Debates of Dec. 4th, 2017

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, for weeks the Minister of Revenue has told the House that nothing has changed for type 1 diabetics applying for the disability tax credit, but we know that this is not true. This morning, Diabetes Canada produced an internal CRA email detailing a new Liberal policy to automatically deny the tax credit, including to those who have received it for years.

Will the minister apologize for the misleading answers that she has given the House and reverse this heartless decision before Christmas?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians must receive the benefits to which they are entitled. I am pleased to say that 20% more credits were approved between 2014 and 2016.

We have implemented measures to make this credit more accessible, and they are paying off. We simplified the forms and allowed specialized nurse practitioners to fill them out if a doctor is not available.

No changes have been made to the eligibility criteria for the disability tax credit. We will continue to work for the most vulnerable Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, is the minister even aware of what has been happening in her own department since May? For seven months the CRA has been denying the disability tax credit to vulnerable Canadians, and the minister just shrugs her shoulders and says that nothing has changed. We know that is not true and the proof is right here.

Will the minister apologize for this heartless attack on type 1 diabetics and reverse this tax hike?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government pledged that the Canada Revenue Agency would administer measures for persons with disabilities in a fair, transparent, and accessible way.

I proudly announced the reinstatement of the disability advisory committee, which the Conservative Party disbanded in 2006. By reinstating the committee, the agency will benefit from its advice about enhancing the quality and accessibility of the services it provides to persons with disabilities in Canada.

We will continue to work for the most vulnerable members of our society, as we have been doing since we took office.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for weeks now, the Minister of National Revenue has been saying over and over again that her government has recouped nearly $25 billion that the Liberals had lost to tax evasion over the past two years.

However, her senior officials and the assistant deputy commissioner are refusing to confirm the much-vaunted yet unsubstantiated amount. It seems obvious, then, that the minister has been misleading Canadians.

Given these facts, how can we continue to trust this minister, when she too is hiding the truth from us?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance. The Canada Revenue Agency has a very effective recovery process, which was strengthened by Liberal investments of close to $1 billion.

We were able to implement the necessary tools to crack down on tax cheats. All companies and individuals affected have been notified. We are on the right track to recoup these $25 billion. All those affected have been notified, and I can assure the House—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. member for Sarnia—Lambton.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every day is consumed by constant vigilance and management for type 1 diabetics. Before they get into their vehicle, before they go to work, before they eat, after they eat, and before they go to bed, diabetics are consumed with knowing and managing their blood sugar. Living with diabetes is a constant struggle. The minister can say what she wants, but the diabetics I have met say that living with diabetes is 24-7. Will the minister finally do the right thing and reverse the heartless decision to refuse them their tax credit?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians must receive the credits they are entitled to. Chronic illnesses impact not only the affected individual, but also their entire family and everyone around them.

However, I am pleased to say that the number of approvals for this credit went up by 20% between 2014 and 2016. We have put measures in place and reinstated the disability advisory committee, which will be able to make recommendations to us. We are going to continue working for the most vulnerable Canadians.

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this government still lacks compassion. Parents of severely disabled children are being denied their allowance on the grounds that their child is no longer in their custody. However, placing a child in institutionalized care is not a choice. It is a necessity, one that comes with a price tag. This situation is painful enough for parents without the government making it worse.

When will this government show compassion and pay the parents of disabled children the allowances they are entitled to?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I am dedicated to ensuring that Canadians, especially the most vulnerable, get the benefits they are entitled to. That is a key part of my mandate.

The CRA has never set out to make life more difficult for anyone. We realize that some people cannot provide all of the information needed for the agency to review their files. People grappling with situations like that should contact the CRA for help.

Indigenous Affairs

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, reconciliation was one of the four pillars included in Canada 150 celebrations. Unfortunately, the Liberals told indigenous chef, Richard Francis, that sharing his traditional foods could not happen at a Canada 150 event. Touring the country for years sharing his traditional foods of whale and seal as a tool of reconciliation, he described this incident as exactly the type of oppression he is working to eliminate. Actions matter more than words. Therefore, if the government is serious about reconciliation, will it apologize to Chef Francis and act to honour UNDRIP?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, of course in the context of Canada 150 we made sure to support the importance of reconciliation. We know that our history has had some wrongs and we want to make sure that we can acknowledge them and make sure that we all work together on the path of reconciliation. Many indigenous communities across the country have engaged in Canada 150. Again this morning I was there to support a great Canada 150 indigenous project. I really hope that all of us in this room and this House will be able to support the importance of reconciliation in the context of Canada 150.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, instead of showing leadership and condemning the horrific acts committed by ISIS, instead of recognizing that the individuals who joined ISIS fighters are complicit in these horrific acts, instead of bringing to justice and prosecuting any ISIS fighters returning to Canada, and instead of making the security and protection of Canadians their priority, the Liberals are treating these traitors like vulnerable children and are trying to reintegrate them with financial compensation and poetry.

Why?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is simply wrong.

Like every other civilized country, Canada has a full range of counterterrorism tools, and we use all of them, including the Global Coalition against Daesh, security investigations, surveillance, monitoring, intelligence gathering, lawful sharing, collection of evidence, criminal charges, prosecutions, peace bonds, and public listings, the no-fly list, hoisting passports, authorized threat reduction measures, and prevention initiatives to head off tragedies in advance.

We need all of them, and we use all of them to keep Canadians safe.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are proposing a reintegration program and support services for returning ISIS terrorists.

The public safety minister says the government has identified about 250 people with links to Canada who are suspected of overseas terrorist activities or, as he has called them, terrorist travellers. Two years ago, CSIS identified it as a major unparalleled threat to the west, and it was warned returnees could recruit or inspire individuals in Canada and could even be planning attacks here.

Does the minister not think it is time for the Liberals to rethink this crazy reintegration plan?

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

Mr. Speaker, the opposition has spent the last week deprecating Canadian security agencies on the front line.

However, the previous Conservative government left CSIS without clear legal protections under the Criminal Code. It put our security in a muddle with the Constitution. It provided no framework for dealing with datasets. It left Canada trailing behind on cyber-safety. It did nothing on prevention, and it reduced the budget for our security agencies by more than $1 billion.

There are no lessons to be learned from the Conservative government.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would remind the honourable member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis that members on both sides of the House must wait their turn to speak and must not interrupt others. I believe he is very familiar with the rules, especially Standing Order 16.

The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, nobody, in the last election, voted for a government to protect the rights of terrorists.

At least 60 people who left Canada to fight abroad against us have returned home. The Prime Minister says the Liberals have ways “of deprogramming people who want to harm our society”.

While our veterans wait for promised benefits, our deployed troops see their pays cut, and seniors struggle to make ends meet, why would the Liberals spend a single dime on terrorists?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman's sound and fury is signifying nothing. The best experts do not agree with him.

Phil Gurski, a former CSIS officer, now in the private sector, said “the previous government had an abysmal record when it came to countering violent extremism and early detection.” He said that the Conservative government did not care.

Dr. Lorne Dawson, of the University of Waterloo, said “the previous conservative government had...no interest in following up on this, so Canada is late.”

We are getting into the game five years late. That is the Conservative record. It is a mess.

Tourism Industry

[Geng Tan, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my riding of Don Valley North is located in the greater Toronto area, which offers marquee destinations for tourists from China, including Niagara Falls, Casa Loma, Rouge National Urban Park, and world-class cuisine.

Can the parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Small Business and Tourism please update this House on the government's plan to tap into the Chinese tourism market?

[Alaina Lockhart, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to welcoming more visitors from China in 2018, the Canada-China year of tourism.

Today, the Prime Minister and minister unveiled a new logo for this amazing year to come. We have developed a strategic plan for the fast-growing Chinese market. We are working to enhance tourism marketing in China. We are working with Canadian tourism businesses to become China-ready. We are increasing air and visa access, and developing experiences that are in high demand by Chinese visitors.

We will continue to develop Canada's world-class tourism industry, which creates jobs and opportunities for middle-class Canadians.

Public Services and Procurement

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the minister was conspicuous by his absence. Can someone tell me what planet the Minister of Transport is on, given his statement that we cannot artificially create a need for something that does not exist ? Hello, planet Earth here. The Preserver and the Protector are kaput, done.

By ignoring the evidence that we need a second supply ship, the minister is showing contempt for our men and women in uniform and is jeopardizing national security.

When will the Liberals rise and give the Obelix contract to the Davie shipyard, like our government did with the Asterix contract? This is a national security matter and the workers are ready.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot help but seize this opportunity to ask my colleague where he was when the government established the national shipbuilding strategy. I will tell him: he was at the cabinet table and he did nothing.

Canadian Heritage

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a lot of people are fed up with the heritage minister. The cultural sector, print media, and even a number of her own Liberal colleagues are calling on her to take action to help our cultural sector and our media, but she is refusing to do so.

When we tell her about newspapers that are shutting down, she talks about the CBC or a federal fund that does not support daily papers. Everyone, from her own colleagues to people such as Fred Pellerin, Boucar Diouf, and Alexandre Taillefer, has reached the breaking point. Even a former advisor to Jean Chrétien had some choice words for her recently.

For pity's sake, can the minister offer up just one concrete measure she will take to save print media, if only to salvage her own reputation? She has two reports full of ideas to choose from.