Debates of April 11th, 2017

International Development

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals rushed to restore education funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency, despite abundant evidence that UNRWA employees actively support terrorism and incite anti-Semitism.

The minister assured Canadians that $25 million would teach Palestinian children tolerance and respect, but a detailed news study by UN Watch revealed 60 new examples of hate on UNRWA teacher and staff Facebook pages.

Our Conservative government effectively delivered aid around UNRWA. Why can the Liberals not do so?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, since we restored funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, we have been monitoring the organization's activities very closely, and we take all allegations very seriously.

Since Canada has been at the table, the organization has been monitored more and more closely. We are conducting background checks on financial services employees, ensuring that executives and teachers are getting training on the importance of web independence, and reviewing the educational materials. I can assure the House that Canadians' money is being put to good use.

[Dean Allison, Conservative, Niagara West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, UN Watch also revealed that the Liberals have asked UNRWA officials for help, help to find a way to help spin Canadians that more funding to UNRWA is a good idea.

What this report also reveals to us is that this UN organization has almost 100 cases of schoolteachers, principals, as well as UNRWA employees that are actually encouraging jihadi terrorism, anti-Semitism, denying the Holocaust, celebrating Hitler, and actually promoting maps to their students where Israel is not even on the map.

Knowing what we know about this organization, why are the Liberals funding teachers, principals, and UNRWA workers who support anti-Semitism?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I can assure the House that we are closely monitoring the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. We are also reviewing the educational materials, and we are satisfied with the progress that is being made.

Even the Israeli ministry of defence made a statement regarding this organization. It said:

UNRWA is making efforts to create a balanced, positive curriculum with universal values free from violence and incitement after criticism directed at the agency.

That is from the Israeli ministry of defence.

Human Rights

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, well, it is not happening.

Canada has urged Venezuela's repressive president to release political prisoners. Lilian Tintori, the wife of Leopoldo Lopez, Venezuela's leading political prisoner, has met OAS Secretary General Almagro, President Trump, the UN high commissioner for human rights, the presidents of Mexico and Argentina, even the Pope, but for some reason, Senora Tintori cannot get a meeting with the Prime Minister. Why will the Prime Minister not take a meeting and send a strong message to President Maduro?

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

Mr. Speaker, we call on the Government of Venezuela to respect its international commitments to democracy and human rights. Canada co-sponsored an OAS resolution to reiterate just that.

Denying freedom of political participation contradicts Venezuela's international obligations and prevents progress for the country. In concert with our OAS partners, we call on Venezuela to hold elections, restore democratic order, release political prisoners, and work with its national assembly in the best interests of the Venezuelan people.

Housing

[Raj Grewal, Liberal, Brampton East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for Canadians living in some of our largest cities, the dream of buying their first home is becoming more difficult, and our existing homeowners want to ensure that their home is protected. Over the past year alone, the average house price in Toronto has grown by more than one-third, with ripple effects across the greater Toronto area.

Could the Minister of Finance please give the House an update on his hopes of getting meetings with our provincial and municipal counterparts?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, indeed, it is one of the finance minister's responsibilities to work to ensure a healthy, competitive, and stable housing market. That is why after years of inaction we have taken two actions to actually deal with pockets of risk in Toronto and Vancouver.

We remain concerned with dramatic price increases, the implications for the market, and the implications for household affordability. That is why I have asked Ontario Minister of Finance Charles Sousa and the Toronto mayor to have a meeting, so that we can ensure we have coordinated policy actions to deal with this ongoing challenge.

Indigenous Affairs

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister stated that transparency is important, but it has now been 16 months since she gutted the First Nations Financial Transparency Act. This morning, we heard testimony from Loretta Burnstick from Alexander First Nation. She told us, “It's virtually impossible as a band member to get full disclosure of our finances. We have no say. We are kept out.”

Even Liberal backbenchers agree with the intention of our act, so would the minister stand up and tell first nations people, will it be months, years, or never that they will get the same access to information that all other Canadians enjoy?

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

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the member back to the House, and wish her son all the best.

Everyone, including first nations governments, supports transparency and accountability. We have been working with indigenous organizations, the AFN, and AFOA Canada, the aboriginal financial officers association, on ways to enhance mutual accountability.

The government is also reaching out to community members and leadership through comprehensive online engagement, and is planning in-person sessions across the country over the coming months.

We will continue to work in full partnership with first nations to improve mutual accountability—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Port Moody—Coquitlam.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, almost three years ago, the Mount Polley mine disaster spilled 25 million cubic metres of toxic waste into Quesnel Lake, which provides drinking water for local communities and is home to one of the world's greatest sockeye salmon runs. Both Imperial Metals and the B.C. Liberal government were found negligent, but the corporation faced no fines and the B.C. government refused to take responsibility.

The Prime Minister promised to usher in a new era of protection for Canadian waterways, so where is it? Why is the minister letting both guilty parties off the hook, and when will he enforce the Fisheries Act?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, my friend knows very well that not only are we committed to enforcing the Fisheries Act, but we are also committed to investing and improving marine safety and our ability to do world-class science to ensure that all the species the member referred to are in fact protected in the most sustainable way.

He knows the Prime Minister announced in the member's province in November a historic investment in ocean protections. This will allow us not only, in the case of an offence under the Fisheries Act, to prosecute those offenders, but also to prevent those incidents from happening.

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, South Shore—St. Margarets, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last October, the House unanimously agreed to my Motion No. 40, which called on the government, in collaboration with provincial, territorial, municipal, and indigenous organizations, to take meaningful steps to address the issues of abandoned and derelict vessels within six months.

Could the Minister of Transport please provide an update to Canadians on this commitment?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for South Shore—St. Margarets for her tireless advocacy on this file. I share her concerns, as well as those of her constituents and all Canadians.

That is why I was delighted to be with the Prime Minister on November 7 in Vancouver when we announced the historic oceans protection plan, which includes a strategy to address the issue of abandoned and derelict vessels. Even better, in budget 2017, we consolidated the $1.5 billion that would be required to do the oceans protection plan. These are very meaningful steps in the right direction.

Ethics

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

Mr. Speaker, from Bombardier and the Aga Khan to Chinese billionaires, it is clear that the Prime Minister likes padding his friends' pockets.

It turns out that the director of Canada: The Story of Us is John English, the elder Trudeau's biographer. The series will also be used in university settings, which will certainly be good for Mr. English's bank account.

Did the Prime Minister use $675 million in public funds to indirectly line the pockets of another friend of his?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question, and I just want to remind her that it is important for CBC/Radio-Canada to operate at arm's length from our government.

Our goal is to ensure that CBC/Radio-Canada is accountable for its own content. Since the member's question has to do with CBC/Radio-Canada programming, I would suggest that she contact the crown corporation directly.

Justice

[Xavier Barsalou-Duval, Bloc, Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' procrastination has gone on long enough. Since the Jordan decision, requests for a stay in proceedings in Quebec alone have increased by 70% from 574 to 809.

Arguing over the number of positions to fill is not going to solve the problem. If Quebec tells Ottawa that it needs to appoint 14 judges, then Ottawa needs to appoint 14 judges.

When will the 40 Liberal MPs from Quebec appeal to the Minister of Justice to do her job and appoint judges?

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

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the issue of delays is an important one. That is why we are taking concrete action to address this issue.

I am pleased to have appointed 47 superior court justices, 22 deputy judges, three from the province of Quebec. There are six vacancies in the province of Quebec, and I will be moving forward with filling those vacancies in the near future.

The issue of delays is an issue that the federal government, the provinces, and territories need to address together in terms of the cultural shift that is required to eliminate the delays.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as far as the Jordan decision is concerned, the Chief Justice of the Quebec Superior Court was clear: it is time for Ottawa to get moving.

We know that the Liberals are preoccupied with legalizing marijuana and with ethical matters, but in the meantime, criminals are being released because their trials are taking too long. This is no time to be arguing over the number of judges. Whether we need 14 judges or six, it is time to take action.

Does the minister realize that her procrastination is jeopardizing public safety?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, we are taking action in this regard. My office has had the opportunity to speak with the chief justice. We will continue to have conversations with the province of Quebec.

I will continue to add to the 47 appointments I have already made to the superior courts through our open and transparent process. However, with respect to court delays, there is no one solution to this issue. That is why I am working in a collaborative manner with all my provincial and territorial counterparts, including within the province of Quebec. The only way we are going to be able to resolve the issues of delays is if we do it together.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like some clarification.

We received notice that you will be ruling on a question of privilege. Obviously, these questions are of the utmost importance to the House. I am aware of past practices of the House and have personal experience in the matter, and I wanted to ensure that the ruling will be made before we move to orders of the day.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

It is up to the Speaker to decide when rulings will be made. In this case, it will be made after orders of the day are called.

Oral Questions

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During question period, I could not help but hear the government House leader said that the Prime Minister answered every question in question period last Wednesday. Having answered a question myself, I know that not to be true. I wonder if she wants to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

This is a matter of debate.