Debates of Feb. 2nd, 2017

Industry

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the harmonization of regulations and reducing barriers, this has been a key priority for our government, and that is why I have been working with my provincial and territorial counterparts to sign a Canada free trade agreement. We have an agreement in principle. We announced that agreement in July. We will provide the details of that agreement, and that will create an environment for our manufacturers to grow and expand in Canada so they can compete globally and create good, quality jobs. That is how we are delivering for our manufacturing sector. On those 1.7 million jobs, we will make sure we will continue to grow and expand that industry.

Infrastructure

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the parliamentary budget officer released a report called “Following the Money”, stating that the Liberals' infrastructure plan has no way to measure performance, has virtually no transparency on how the money is being spent, and has shortchanged communities by $9 billion for local infrastructure. The Liberal plan to stimulate the Canadian economy has failed.

Will the minister commit to flowing the $9 billion to communities before spring construction begins?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the work of the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer to monitor spending as well as inform Canadians and Parliament.

Since taking office, our government, in partnership with the municipalities and provinces, has approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. These investments are helping the design and planning work for Ottawa's LRT, Edmonton's LRT, and Calgary's LRT. As a matter of fact, in the member's own city of Surrey, planning work is being done with these resources to expand the LRT work in her own municipality.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary budget officer's report on infrastructure indicates that the Liberals risk not achieving their objectives for economic growth. Contrary to what the minister stated, $4.6 billion for projects has been approved.

In the wake of our Prime Minister's out-of-control deficits, tax increases, broken promises, and conflicts of interest, we are now learning that the Liberal's infrastructure plan is simply not working.

What is the Minister of Infrastructure waiting for to release the funds, the missing $9 billion, that would allow projects to move forward in every municipality in Canada?

The party is over.

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of budget 2016, we have concluded bilateral agreements with each province and territory within a very short amount of time. Since doing that, we have approved 1,200 projects, with a combined investment of $14 billion. We have approved more projects in one year than the previous government did in five years. That is our track record, and that is exactly what we are delivering on.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims he is a defender of human rights, yet he will not speak up against Trump's racist ban. What is worse, once rejected by the U.S., those refugees cannot make a claim in Canada because of the safe third country agreement. So much for #welcometoCanada. Canadians no longer have confidence that the U.S. is a safe haven for refugees. If we do not suspend the agreement, Canada will be complicit in this discriminatory ban.

Will the government immediately suspend the safe third country agreement, yes or no?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to remain a compassionate and generous country. We have one of the most compassionate and generous refugee systems in the world. The safe third country agreement with the United States enables both countries to better handle asylum claims. The executive order has no impact on asylum claims made in either country. We will continue to monitor the situation, and we will continue to be a country that is open to refugees and protected persons.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.

For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?

Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know or ought to know that the safe third country agreement pertains to domestic asylum seekers and has no relevance to resettled refugees. Having said that, Canada has a system in place that is considered to be the most generous and compassionate in the world. We in Canada and the United States view the safe third country agreement as a proper system to handle local asylum seekers, and we will continue to be an open and generous country to those seeking protection and refuge.

Status of Women

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the primary responsibility of the Minister of Status of Women should be providing vulnerable women with the resources they need, many of whom are forced to seek shelter or refuge in women's shelters across Canada, which, of course, are desperate for resources. In his mandate letter to the minister, the Prime Minister said, “It is important that we acknowledge mistakes when we make them”.

Will the minister now admit that spending over $1 million on luxury offices to make her more comfortable is a mistake and a betrayal of vulnerable women?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, our government has made gender equality a key priority with the appointment of a historic gender balanced cabinet and the first-ever full Minister for Status of Women.

Previous ministers responsible for the Status of Women were also ministers of departments that already had offices. Being located in the same building as the department, as is the standard across government, will ensure that departmental and ministerial operations run more efficiently.

I look forward to working with the member opposite to further the opportunities for women and girls in this country.

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

Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.

The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.

Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to reiterate that this is the first time there has ever been a full Minister for Status of Women. In previous governments, the minister responsible for Status of Women had another place to work within.

That said, let us talk about what the minister before me and the team have been working on since we formed government. We are working and have engaged with experts, academics, and those with lived experience to bring forward the first-ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. We are expanding the services of Status of Women across the country, and more.

I look forward to working with the member opposite.

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

Mr. Speaker, Status of Women did not have enough money in its budget for office renovations, but started them anyway and then had to get $900,000 from supplementary estimates for the $1.1 million project.

Would the minister describe this as responsible management of the budget and of taxpayers' money?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the construction was completed on time, within budget, and follows the government's workplace standards to optimize office space accommodation.

As the first government to introduce a full minister responsible for Status of Women, I am looking forward to working with the member opposite as the chair of the committee responsible for this work. We have restored advocacy to the scope of activities that can be supported by the women's program, the granting body, and we believe it will help make better decisions and impact.

We are committed to ensuring that a full gender-based analysis is done across policies and programs to ensure that women and girls are at the heart of all our efforts.

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

Mr. Speaker, starting to build before knowing how many people are going to be in the office is what we call bad project management.

Canadians expect that when the minister goes back to taxpayers for additional emergency funding, it will be used for such things as emergency shelters for vulnerable women, but no, to these Liberals, an emergency is building luxury offices to make themselves more comfortable.

In those same supplementary estimates, can the minister confirm how much funding the Liberals requested for women's shelters in Canada?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, we are finally making progress to ensure that women and girls thrive in—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

Order, please. A question has been asked. The hon. minister is in the process of answering. I am sure there are members in the House who would like to hear the answer. We will give the minister the floor and continue on.

The hon. Minister of Status of Women.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are finally working to ensure, and are making progress, that all women and girls have an opportunity to thrive in our country. We are investing in shelters, transitional homes, and affordable housing to allow women to be safe. We are also developing the first-ever federal strategy to address gender-based violence. This is a cause that transcends party lines and departments.

I am looking forward to working with all members to ensure that we reach our common goal.

International Trade

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs depend on trade with the United States, but the Liberals' silence on their priorities for NAFTA renegotiations is deafening. Canadians want fair trade that benefits all Canadians, not just a few at the top. The government's first priority must be protecting Canadian jobs in trade-dependent industries, like softwood lumber, auto, steel, agriculture, and dairy.

Today the U.S. has started the clock on renegotiations, so when will the Liberals come clean to Canadians about what is on the table?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by commenting on Tuesday, which was a historic day in this House. I did not have a chance to speak then, and I had no questions yesterday. Therefore, I want to quickly thank the member for Saint-Laurent and the member for Markham—Thornhill for their decades of service to their constituents. We all honour them, and I am looking forward to working with them in their new roles.

As for the question, it is incorrect that the clock was started today by the U.S. That has not happened. Of course, our priority is jobs for Canadians.

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec dairy producers are concerned about the Liberals' plan to renegotiate NAFTA.

That is completely understandable given the government's inaction on the diafiltered milk issue. This American product is threatening our supply management system and costing our producers millions of dollars, as is the loophole in the Canada-Europe trade agreement.

We know that the Prime Minister's promises do not mean anything, but will he confirm to Canadians today that he will defend our supply management system in the renegotiation of NAFTA?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, when I was the international trade minister, I worked closely with Quebec ministers St-Pierre and Anglade, Quebec companies such as Bombardier, the forestry industry, and Quebec unions in the context of CETA.

I am very aware of the interests of Quebec and Canada, and I will defend all of our interests, all of our workers, and all of our farmers, as always.

Regional Economic Development

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, access to reliable broadband Internet is crucial to participating in today's economy.

Rural and remote areas, like my region of Laurentides—Labelle, do not have the necessary infrastructure to support broadband services. My constituents were therefore happy to hear about the government's budget 2016 promise regarding broadband Internet access.

Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development provide the House with an update on this critical issue for all of rural Canada?