, that interim report card is going to be so important for Canadians to have confidence in their futures and the futures of their families.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, since May of this year, the European Union has been granting visa-free access for Ukrainians to the EU, yet Canada continues to reject large numbers of visa requests by Ukrainians. The reasons for the high rejection rate are unclear since the government has lauded its trade agreement with Ukraine.

Granting visa-free access would promote trade between our nations and expand opportunities for supporting democratic reform in Ukraine.

Will the government immediately take measures to implement visa-free access to Canada for Ukrainians?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, our government values our relationship with Ukraine.

I want to inform the hon. member that the visa policy decisions are based on a holistic assessment of risks and benefits. Our evaluation concludes that Ukraine, just like any other country, must secure travel documents, manage its borders effectively, and co-operate well internationally on migration and security matters.

We are working closely with Ukraine. I have met the Ukrainian ambassador. I continue to proactively engage them in terms of what it would require to move ahead on the visa issue.

Public Services and Procurement

[Pierre-Luc Dusseault, NDP, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, issues with the Phoenix pay system continue to plague thousands of employees, and their families as well.

In Sherbrooke, a brother and sister, both students, have been suffering the consequences of Phoenix every day since the death of their father, a former federal public servant. For the past year and a half, Mr. Fortin's children and their notary have been struggling with Phoenix issues that prevent them from settling the estate and dealing with their loss. It is completely unacceptable and inhuman for this kind of thing to happen to families because of the federal government's incompetence.

How much longer will Mr. Fortin's children have to wait before they can settle their father's estate and finally find closure? I appeal to the minister's compassion.

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with this family. Resolving this as quickly as possible is our priority. These issues have caused real hardships for many public servants and their families. They should not have to face this kind of situation. We will leave no stone unturned.

Taxation

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government thinks that small business owners, retail employees, and now people living with type 1 diabetes are not paying their fair share of taxes, while the Minister of Finance uses complex corporate structures to dodge conflict of interest disclosures and, presumably, to reduce his own taxes.

Do the Liberals really think that people living with type 1 diabetes, who have been certified by a physician for the disability tax credit, are not paying their fair share?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians can access the credits and benefits to which they are entitled. I fully understand what these groups are going through in dealing with an illness like diabetes. The father of my two sons passed away from complications with diabetes several years ago.

The Canada Revenue Agency is in the process of hiring nurses to assess DTC applications in the first step of the process. I have also asked the agency to improve its data collection for the disability tax credit in order to better understand the application profile and the agency's decision-making process.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance is mired in conflicts of interest, we know that he wanted to tax employee discounts. Now he is attacking vulnerable people with diabetes.

In fact, for months now, thousands of people with diabetes have been denied the $1,500 tax credit they used to receive to cover part of their costs.

Seeing as vulnerable people living with diabetes are not part of the minister's elite inner circle, is he now consigning them to a life of poverty?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the House that our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to the credits and benefits to which they are entitled.

I would remind my colleagues opposite that it was their government that cut services at the Canada Revenue Agency. The CRA is currently hiring nurses to assess disability tax credit applications in the first step of the process.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

It is your government that is cutting services to vulnerable people with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are denying access to the—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!