House of Commons Hansard #165 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was education.

Topics

EthicsOral Questions

3:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times, this was a personal family vacation with an old friend. We are happy to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to answer any questions the member may have.

At the same time, we are proud of the things we have been doing for the middle class and those working hard to join it, which has included lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, despite that member and all of her colleagues voting against raising taxes on the wealthy.

EthicsOral Questions

April 12th, 2017 / 3:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michelle Rempel Conservative Calgary Nose Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, tens of thousands of middle-class Canadians wish they could take a vacation with their old friends, but they cannot because of the Prime Minister's taxes and his spending their taxpayer dollars on his personal vacation. Worse, now when he is trying to explain why he broke the law, he is blaming the RCMP for his poor judgment and his poor choices. Are you kidding me, Mr. Speaker? When is the Prime Minister going to stand up and tell Canadians that he is sorry?

EthicsOral Questions

3:35 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I certainly do not think you are kidding anyone in the House.

The fact is, we will continue to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to answer any questions she may have. In the meantime, we will continue to stay focused on lowering taxes on the middle class, raising them on the wealthiest 1%, and delivering a Canada child benefit that helps nine out of 10 Canadian families and will lift hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty right across this country.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Conservative

Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not seem to answer direct questions, so let us try again.

The Prime Minister was the one who told Canadians in January that his only option was to take this helicopter. Yesterday he put the blame on the RCMP, so Canadians are confused. Could he clear this up for Canadians? Is he willing to table the documentation, whether emails or written advice, that shows that the RCMP told him to break the law?

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, I am happy to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner to answer all questions she may have so that she can determine that indeed all the rules were appropriately followed.

The fact is, we know that being ready to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner is extremely important, and that is exactly what we are doing.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Conservative

Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB

Mr. Speaker, this is about being honest with Canadians. Either the Prime Minister was misleading Canadians in January, or he is now.

He is talking about talking to the Ethics Commissioner, so I have two questions for him: What has he told the Ethics Commissioner? Was it “The RCMP made me do it” or was it “It was my only option”? Also, has he met with the Ethics Commissioner already?

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we are happy to engage on an ongoing basis with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. This is important, because Canadians need to have confidence in the people who wield public trust, and that is exactly why I am so pleased to be working with her.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

NDP

Karine Trudel NDP Jonquière, QC

Mr. Speaker, does the Prime Minister believe that it is important to tell the truth, not only to the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, but also here, in the House, to all parliamentarians?

If yes, why did he say that the only way to get to the private island owned by his friend, the Aga Khan, was by helicopter?

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as I said, I am very pleased to be able to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. However, as we know, it is the RCMP that makes recommendations about the most secure way for the prime minister to travel.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

NDP

Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, in case he does not realize it, the Prime Minister is not rehearsing lines for a play: he is answering questions about whether or not he broke the law. What we want to know is what he is going to tell the Ethics Commissioner, and he can say it in this place as well. Was the private helicopter that he chose to get on the only way to get to the island, yes or no?

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I have answered the question a number of times in this place.

What I continue to work on is focusing on the things that matter to Canadians, whether it is lowering taxes for the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%, putting forward a budget with historic investments in infrastructure that are going to make it easier for Canadians to get to and from work, or making sure that there are proper investments in the national housing strategy. These are the kinds of things that Canadians talk to me about whenever I leave the House and go across the country. Canadians want to know how the government is working for them, and we are happy to be talking about that.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order. Order. The hon. member for Cape Breton—Canso does not get a freebie. I am sorry. I would ask him to restrain himself, along with whoever he is talking to over on the opposite side, down by the far corner.

The hon. member for Parry Sound—Muskoka.

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Conservative

Tony Clement Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious issue involving the Prime Minister's judgment. He goes to billionaire island. He says the only way to get there is on a private helicopter, which is completely contrary to the rules of transport for the prime minister. The taxpayers are on the hook for this kind of money, and he will not answer questions in the House from parliamentarians. He is disrespecting Parliament. He is disrespecting the taxpayers. When is he going to come clean?

EthicsOral Questions

3:40 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, any ethics question is a serious one. That is why I am so happy to work with the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner and answer any questions she has on this issue.

We continue to be focused as a government on the things that Canadians talk to us about in our constituencies and across the country, whether it is continuing to lower their taxes, as we already have, or investing in the kind of strong future for our students and our workers, who are looking at the changing job market and needing the support of a government that is actively helping them find new opportunities.

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Conservative

Tony Clement Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Prime Minister can answer this question. Yesterday, his Minister of Transport went out to the public and said that there is a national security threat involving our airlines. The minister will not tell passengers or Canadians what the nature of the threat is. He will not say where it is coming from. He will not say how people can protect themselves against the threat.

The Prime Minister and his government are showing the sensitivity of United Airlines. When are they going to come clean and tell passengers how they can protect themselves and what the nature of the threat is?

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians know, we take the security of Canadians and of all air travellers extremely seriously. That is why we work with our police and security agencies, with our international partners, and with our airlines to determine how best to keep air travellers safe. I can reassure Canadians that we always do everything necessary to ensure that Canadians are safe, while at the same time protecting their charter rights and freedoms. That is what we will continue to do every step of the way.

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK

Mr. Speaker, three more workers continue to work at Trudeau airport, despite having their clearances revoked due to security concerns. To say that Canadians are shocked that these employees were previously cleared to work in secured areas would be an understatement.

While the Prime Minister's response on this issue is tone deaf, all that the transport minister is now offering are vague assurances and a secret plan. How can Canadians trust the Liberals to keep our airports secure?

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of Canadians and indeed all travellers are extremely important to this government. That is why we work every day to ensure that we are doing everything we can to keep Canadians safe. Our security agencies and police agencies work carefully every day to ensure that people are safe as they travel through our airports and elsewhere. That is why we are also moving forward on a committee of parliamentarians that will have oversight over our national security agencies and police agencies, to ensure that our charter rights are protected and that all our agencies are doing everything they can to keep Canadians safe at all times, which they are.

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's fine words show us that he is not aware of everything. Let us remember the facts.

It took an investigation by the public affairs program JE to discover that potentially radicalized employees of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal had access to secure areas.

Yesterday, the Minister of Transport revealed that three other employees have lost their access cards for those areas. What is unbelievable is that the Prime Minister knows that some of the employees in question are still working at the airport. That is unacceptable.

When will the Prime Minister stop taking us for fools, tell us what is really happening, and take real measures to reassure Canadians?

Aviation SecurityOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, all members of the House want to make sure that Canadians are safe. That is why we are working together every day to ensure that our police and intelligence services are doing everything they need to do to protect Canadians.

I am very pleased to know that a committee made up of parliamentarians from all parties will be overseeing the actions of our police and national security agencies to ensure that everyone's rights and freedoms are respected and, more importantly, that Canadians are always safe in airports and in their communities.

MarijuanaOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

Mr. Speaker, enough with the evasion, enough with the talking points. This is a direct question for the Prime Minister. Does he feel that he deserves a criminal record for having smoked marijuana, yes or no?

MarijuanaOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward on legalizing marijuana for two reasons. One is that the current regime is failing our kids. Right now, under-age kids have easier access to marijuana than those in any country around the world. There is higher per capita use by under-age Canadians than kids in any other country.

We want to make it more difficult for kids to access marijuana. That is why we are going to legalize and control marijuana. We also want to remove the billions of dollars from criminal organizations and street gangs that they use to commit more crimes.

Steel IndustryOral Questions

3:45 p.m.

NDP

Tracey Ramsey NDP Essex, ON

Mr. Speaker, I guess there are different rules for the Prime Minister than for the rest of Canada.

Yesterday at the trade committee, the Minister of International Trade admitted that he has not had any talks with China about steel dumping, despite having embarked on a potential free trade agreement with China. The Liberals also have no timeline on when they will finally deliver on long-awaited changes to Canada's trade remedy rules.

Canada's steel industry deserves leadership from the government. I have one simple question. Will the Prime Minister pick up the phone, call his counterpart in China, and ask China to stop unfair steel dumping in our country?

Steel IndustryOral Questions

3:50 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I can go one better. I was in China last year and actually brought it up directly with the Chinese leadership.

The issue of Canadian steel and the prevalence and the dumping of Chinese steel is one that has concerned this government for a long time. That is why we have taken tangible, concrete steps in engaging with the Chinese at the highest level and why we continue to work with our American partners to ensure North American steel is supported and protected.

Fisheries and OceansOral Questions

3:50 p.m.

Liberal

Colin Fraser Liberal West Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, my riding, West Nova, depends heavily on the fishing industry, which is at the core of our rural economy and of our identity.

Could the Prime Minister provide us with details on how the new Atlantic fisheries fund helps support the fishing industry in my home province of Nova Scotia and throughout Atlantic Canada?