Debates of June 5th, 2017

Infrastructure

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to continue the little story I began a moment ago.

The parliamentary budget officer then raised concerns about transparency, and the Quebec National Assembly adopted a unanimous motion, supported by all members across party lines, calling for changes, but the Prime Minister was still given full authority to choose the bank's leadership, and committee members were given only an hour and a half to study a bank that will cost Canadian taxpayers $35 billion.

The Liberal members are currently—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times, the bank is only one optional tool available to municipalities when it comes to supporting infrastructure that their communities need.

Let me tell the House what the International Monetary Fund had to say about the bank. It said, “the proposed Canada Infrastructure Bank...will be an effective instrument in achieving this goal”, which is to grow our economy, create opportunities for the middle class, and provide the necessary support that our municipalities need to build the infrastructure they need.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Mr. Speaker, DFO announced it will end the popular education program called “salmonids in the classroom”.

For 40 years, this valuable program taught hundreds of thousands of students about the salmon life cycle. For a salmon-dependent region like British Columbia, to lose this cost-effective program is shameful. Hundreds of teachers, students, and parents have expressed their profound disappointment at this Liberal cut. They want the funding restored.

Can the minister provide a clear explanation of why he made the reckless decision to kill the salmonids in the classroom program?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, our government has invested massively in marine science, ocean protection, and habitat protection.

We are proceeding, I hope this fall, in collaboration with the members of the standing committee to restore loss protections that were taken out of the Fisheries Act. We recognize the important contribution that the salmonid enhancement program has made for a long time, in particular and including the work of volunteers across the province of British Columbia, including in the classrooms.

I was in Victoria last week to announce a significant investment in exactly this kind of initiative, and we will work with these groups to ensure that this important work continues.

Persons with Disabilities

[Cheryl Hardcastle, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, public consultations on Canada's first national law for people living with disabilities identified key issues that need to be addressed immediately. Canadians voiced a strong preference for an independent body to oversee compliance with the new laws.

Will the minister create an independent body to monitor the upcoming accessibility act and enforce compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities, yes or no?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her continued work on this important file.

We heard from thousands of Canadians about what an accessible Canada would look like to them. We heard about the barriers that they continue to face as they try to navigate this complex world that was not necessarily built for them.

I can assure the member that we had many excellent suggestions from Canadians, including specifically with respect to enforcement and compliance. We are looking at these suggestions and looking forward to continued discussion as we craft this new law and have discussions in the House.

Natural Resources

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's oil and gas sector is a model for energy development everywhere, but the forces of no are conspiring against Canadian energy workers. One said that two-thirds of fossil fuels must remain underground. Who said that? It was Zoë Caron, the anti-energy activist who is the new chief of staff to the Minister of Natural Resources.

Crucial energy and pipeline projects hang in the balance. How can Canadians trust the minister to do what is clearly in the national interest instead of serving the chief of staff's agenda?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as a government we understand the challenge workers and their families have had over the last while with the downturn in commodity prices.

Our support for the energy sector, as was heard last week in the House, remains clear. The Prime Minister has clearly said that we have approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline and we will stand resolute with that approval.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said he wants to phase out the oil sands and the Liberals will not state the facts, which is that Canada's oil and gas sector is the most environmentally and socially responsible in the world. Long-time anti-energy activist Zoë Caron said, “Canada's decision to keep expanding and developing the tar sands is an example for other nations of what not to do”. Now she is in charge of all political decisions in the minister's office.

How can anyone possibly trust the natural resources minister to champion the energy sector and get pipelines built when the forces of no are right at the top in his office?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as I said a moment ago, our support for the energy sector reflects a balanced approach that ensures the environment is protected, all the while creating good, well-paying jobs for Canadians.

We did in one year what the previous government could not do in a decade. We approved pipelines while at the same time protecting our oceans, pricing carbon pollution, and working with indigenous peoples.

Our approach positions Alberta and Canada's energy sector well to capitalize on economic opportunities going forward.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have just learned that the chief of staff to the Minister of Natural Resources is adamantly opposed to the oil and gas industry.

Are the Liberals trying to improve their image with environmental groups? It is too late. They already know that the Liberals will not work with them.

How can the chief of staff remain accountable and impartial on files related to the oil industry after her numerous attacks on this industry? Is this government trying to send all workers in the energy sector to the unemployment line?

[Kim Rudd, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, as we said last week in the House, we firmly support the oil and gas sector across this country, in Alberta, in Newfoundland and Labrador, and in other parts of Canada.

We understand the importance of our oil and gas sector to our economy and we will continue to support it, as we have since taking office.

Infrastructure

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, municipalities are key partners when it comes to building the infrastructure Canadians need. They own and operate most of the large public transit networks and housing corporations. It is therefore crucial that cities have the tools they need to succeed and a committed federal partner.

Can the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities tell the House about how the government is working with cities to build better infrastructure across the country?

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

Mr. Speaker, last week we welcomed 2,000 delegates of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities to the annual conference here in Ottawa. Working together with these municipal leaders, we have announced 2,900 projects with a combined investment of $23 billion since taking office. FCM calls our 2017 budget “a game-changer for municipalities”. We will continue to work with the municipalities.

Taxation

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's tax-and-spend agenda is out of control. Canadian business owners are scared, and rightly so. Across this country, I have heard from craft brewers, distillers, and winemakers who are very concerned about the Liberals' never-ending excise tax increase. It is going to kill jobs and it is going to hurt local rural communities. Of course, the minister would have known that, had he taken any time to consult with Canadians before moving ahead with this radical tax agenda.

Before it is too late, will the minister do the right thing? Will he listen to these Canadian business owners and cork this tax?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to taxes, we know that we did the right thing by raising taxes on the top 1% and by lowering taxes on the middle class. We also know that making sure that we have a tax situation for corporate Canada that works is important. Just to be clear, in the case of the question that was posed, what we have done is make sure that the level of excise tax stays consistent over time because inflation happens. In real terms, it means the tax will stay consistent over time, which is exactly what we have done and which we know is fair to Canadians and to the industry.

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

Mr. Speaker, in its latest budget, the government announced changes that will raise the excise tax on alcoholic beverages. This change will hurt the beer, wine, and spirits industry.

Our wine makers are already subject to one of the highest tax rates in the world, and they are already feeling the pinch from CETA. This increase will jeopardize many Canadian jobs.

Why are the Liberals hurting these industries? Why did they not consult them? It is not too late. They can still cancel these changes.

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is very important to have a fair, efficient tax system that works for both people and industry. Our plan will put Canadians in a good position and create a fair system for businesses. We introduced a long-term measure to keep the situation stable even with inflation. That is all this is, and it will work for the industry.

The Environment

[Deb Schulte, Liberal, King—Vaughan, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the environment and sustainable development committee, I am aware of the work that the government is doing to improve and protect the environment for Canadians now and for generations to come. In my riding of King—Vaughan, I am proud of the continued investment in expanding protected spaces—for example, Happy Valley Forest on the Oak Ridges moraine.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change speak to the importance of World Environment Day?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for King—Vaughan for her leadership as chair of the environment committee.

Today we observe World Environment Day, and Canada is, for the first time, the host country for this global day of awareness. The theme of this year's World Environment Day, connecting people to nature, encourages us to get outdoors, appreciate healthy ecosystems that contribute to our well-being, and do our part to protect the planet we share. By continuing to work together with a common purpose around the world, including by addressing the critical issue of climate change in the Paris Agreement, we can and will leave our children and grandchildren with a world that is cleaner, healthier, and more prosperous.

Taxation

[Alex Nuttall, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, American manufacturing is getting a lot more competitive. Recently Procter & Gamble announced it will be laying off 500 Canadian jobs and moving them to the States. This is not happening because the American government is giving out boatloads of money to businesses; it is happening because of a systemic reduction of red tape and taxes. When will the Liberals put Canadian workers ahead of these Liberal-made job-killing taxes?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, the member should know that growth is up, that exports are up, and that manufacturing is up. Job numbers are up as well. When we formed government, the unemployment rate was at 7.2%, and today it is hovering around 6.5%. Over the last eight months, that means 250,000 good-quality, full-time resilient jobs have been created.

We have a plan for the economy. We are going to grow the economy and help the middle class and those working hard to join it.

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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

Mr. Speaker, the Gala Québec Cinéma was held yesterday in Montreal. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners, the nominees, and the organizers of this event who make our cinema an essential voice for our culture.

During the ceremony, Xavier Dolan openly criticized the CRTC. Its decision regarding the licence for Séries+ and Historia jeopardizes the future of Quebec television.

Will the minister do something to support our culture and require the CRTC to review its decision?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in the importance of arts and culture, and that is why we invested $1.9 billion in this area in the 2016 budget. That is the the largest investment a federal government has made in arts and culture in 30 years, and we are the only country in the G7 that has invested so much.

That being said, I remind members that the CRTC is an independent agency, but of course I invite all those affected by the decision to make their voices heard.