Debates of Feb. 13th, 2017

Taxation

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I have to remind the House once again that it is this government that is committed to supporting the middle class and those who are working so hard to join it. It is this government that lowered taxes for middle-class Canadians, which has helped thousands and thousands of Canadians. It is this government that introduced the Canada child benefit program, which has lifted hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty.

Our government supports the middle class. We have a plan and we are moving forward.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, Kathleen Wynne and the Prime Minister seem to have a lot in common judging from the hugs, and that is bad news for Canadians.

Wynne has already destroyed Ontario business by driving the price of hydro sky-high and implementing the “it won't help the planet just the Liberal pocketbook” cap and trade system. Her buddy the Prime Minister is following the same instruction manual and driving the cost of living up. This plan is messed up and my constituents are fed up.

When will the Prime Minister learn from the mistakes of the Wynne Liberals and quit repeating them?

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

Mr. Speaker, what we are not going to do is repeat the mistakes of the previous Conservative government where it did nothing on the environmental front.

We are committed to taking serious action to tackle climate change not just because we care about our children and grandchildren, but also because it makes economic sense. We are going to make sure that we invest in clean jobs and innovation. We are going to be a leader and we are going to attract jobs and investment, because that is the right thing to do and it is what Canadians expect us to do.

Forestry Industry

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week Ontario joined Quebec in calling for federal loan guarantees for softwood lumber producers which would provide certainty to forestry workers who fear their jobs will be lost when the U.S. imposes duties. Canadians expect the Prime Minister to convey to President Trump the importance of protecting thousands of jobs in both countries that depend on a strong Canada-U.S. relationship.

Will the government assure Canadians that protecting jobs will be its number one priority? Will it provide loan guarantees to protect Canadian softwood lumber jobs?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we are preparing for any situation and we will continue working on a good deal for our Canadian forestry industry. Our government takes seriously the challenges ahead for this sector. We are working hard with our provincial partners to protect forestry jobs across Canada.

We will continue to work with lumber producers, workers, provinces and territories to find a solution that will work for our forestry industry.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is all well and good to keep repeating the same things, but we are looking for real action.

Last Friday, Ontario and Quebec joined forces in the softwood lumber file. Today, the Prime Minister is meeting with the President of the United States. We hope he will be able to advance our interests.

In the meantime, the threat of a tariff on exports to the U.S. hangs over the industry. The government must establish a loan guarantee program for softwood lumber producers.

Will the minister heed the alarm being sounded by Quebec and Ontario about urgently ensuring that plan B is ready to go?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the government knows how important the forestry sector is for Canadians, particularly in certain parts of the country. We know that the industry is dependent on exports, particularly to the United States. That is why we are in constant touch with my counterparts and the counterparts at the deputy ministerial level. We will be prepared for every eventuality. Our primary interest is to protect those good jobs in the forestry sector, wherever they are across Canada.

Justice

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were shocked last week by the release of Vincent Li with no conditions or monitoring. He was even legally allowed to change his name to Will Baker. This is the man who brutally murdered Tim McLean on a bus in 2008 to the horror of all those on board and indeed to the entire country. Now Tim's family is left to deal with this latest ordeal and outrage.

Could the minister please tell Canadians why the rights of the McLean family and the public are secondary to this vicious murderer?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the McLean family. The public safety of Canadians is always of utmost concern to our government, and we are committed to ensuring that our criminal justice system provides the greatest protection possible.

I want to be clear. The review board of the province or territory makes the decision to grant an absolute discharge in terms of not criminally responsible. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further. Again, our hearts go out to the McLean family.

In terms of the work that we are doing around criminal justice reform, we are moving forward to ensure safety and protection for victims.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have a problem with mandatory jail sentences for criminals. Is it the mandatory jail time for selling drugs around a school, or for child pornography, or for kidnapping a child, or maybe it is the mandatory jail time for drive-by shootings or for premeditated murder? What criminals does the Minister of Justice believe need a break?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand up again to speak about the comprehensive review that our government is undertaking in terms of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reform, which I am pursuing with vigour.

With respect to mandatory minimum penalties, which are included in this review, the courts have spoken out quite clearly in terms of the constitutionality of these provisions. Our government believes it is important to ensure that the laws, including mandatory minimums, are effective at meeting their objectives, are efficient, promote public safety, and most importantly, are in compliance with the Constitution.

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not want to be specific, because the Liberals have a problem with prison sentences.

I am proud of the fact that under our Conservative government, anyone who brought drugs into the country for the purpose of selling to our children would go to jail. I am proud of that.

Why would the Liberals not concentrate on filling judicial appointments and not worry about mandatory sentences?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, again, I am happy to rise to speak about the comprehensive review of the criminal justice system that we are undertaking, including sentencing reform. This includes looking at all of the mandatory minimums that are now contained within the Criminal Code. As I said, the courts have spoken out in terms of the constitutionality of many of these provisions, and it is in that regard that we are viewing them.

I firmly believe that we must inject discretion back to judges to be able to administer an appropriate sentence based on the individual who is before them. We are doing this in a thoughtful way, and ensuring that we engage with many stakeholders, provinces, and territories as we reform these mandatory minimums.

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

Mr. Speaker, for some time now we have noticed the laxness of the Liberal Party and its propensity to reduce criminals' sentences.

The Liberal government's priority clearly seems to be lighter sentences for criminals, as demonstrated by its Bill C-38. We can see that the Liberals care more about criminals and that they have no consideration for victims and their families.

When will the Prime Minister stand up for victims of crime?

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the multipronged question.

Again, we are pleased to be doing a comprehensive review of the criminal justice system, including sentencing reform, to ensure that we provide a way forward that is comprehensive; and that speaks to what we have heard from stakeholders, provinces, and territories, and from what we are hearing from judges to ensure that the judges have the necessary discretion in order to administer the appropriate sentence based on the individual who presents before them.

In terms of Bill C-38, I was pleased to introduce that bill to combat human trafficking and to provide protection to vulnerable people in this country.

Public Safety

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister needs to defend Canadians against President Trump's discriminatory orders and attacks on privacy.

We have serious concerns about Bill C-23. U.S. officers on Canadian soil would be armed and authorized to conduct strip searches and detain and interrogate Canadians.

In a joint statement just released between the Prime Minister and the President, instead of standing up for Canadians, they decided to double down on information sharing and measures like this that go against Canadians' rights.

Can the minister stand up and confirm that, in the clearest of terms, they will stand up for Canadians' rights once and for all?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, certainly for this government, making sure that the balance of protecting Canadians' rights and furthering our economy is at the foremost of our consideration. When we take a look at the pre-clearing, it is already happening in eight locations. There are more than 12 million passengers every year using this. It facilitates the movement of goods and services, it increases security, and it makes sure that Canadians can travel directly to locations they otherwise would not be able to in the United States.

Let me say as clearly as I can that, absolutely and without question, U.S. officials in Canada are required at all times to comply with Canadian law and with the Canadian charter.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, another 21 refugees, looking for safety, walked for hours through snowy fields to get to Canada through Emerson, Manitoba. Repeated calls on the government to take concrete, immediate actions like suspending the safe third country agreement continue to go unanswered, while these individuals are literally risking life and limb. If some poor farmer were to find a refugee family lying in his field would the Minister of Immigration continue to repeat the same lame non-answer we have heard for weeks, or would he have the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans repeat them for him?

Will the minister finally suspend the safe third country agreement now? What is it going to take?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the people of Emerson for their generosity in welcoming those who are seeking protection in difficult circumstances.

I am glad the member opposite asked me the question, because my department moved very quickly to engage with CBSA, RCMP, and the Town of Emerson this weekend after the arrival of 21 asylum claimants. We worked with the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council and the local resettlement organization to provide transportation for asylum seekers from Emerson to Winnipeg, and the settlement organization has offered asylum claimants a place to stay if needed.

Natural Resources

[James Maloney, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on February 2, the Minister of Natural Resources led an official visit and trade mission to Mexico. Included in the delegation were 37 Canadian business leaders from the mining, energy, and clean technology sectors, making the trip one of Natural Resources Canada's biggest ever. Also for the first time, indigenous representatives were part of the delegation.

Could the Minister of Natural Resources please give more information about his trip to Mexico and how it positions Canada to continue a strong relationship with an important continental partner?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, promoting Canadian business around the world is an important priority for my department. I have just returned from a very productive mission to Mexico, where I discussed collaboration on energy and mineral development with my counterparts, as well as with local communities and indigenous peoples.

Our country signed a memorandum of understanding on collaboration in sustainable mining that will lay the foundation for greater trade opportunities, stronger growth, and job creation for years to come.

International Trade

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, NAFTA has been a successful agreement for Canada, but the Prime Minister has offered it up for renegotiation. Since it came into force, we have gained over $5 trillion in direct investment, and millions of high-paying jobs. Now, the Liberal government is putting all of this on the table.

Canadians want to know, when the Prime Minister committed to renegotiating NAFTA, what specific elements of the existing agreement did he believe were problematic?

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians need to know first and foremost that no negotiations have begun yet. Last week, when the Minister of Foreign Affairs was in Washington she met with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, along with House Speaker Paul Ryan, and senators John McCain, Bob Corker, and Ben Cardin.

The minister underlined how integrated our economies are and how they support millions of jobs on both sides of the border. We always have Canada's best interests in mind in our conversations internationally, and I am sure no one in the House would want us to reveal our hand prematurely.

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the foreign affairs minister met with U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan. He stated that he had a really productive conversation about improving dairy market access. The minister herself called it a successful visit. We can assume he was not talking about more Canadian dairy products flowing into Wisconsin. How much dairy access did the minister offer to the Americans at this meeting?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that negotiations with our American counterparts have not yet begun. The minister met with Paul Ryan and other members of the American legislature. We are emphasizing just how integrated our economies are and how they support millions of jobs on both sides of the border. We always have the best interests of Canadians and our dairy producers in mind in our conversations, and I am sure that no one here would want us to reveal our hand prematurely.