Debates of Oct. 6th, 2017

Veterans Affairs

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the member brings up a very specific case on which I have not been fully briefed or of which I am aware. However, I would be happy to meet with any concerned veterans and their families at any time. Therefore, I will work with his office to make that happen.

In the meantime, on the issue of funding for our veterans, so far we have put $7 billion into funding for our veterans and their families.

I am very proud that yesterday we had the opportunity to deal with a joint suicide prevention strategy, which brought together all parts of our Armed Forces, the Department of National Defence, and Veterans Affairs, to help our veterans and their families with a—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Calgary Midnapore.

Natural Resources

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday TransCanada announced that it had had enough of Canada's “unwelcoming policy environment and an uncertain approval process” and cancelled the energy east pipeline project. This will cost Canada thousands of jobs and billions of dollars. One expert said that there was “something deeply dysfunctional” in Canada, forcing companies to look elsewhere to invest.

Why do the Liberals continue to make decisions that hurt Canadians?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to make decisions that recognize the importance of the energy sector in Canada, particularly in western Canada.

We were very pleased to make the determination that the Trans Mountain expansion was in the national interest, because of the 15,440 jobs that it would create, because of the expansion of export markets. We are not comfortable sending 99% of our exports of oil and gas to the United States. We have now opened up the Asian market. We also understand the importance that environmental stewardship, indigenous participation, and economic growth—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Saskatoon—Grasswood.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, TransCanada was forced to abandon energy east after the Liberal government changed the rules halfway through the game. Foreign oil wins and who loses? Canadians. Canadians are losing big, $56 billion in energy projects have been cancelled, thanks to Liberal incompetence.

Why are the Liberals punishing Canada's energy sector and the thousands of middle-class jobs that depend on it?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, I am very glad to know that the member from Saskatoon is interested in job creation. He will also know that thousands of jobs have been created in Saskatchewan by decisions taken by the government. He will also know that Evraz, which is the producer of hundreds of kilometres of steel that would go into these pipes, is giving additional employment opportunity for people in his home province.

I invite the member for join with us in our support for the energy workers right across the west, including in Saskatchewan.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada produces some of the most environmentally and socially responsible oil in the world. However, now the Liberal government is making it easier to purchase oil in Saudi Arabia than it is to purchase it from western Canada.

Will the Liberals admit their politically-driven changes to the National Energy Board are driving investment out of the country and only deepens our dependence on more foreign oil?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, my fellow Manitoban knows that jobs are being created in our own province. The approval of the Enbridge Line 3 expansion will create many jobs, I am sure, also in his own riding of Brandon. He knows the economic activity that will come from these pipeline approvals—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. I am sure the minister appreciates the help he is getting, but he is answering the question on his own. If members can keep it down, then I will be able to hear it as well.

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we are very happy to have approved pipelines, creating important jobs in the energy sector in western Canada.

We believe that natural resources continue to be a major driver of the Canadian economy. Job creation and investment in our communities is a combined goal, I think, of all members who sit in the House.

Indigenous Affairs

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, the Prime Minister, along with a number of ministers of the crown, travelled to Iqaluit to launch the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, with the leadership from Inuit Nunangat.

The committee's intent is to advance the shared priorities of Inuit and the Government of Canada, including the high incidence of tuberculosis in the Inuit population.

Can the Minister of Indigenous Services update the House on the work that has been accomplished so far by the Inuit-Crown partnership committee?

[Jane Philpott, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, I was very pleased yesterday to join in an announcement that we would be establishing a task force for the elimination of tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat. That will be the mandate of this important task force.

It is simply intolerable and tragic that the rate of tuberculosis in Canada's Inuit is 270 times the rate that it is in the Canadian-born non-indigenous population. That is why we are going to take bold action. We will be working with partners among Canada's Inuit leaders, provinces and territories, and we will work together to eliminate tuberculosis in Inuit Nunangat.

Public Safety

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Manny Roserio, a small-business owner in Oshawa, employs 55 people and makes major investments in our community. Enterprise Airlines was planning the first daily scheduled charter service into Oshawa from Buffalo. Now that the public safety minister is closing down our local CBSA office, without any prior consultation, it is going to make this much more difficult.

With the Liberals' small-business tax increase and with our local CBSA office closing, the Liberals seem fixated on making communities like mine less competitive. How is that fair?

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

Mr. Speaker, CBSA makes decisions with respect to the distribution of its business services across the country according to a business plan that reflects the activity in the areas where the offices are located. If there is a need for consultation and engagement, I would be happy to make sure that it is provided.

Parks Canada

[John Aldag, Liberal, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, prior to entering politics, I spent 32 years working in national parks and national historic sites for Parks Canada. During that time I saw first-hand the dedication of Parks Canada staff, in both goods times and bad. With the recent wildfires in western Canada, Parks Canada experienced the most significant environmental emergency in the agency's history at Waterton Lakes National Park.

Could the Minister of Environment and Climate Change please update the House on how Parks Canada managed the incident and the next steps?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his question and for his long service with Parks Canada. Our thoughts are with those impacted by the Kenow fire, which caused significant damage to Waterton Lakes National Park.

I am very pleased to report that thanks to extensive preparation and planning, and a focused response from Parks Canada, the damage to the town site was limited, and there were no human casualties.

I would like to thank Parks Canada's world-class firefighters, local firefighters, and emergency workers, and commend all of our park staff, under the leadership of superintendent Ifan Thomas, for their super management of this very difficult situation.

Human Rights

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the crisis facing Rohingya people in Burma, which we consider a genocide, continues, but action at the UN Security Council is being blocked by China. This is tragic, but not much of a surprise, given the treatment of minorities in China, be they Christian, Tibetan Buddhist, Uighur Muslim, or Falun Gong.

The government has talked about its desire to engage China. Has the minister spoken to her Chinese counterpart about the Rohingya crisis, or is this another case where they are ignoring human rights to appease the Chinese state?

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the responsibility for ending the persecution of the Rohingya falls squarely upon the shoulders of the commander-in-chief, the military leadership in Myanmar, and Aung San Suu Kyi.

On Saturday, September 30, the minister spoke directly with the commander-in-chief. The minister said to him directly that violators of human rights must be held to account, humanitarian access to the region must be permitted, and the Annan report must be implemented.

On Monday, Canada's ambassador to Myanmar joined 50 other foreign representatives for a visit to the Rakhine State so they could see first-hand what is happening.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Michel Boudrias, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last winter a Rio Tinto ship became stuck in the ice because of the poor state of federally-owned icebreakers.

This week an internal report has revealed that the current situation could put Quebec's port activities at risk this winter.

This could affect thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in economic spinoffs, and yet this government does nothing. The Davie shipyard has offered to lease some icebreakers as part of Project Resolute.

Will the government actually do something about this, or is it stuck in the ice, too?

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity, in fact the privilege, to meet with our men and women from the Canadian Coast Guard, from Vancouver Island all the way to Prince Edward Island, and I can say that our men and women expertly maintain our fleets, that the government is dedicated to providing new vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard, including a polar icebreaker, and that we are working with partners to make sure that we provide the services Canadians expect.

Our government will always make sure that the men and women of the Canadian Coast Guard have the tools they need to do their jobs.

Regional Economic Development

[Michel Boudrias, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government will not spend a penny on jobs in the regions, but it does not mind loosening the purse strings for the Governor General. Last year, all that jet-setting and canapé-eating cost us $53 million. God save the Queen, indeed.

Then the government had the nerve to tell Quebeckers that it has no more money for our dairy producers and that it costs too much to bring cellphone coverage and broadband to the regions.

Is that what the government calls getting royally screwed?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I will give the parliamentary secretary a chance to respond, but I would like to remind members of the House that, when referring to the Queen or the Governor General, they must show respect and choose their words carefully.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

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

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the question is patently false.

We are investing in the regions of Quebec, all across Quebec, through the connect to innovate program. Other repayable and non-repayable grants are available through Canada Economic Development, or CED. We are create jobs in the regions. Since we were elected, we have created 437,000 jobs across Canada. Canada has its lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.