Debates of April 3rd, 2017

Ethics

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

The point of it is, Mr. Speaker, that the member for Brampton West accepted over $5,000 for a trip to Tanzania from a group that lobbies the government, contrary to specific rules forbidding exactly that. Obviously, the Prime Minister is not going to make her follow the rules, because he does not follow the rules. When are the Liberals going to start following the rules?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to travel to Tanzania with some of my colleagues in this chamber to see first-hand the challenges faced by the local population. Before I left, I proactively contacted the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, who approved the travel. Upon my return, I submitted the proper declaration. That information has been public since June 2016.

All members on that trip, including the member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, would agree that it was important to see first-hand the challenges faced by local residents and how Canadian aid can be and was a game-changer locally.

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the example set by this Prime Minister, who does not follow any rules of ethics, is now rubbing off on his parliamentary secretaries.

Two parliamentary secretaries were bribed, just like in the good old days, with trips paid for by outside groups in violation of the rules that were put in place by the Prime Minister himself in his guide entitled “Open and Accountable Government”.

Whether the money comes from a lobbyist or the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation, all parliamentary secretaries who follow the rules know that they are not allowed to accept this type of trip.

Will the Prime Minister set an example for the members of his party and explain why he does not follow his own rules?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, before leaving, the two parliamentary secretaries proactively contacted the Ethics Commissioner, who approved the trips. What is more, they submitted the appropriate public declarations upon their return. It is not unusual for parliamentary secretaries to go on these sorts of trips.

Just ask the House leader of the official opposition, who agreed to go on a trip like this to London, England, in July 2011 when she was the parliamentary secretary for the Department of Public Safety.

Natural Resources

[Darshan Singh Kang, Liberal, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has no closer friend, partner, and ally than the United States. Our government has been working closely with the new administration to ensure that our shared values, deep cultural ties, and strong integrated economies will continue to provide the basis for our strong and prosperous relationship.

The Minister of Natural Resources was in Washington last week meeting with members of the new administration. Could the hon. minister please give the House an update on the outcome of that visit?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, during my trip to Washington I met with cabinet secretaries, legislators, industry leaders, and unions to deliver the message that natural resources are at the heart of our strong and lasting relationship. We talked about the Keystone XL pipeline decision, which is a good example of how energy infrastructure creates thousands of good middle-class jobs in both countries.

Our government has said from the beginning that strong working relationships are important. This trip focused on building understanding with our American counterparts for the important work to come.

National Defence

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is allowing his officials to bully the military ombudsman. Six months ago the ombudsman recommended that medically releasing soldiers have their incomes and medical treatments in place prior to leaving the military rather than waiting months for an income and struggling for years for their health benefits.

The attack on the military ombudsman is really an attack on the people the minister was appointed to serve. Why will the minister not implement the recommendation?

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the office of the ombudsman was created to act as a mediator, to conduct investigations, and to produce reports neutrally and objectively on issues related to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

Last week, the ombudsman submitted a report on governance calling for greater independence. The minister committed to maintaining a positive and productive working relationship with the ombudsman. The minister encouraged the ombudsman to come to him and said he should not encounter obstacles in fulfilling his mandate.

Public Safety

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities prepares for its study of the many problems related to air safety, recent events involving security issues at the Montreal airport have added yet another layer of complexity.

The minister claims that safety is a priority, but how can he say there is no problem when he fails to respond to Transportation Safety Board of Canada recommendations and will not comment on security investigation delays, random searches of employees, or the Senate report on the inadequate police presence in airports? I will stop there because I have only 30 seconds to ask the question.

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, as Minister of Transport, I want air transportation to be secure, and I want the public to feel it is secure.

We have a robust system in place to ensure that it is secure. We review it daily. We also monitor the people working in secure areas of airports every day to ensure they are reliable and can continue to work there. We have mechanisms in place to ensure airport security and—

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

Order.

The hon. member for Pontiac.

Transportation

[William Amos, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians agree that developing a strong economy and protecting the environment go hand in hand. The transportation sector accounts for roughly 23% of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada.

Can the Minister of Transport tell Canadians what measures our government has taken and what clear commitments it made in budget 2017 in order to ensure that every effort is made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pontiac for his excellent question.

Our government is working hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. We are also very proud of the role we played last fall in the airline industry at the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Under budget 2017, $57 million will be invested to support work on clear greenhouse gas emission regulations in the airline, maritime, rail, and automotive sectors.

We are heading in the right direction.

Regional Economic Development

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election campaign, funding for the Institut nordique du Québec was a priority for the Conservatives. Four months after the election, the member for Louis-Hébert said that federal funding for the institute was on track.

Nearly 18 months later, the Province of Quebec, Mayor Labeaume, and Laval University are still waiting for the funding to be confirmed. They are running out of patience. This is another empty promise from this government.

Will the Liberals wake up and confirm funding for the Institut nordique du Québec?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, to reiterate, with regard to the Institut nordique du Québec, our government was an excellent partner to Laval University, as it was to the National Optics Institute and the Port of Québec.

We are also currently working on the Quebec Bridge, which did not get so much as a coat of paint over the past 10 years. We will take no lessons from that side of the House when it comes to the Quebec City region.

Softwood Lumber

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

Mr. Speaker, we now know when the new softwood lumber crisis is going to begin.

On April 24, the countervailing duty rate should be made known and imposed on Canadian lumber sold in the United States. The Union des municipalités du Québec, like all forestry industry stakeholders, is expecting a long legal battle, once again to the detriment of the regions of Quebec.

Will Ottawa commit here and now to give forestry companies a loan guarantee to help them deal with the new softwood lumber crisis it is dragging us into?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, our government takes the challenges being faced by the forestry industry very seriously and we are working with our provincial partners to ensure its prosperity.

The federal-provincial task force met recently to discuss ways in which we can work together to protect jobs. We will continue to work with the provinces to come to an agreement with the United States and protect the jobs and families that depend on this important sector.

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to hear that, but the minister should not need to consult his notes to know that this situation is urgent. It is a yes or no question, and I expect an equally clear answer. This government has three weeks to decide to help the regions of Quebec weather the next softwood lumber crisis.

The last time, the agreement was so poorly negotiated by Ottawa that 34,000 jobs were lost in Quebec. I repeat: families lost their jobs and people had to leave our regions, including the North Shore. That is serious.

Will the government give the forestry industry a loan guarantee so that it can deal with the new crisis, or will it once again leave the regions of Quebec to fend for themselves? I would like the minister to give a yes or no answer without consulting his notes.

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, our government takes very seriously the challenges ahead for the forestry sector. We are working hard with our provincial partners, including in the province of Quebec, to protect jobs and ensure the long-term prosperity of this important industry. The federal-provincial task force met recently, and we discussed ways in which we can work collaboratively and creatively.

Our government, working with the provinces, continues to work hard to reach a deal with the United States to protect these vital jobs and the families that depend on them.

Official Languages

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada had a lovely little gala last night, but French Quebec was not invited. Quebec's French-language music was not welcome, and the Minister of Canadian Heritage did not speak one word in French. As we know, Quebec and Canada are two different countries. We are only waiting for this to become official.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage see nothing wrong with French-language music being totally excluded from Canada's gala for artists and musicians?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our leadership on official languages. Naturally, bilingualism is important to the Prime Minister and to the government in general.

I am very proud to have participated, along with the Prime Minister, in this important gala promoting musical talent from across the country. Many people were able to celebrate our rich culture. Of course, when it comes to bilingualism, we can always improve how we promote French and English as the official languages within our creative industries. That is exactly what we are doing as a government.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like my friend from Louis-Hébert to apologize for saying that we did nothing for the Quebec City region when we were in power. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just read any newspaper to see that we did a lot more than the Liberals are doing today.

[The Speaker, Geoff Regan]

That is a matter of debate, not a point of order.