Debates of April 3rd, 2017

Port de Grave Fisherman's Weekend

[Ken McDonald, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, every spring since 1992 the residents of the community of Port de Grave gather together prior to the start of fishing season to celebrate our fishery and all that it has done to provide for our people. They call it the “fisherman's weekend”. I was pleased to attend and celebrate with them again this year.

The weekend is jam-packed with events: a community breakfast, a church service, and of course the honoured tradition of the blessing of the fleet.

The community takes pride in this ceremony as it wishes the fishermen a prosperous season on the open seas and a safe return home to family and friends once the fishing is done.

I would like to thank Pastor White and the Pentecostal Church of Port de Grave for honouring this long-standing tradition and I join with the community of Port de Grave in wishing all seafarers a safe and successful season on the waters of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Shearwater East Dartmouth Minor Hockey Association

[Darren Fisher, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

As Mr. Speaker knows, it is SEDMHA season in Dartmouth. I rise to commend the incredible volunteers who organize the premier minor hockey tournament in eastern Canada, SEDMHA.

As a hockey dad in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, I've always found SEDMHA to be bittersweet. It represents the end of the minor hockey season, so there will be no more practices or games and it will be a long wait until next season. Where else can we watch a minor hockey team from Serbia play kids from Bedford, Nova Scotia?

It has come a long way since its beginnings in the 1970s. It has hosted superstars like Sidney Crosby, Brad Marchand, and Nathan MacKinnon. SEDMHA is an economic driver in our community, filling the hotels, retail stores, and restaurants. It truly deserves our support.

I would like to give a huge thanks to all the volunteers who work hard to make SEDMHA happen. They are providing an amazing experience for our kids and families to remember for years to come.

Medicine Hat and District Food Bank

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to acknowledge the incredible efforts of food banks across this nation and the positive impact these not-for-profit organizations have on the thousands of individuals they serve.

The Medicine Hat and District Food Bank works collaboratively in community, with community, for community to ensure an adequate and accessible food support system is available to families and individuals in desperate need.

I want to highlight the leadership of our food bank's co-executive directors, Tammy Vanderloh and Celina Symmonds. As a team, these two community leaders continually seek to implement programs that will not only meet immediate community food security needs, but also endeavour to free families from chronic food insecurity through various programs, along with the development and operation of an innovative food first program and community garden. All these efforts are part of a larger community plan to address poverty reduction strategies.

My wife Sue and I are honoured to be hosting Mrs. Tammy Vanderloh as she visits Parliament Hill today.

Well done Tammy, Celina, and the Medicine Hat and District Food Bank.

Canada Summer Games

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while today may be the first day of the Blue Jays season, a glorious day indeed, I am rising today to speak of another important sporting event.

On Thursday, I gathered with many supporters in St. Catharines, anxiously awaiting for an announcement. A loud cheer was heard in the performing arts centre when we learned Niagara won the bid over three other communities to host the 2021 Canada Summer Games.

The Canada Summer Games is the largest multi-sport event in the country, and Niagara is excited and honoured to be only the third region in Ontario to host the games.

Having heard from our Olympic athletes, they never forget that first time they were able to put on the jacket with the name of their team on the back or their first opening ceremony. The Canada Summer Games provides those opportunities and a venue for our young athletes to develop and succeed.

The bid committee and Niagara area mayors and councils chose to go all in in bidding on the Canada Summer Games and were successful. The games will help to generate significant economic activity. I am proud to have this opportunity to congratulate them and all residents of St. Catharines on this great success.

Snowmobile Industry

[Rémi Massé, Liberal, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, snow conditions are still fantastic in the Lower St. Lawrence and the Gaspé, but the snowmobile season is coming to a close in my riding, so I would like to take this opportunity to talk about how important the snowmobile industry is to my region.

Some 4,800 kilometres of trails boasting breathtaking landscapes criss-cross our region. Snowmobilers from Canada, the United States, and farther afield are drawn to our thousands of kilometres of trails, our exceptional winter conditions, and eastern Quebec's unique mountain and ocean vistas.

As an avid snowmobiler, I would like to congratulate and thank the people who run snowmobile clubs, the volunteers, and those who work in hotels, motels, restaurants, gas stations, and dealerships. Their warm welcome and outstanding service bring significant economic benefit to our communities.

The snowmobile industry generates $110 million in economic spinoffs in the Lower St. Lawrence and the Gaspé. Thanks to the dedication of people in the industry, our region is among the best in Canada.

St. Petersburg Metro Explosion

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is sad news today out of Russia. An explosion has rocked the St. Petersburg metro system, with reports indicating that at least 10 people have died and 39 more have been injured, six of whom have critical injuries. We know these people were going about their normal everyday routine. They were fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, all of whom have had their lives changed forever.

In the strongest possible terms, we denounce this act of terror, and we stand in solidarity with the people of Russia.

While the motivation for these cowardly acts of violence is unknown, they showcase the very worst in humanity. Despite their evil intentions, the western world will not be intimidated or frightened by these acts of violence. Our resolve is to seek justice and to promote human thriving. We will not be moved.

Today, we condemn this violence on innocent individuals and offer our prayers and condolences to the families in Russia.

World Autism Awareness Day

[Ruby Sahota, Liberal, Brampton North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, April 2 marked World Autism Awareness Day.

Autism continues to be a major health crisis in Canada and across the world. Through the raising of awareness, more resources have been dedicated towards research, treatment, and diagnoses.

However, even with the added awareness and resources toward autism, I have met many families that are struggling to access resources and help for their children with autism.

Nina Jain, a mother of an autistic child, faced this same challenge and took it upon herself to create an online resource, which can be found at able2learn.com. It has over 30,000 pages of material and over 900 products that provide free inclusive educational material, with a special focus on autism and learning disabilities for anyone.

I would like to commend her hard work and dedication on this important day.

Housing

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on March 28, I had the honour of visiting the Châteauguay Valley Career Education Centre, which is part of the New Frontiers School Board and located in Ormstown. After six years of hard work, they have finished their “our house” project. In partnership with Habitat for Humanity, the project will give one LEED certified house each to two families in need from the region.

During my visit, I met a dedicated team that truly wants the students and their community to thrive. The house was built for the most part by students from the centre and volunteers. The teachers trusted their students to contribute to their community.

It reflects the solidarity and the will to help one another in our region. I am really proud of this project, established in Haut-Saint-Laurent.

I congratulate the team behind the our house project. It is showing how important it is, on a daily basis, to get involved as citizens. It is leading by example. We thank the team.

I would like to thank the centre’s entire team, the volunteers, and the partners.

Shaun Webb

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Shaun Webb came to Ottawa as a legislative assistant in 2008, and would later serve as the regional affairs adviser for British Columbia and the North for the Right Hon. Stephen Harper, which he considered one of his greatest honours.

Shaun described Canada as “the fairest society in the world”. He was well-known for his intellect, his willingness to help others, and his dedication to help make Canada a better country. One of his legacies will no doubt be the fight to claim the North Pole for Canada, the true north, strong and free.

Shaun took on Yukon and northern files as though they were his home and the people there his greatest companions. He had a brilliant intellect, with an encyclopedic memory. However, he will most be remembered as a kind, caring soul, with a heart of gold, taken far too soon.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Shaun's mother, Felicity, whom we collectively grieve with over this immense loss. We are truly blessed to have known Shaun Webb. Rest well, my friend. His work may be done here, but his example inspires us to do all we can to preserve the blessings of our great country. We thank Shaun. God bless Canada.

Juno Awards

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend Canadian music took centre stage as our nation's capital welcomed and celebrated some of Canada's most prolific musical talent at the 2017 Juno Awards.

Canada is blessed to have so many talented artists who are celebrated across Canada and around the world. I rise today to recognize the hard work and dedication of all the artists in the industry who add to the vitality of Canada's music scene.

I am very proud of the Government of Canada's commitment to support this wealth of musical talent, notably through the Canada music fund, which also contributes to making landmark events such as the Juno Awards possible.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I want to congratulate all nominees and winners at this year's Juno Awards.

Public Safety

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, following revelations about ISIS sympathizers working at the Montreal airport, the Prime Minister had a surprising reaction. He said we need to have a conversation. What conversation? Any employee with reported ties to ISIS needs to be fired immediately.

Does the Prime Minister think it is normal for ISIS sympathizers to work in our airports?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians need to be assured that the government is doing everything it can do and everything it must do to keep them safe in their homes, in their cities, at the airport, and aboard planes. We are working with great diligence to ensure that there are no safety concerns at our airports and that Canadians remain safe in their travels.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is being dangerously naive when it comes to airport security. He was asked about four ISIS sympathizers working at the Montreal airport. What did he say about it? He said that we needed to have a conversation about whether or not ISIS supporters should be able to still work in our airports. There is nothing to discuss here. They should all be fired. No terrorist sympathizers should be anywhere near our airports.

Canadian law enforcement agencies have done their job to keep us safe. When is the Prime Minister going to do his?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear that we support the Canadian law enforcement agencies in their important work in keeping Canadians safe. We know we have to keep Canadians safe from threats of terror. That is why, whether we are talking about Canadians in their homes, in their cities, or in airports and air travel, we will do everything to make sure Canadians are safe. That is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government.

Aerospace Industry

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I doubt Canadians appreciate seeing Bombardier executives giving themselves a pay raise after the company received a subsidy from the Liberal government. On top of that, Bombardier also recently eliminated some 14,000 good jobs. Canadians are also no doubt disappointed that the Prime Minister has remained silent on this matter.

Is the Prime Minister embarrassed about giving that money to Bombardier?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know how important the aerospace industry is to economic growth across the country, good jobs for the middle class, and the economic growth that the Conservative government could not provide for Canadians.

With regard to Bombardier, we gave the company a loan to support the C Series and Global 7000 aircraft projects. That will create jobs for Canadians. I am glad to see that Bombardier took action when it saw that Canadians and the government were concerned about its decision.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, millionaire Bombardier executives are giving themselves a 50% raise and bigger bonuses with tax dollars. This is a company and a CEO who said that he did not even need the money the Prime Minister gave him. Also, it is a company that is firing 14,000 workers in a year.

This is not helping the middle class. This is lining the pockets of the 1% of the 1% with tax dollars. Is the Prime Minister not embarrassed? How is this helping the middle class?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to correct the member opposite. We made a loan to Bombardier, a repayable loan, that will ensure good jobs in the C Series and in the Global 7000, and assure the long-term viability of the aerospace industry in Canada, which leads to good jobs and economic growth which the previous government was not able to deliver.

We are obviously not pleased with the decision that Bombardier made around its remuneration for its executives, but we are happy to see it make decisions that are fixing that for the confidence of Quebeckers and Canadians.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians work hard for their money. They feel nickel and dimed while the Prime Minister is taking away tax credits for their kids' sports, arts, and music lessons. He is even taking away their tax break for bus passes. Meanwhile, he is handing out millions of dollars that are being used for bonuses to Bombardier executives, all while they fire 14,000 middle-class workers.

Is this the Prime Minister's way of standing up for the middle class? Because if it is, he should sit back down.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I can understand the member opposite's attachment to the public transit tax credit. It is the only thing her previous government did for transit. Instead, we are investing $25 billion over the next 10 years in public transit. We are also committed to evidence-based policy.

When what the member promised would happen did not happen, which was it was not an incentive that led to more public transit ridership, we looked for other ways to invest in public transit that would help everyone, including and especially low-income transit users.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians were shocked last week to find out that after receiving hundreds of millions in government funding, Bombardier executives were ready to pocket $32.6 million in bonuses, $32.6 million U.S. What was the Prime Minister's reaction to all this? Well, he said he “respects the free market and the choices that companies make..”. So much for the Prime Minister and the little class and the middle class.

Why did the Liberal government commit to a $400 million loan without getting any clear commitments on keeping jobs in Canada while allowing that money to be funnelled into their pockets?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we made a long-term loan to Bombardier that will be repayable. It was focused on creating jobs and securing the C Series and the Global 7000, which will lead to economic growth and positive job creation for the middle class in communities across this country. We know that the aeronautic industry is important for future growth in this country, and that is why we were happy to extend this loan to Bombardier.

We are, however, also pleased to see that it is moving forward on responding to legitimate preoccupations that Canadians had about their compensation structures.

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Legitimate preoccupations of Canadians that obviously the Prime Minister does not share, Mr. Speaker.

Are Canadians to understand that the Prime Minister signed an agreement with Bombardier that did not provide any guarantee that jobs would be protected but that allowed company executives to pocket $32.6 million U.S. in taxpayer money?

Canadians want a government that acts in their interests, not a government that lines the pockets of wealthy CEOs.

Why does the Prime Minister continue to defend Bombardier's senior executives?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are standing up for the good jobs that Bombardier created in connection with the C Series and Global 7000 projects thanks to the loan we gave the company.

We know that we need to support Canada's aerospace industry because it is a source of good jobs and economic growth. However, we are also very happy to see that Bombardier has remedied the situation regarding compensation for its executives.

The Environment

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal platform complained that Stephen Harper's climate plan included “arbitrary targets”. The Liberals then adopted exactly those targets, and in this year's budget, they announced a cut of $1.25 billion from their promised climate change investments. Environment Canada has now admitted that the Liberal government will not even meet Stephen Harper's targets.

The Prime Minister is keeping the same targets but just failing to meet them. Is that what he meant by “real change”?