Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2017

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, this government firmly believes in the important role that Canada can play in peacekeeping operations. This week, our government was proud to launch a new and ambitious national action plan for women, peace, and security.

Canada's feminist foreign policy will enable women and men around the world to play an equal role, have an equal voice, and have equal rights when it comes to opportunities for safety and security. We have committed to making the involvement of women a priority in all of Canada's activities and fragile states. The action plan will ensure that gender equality will never be an afterthought.

Women's rights are human rights, and we stand by that.

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

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned Mali three or four times in my earlier question, but what was absent from that answer was Mali.

The past platitudes of the government never match their present performance. We remember that Canada is back rhetoric. Well, Canada is back at the bottom of UN peacekeepers right now around the world. We are back to cutting the military back to the decade of darkness under the Chrétien government.

When will the member stand in the House and let us know where we are sending our troops?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country remember the contribution of Lester B. Pearson toward peacekeeping. We are proud of our history and the role we played in peacekeeping operations. We know that Canada—

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

We have to go that far back?

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please. In all respect to the member for Durham, he asked a question. I think he deserves to hear an answer.

I will let the hon. parliamentary secretary continue.

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it is important for Canadians to know, even if the opposition does not want to hear it, that this government believes firmly in the role that Canada will play in peacekeeping operations. That is why we committed a half a billion dollars and 600 troops to re-engage in peacekeeping operations. Our women, peace, and security agenda is an important part of that commitment. We will make sure that women in Canada and around the world play a role in military and civilian peacekeeping operations.

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

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of soldiers at CFB Valcartier back home are currently on standby waiting to find out if they will be deployed to Africa or elsewhere.

This week we learned that six helicopters would be sent to Mali. It was the media that informed us. The minister has said nothing about it. The minister went on three reconnaissance missions in Africa. Officers at headquarters in Ottawa lost two years making plans. We are still being kept in the dark.

Are we sending troops to Mali or not?

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

Mr. Speaker, this week we were proud to announce an ambitious action plan for gender equality in the peace and security sector. Our feminist foreign policy will allow women and men the world over to speak with equal voices, have equal rights, and live in security—

[members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. The parliamentary secretary may continue.

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadian men and women have an important role to play on the international stage. When it comes to peacekeeping operations, Canadians will play a leadership role in building a more peaceful world.

Infrastructure

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to invest in Canadian infrastructure. However, the parliamentary budget officer said that the Liberals were not even close to getting the money out the door. Now we learn that Canadians and Canadian taxpayers will be sending a half a billion dollars to China for infrastructure projects everywhere else in the world except Canada.

Why are the Liberals borrowing more money to send to China instead of building roads and bridges in Canada?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we are proud to have approved more than 4,000 projects since taking office, with a combined investment of more than $35 billion. Federal investments are enabling these projects to move forward. As the hon. member would know, the federal contribution is not paid until the expense claims are submitted by our partners.

We will continue to work with our partners to move their priorities forward and provide the flexibility necessary to meet these requirements.

Workforce Development and Labour

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, four temporary foreign workers have won the right to a class action suit against Mac's and the immigration consultant companies owned by Kuldeep Bansal. The migrant workers paid as much as $8,500 to Bansal to obtain jobs with Mac's, only to arrive in Canada and find that those jobs did not exist.

An FOI revealed that LMIAs were issued for 486 positions for Mac's. The CBSA has investigated this case for five years and recommends that charges be laid. Why has the government not acted on the recommendations of the CBSA?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken concrete to steps to correct the temporary foreign workers program. Part of that is strengthening the LMIAs, the labour market impact assessments, that ensure employers are doing a thorough job of hiring Canadians first and then proving the need for temporary foreign workers. We have also implemented new on-site inspections. We are working on a regime to ensure that all temporary foreign workers have their human dignity and their rights respected.

Natural Resources

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the Chalk River nuclear disaster, 300 brave volunteers committed themselves to cleaning up radioactive material in their community. After several days of tireless effort and maximum exposure to radiation, the military showed up to help finish the job.

Those military heroes have since received compensation for radiation exposure, yet nothing has been done for those local heroes who stepped up when their community needed them.

Will the government compensate the volunteers who went above and beyond to help after the Chalk River disaster?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the former Atomic Energy Canada Limited employees who assisted with the cleanup of the NRU reactor in the 1950s played a critical and important role, and we do thank them very much for their service.

We understand that those employees and their families are working to have their contributions recognized. We are aware of the Senate motion brought forward last year.

At this time, while there is no program similar to the atomic veterans recognition program, our department is continuing to consider the motion and is looking at how we can move forward to recognize the contributions of these individuals.

Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, under the government's watch, the dream of home ownership has been slipping away from thousands of Canadians. High prices, new mortgage rules, and new regulations all make home ownership less affordable. Now media reports say that the Liberal government is planning a new national building code that will impose higher costs on new homebuyers and existing homeowners as well.

When will the government realize that every time it adds a new regulation, it increases costs and reduces choices? When is the government going to stop punishing homebuyers?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, energy efficiency offers a significant opportunity to help realize Canada's obligations to address climate change while supporting economic growth and the health of Canadians.

We are working with our provincial and territorial partners to develop a model code for existing buildings by 2022. This code, which provinces and territories can adopt, would help guide energy efficiency improvements. Investments like our $2 billion low-carbon economy fund will help support provincial and territorial energy efficiency projects that will generate clean growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We are working to build a clean energy future.

[Blake Richards, Conservative, Banff—Airdrie, AB]

Mr. Speaker, imagine senior citizens who have worked hard their whole life and are ready to start the next chapter in retirement. Their kids have moved out, they are empty nesters, and they want to sell their houses and downsize. Now the Liberals want to make people pay more for that too. New building code requirements will require them to complete costly mandatory renovations when they sell their houses.

Why do the Liberals want to ruin the retirement plans of middle-class Canadian seniors?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as I said a moment ago, energy efficiency offers a significant opportunity to help realize Canada's obligations to address climate change while supporting economic growth and the health of Canadians. We are working with our provincial and territorial partners to modernize existing building codes by 2022. Investments like our $2 billion low-carbon economy fund will help support provincial and territorial energy efficiency projects that will generate clean growth and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We are working to build a clean energy future by investing in innovation and delivering economic growth and clean jobs while protecting the environment.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Mr. Speaker, our previous Conservative government created the recreational fisheries conservation partnership program, which improved the habitat of millions of fish. However, the Liberals are not accepting a single new application for this program and are thereby ignoring many worthwhile conservation efforts. This includes projects such as installing an aerator to improve the water quality in Killarney Lake located in my constituency.

Will the Liberals commit today to support Canada's recreational fishers and start accepting proposals for this very worthwhile program?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to stand in the House and share with members what we are doing for recreational fishers from coast to coast to coast.

In fact, I met with recreational fishers just this week, and I was able to share with them the fact that we are investing in coastal restoration. We are putting money into implementing the wild salmon policy. We are making sure that the Cohen commission recommendations are done, 32 last year, and up to 64 out of the 75 now.

For far too long, Canadians were tired of a government that took our oceans and waterways for granted. That is why this government is making sure that we protect the resource for the benefit of future generations.

Indigenous Affairs

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the recognition of rights, and in particular the inherent right to self-government and the right to self-determination, is fundamental to advancing reconciliation in Canada.

Could the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs update the House on the concrete measures Canada is taking with its indigenous partners to promote self-determination and facilitate self-government?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we know that good governance and self-determination are the most important factors in a community's economic and social health.

This past summer, we signed the Agreement on the Cree Nation Governance, a nation-to-nation agreement based on our partnership and respect for the traditional Cree way of life. The agreement is an important step in expanding the governance system from the earlier agreement.