Debates of Oct. 16th, 2018

Climate Change

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have made cuts to these subsidies and we will be eliminating them by 2025, as promised.

We will continue working on creating a meaningful climate action plan, since that is what Canadians expect. The Conservatives obviously have no plan, and perhaps even worse, the NDP continues to pit the environment against the economy. It is trying to force us to choose between one or the other. We understand that we need to grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, has anyone ever noticed that when the Prime Minister talks about the economy and the environment going hand in hand, it is always the environment that gets screwed?

The recent report from the United Nations has sounded the alarm on catastrophic climate change, but rather than waking up from their decades- long slumber, the Liberals are hitting the snooze button: “Five more minutes, ma, please.”

The Liberals promised to end fossil fuel subsidies. Instead, they dumped $4.5 billion on a leaky old pipeline. Will the Liberals listen to 6,000 climate scientists and finally end their plan to spend billions more on yet another oil pipeline?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I want to encourage the hon. member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley to elevate his language.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are working to meet Canada's 2030 target, and we know we will need to do more after that. We are pricing pollution, phasing out coal, investing in public transit and protecting more of our natural environment.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives have no climate plan and no interest in creating one, other than making pollution free again. The NDP continues to think that there is a choice to be made between growing the economy and protecting the environment.

We will continue to work with partners across the country to build a world that is safe and a good future for our kids and grandkids.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, record-setting floods and storms, historically devastating forest fires and a melting Arctic, and rather than bold action, we get more platitudes from the Liberal government.

If empty words and broken promises were going to solve climate change, the Liberals would have had this thing beat decades ago, but they adopted Stephen Harper's climate change targets, and they cannot even meet those. No wonder they were such experts on what Harper was thinking about. They have gone down the exact same path with the exact same result, which is the definition, by the way, of insanity.

When is the Prime Minister going to wake up to the reality and stop repeating the failures of—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The Right Hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are moving forward in a way that neither the Conservatives nor the NDP understand, because they still think there is a choice between the environment or the economy.

We know that moving forward on putting a price on pollution is an essential part of reaching our climate change targets. We also know that investing in greener energy and in better opportunities is also a part of it.

I certainly would highlight that the member opposite knows that the massive investment in LNG in his riding will be both good for the environment and good for the economy. He should be saluting it and celebrating it.

Government Accountability

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Norman has the right to a fair trial, but by refusing to hand over documents, which the PMO has, it is, in essence, obstructing justice.

The Prime Minister has the power and the authority to hand over all the documents, unredacted. This could be done immediately if the Prime Minister would give the go-ahead, but he refuses.

What is the Prime Minister hiding, and who is he protecting?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member knows that criminal prosecutions are not pursued on the floor of the House of Commons. Due process needs to be followed in all cases, and it would be thoroughly improper for any member of this House to comment on an outstanding criminal proceeding.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister used to say that sunshine was the best disinfectant. Well, I guess that does not apply when the scandal involves the PMO. These documents are needed to ensure that Vice-Admiral Norman receives a fair trial. The Prime Minister's own office has this information but refuses to hand over the documents.

Who is the Prime Minister protecting? It must be someone very important for the Liberals to go to these lengths. Who are they protecting?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the judiciary in this country, the rules of court in this country and the rules of proper procedure in our criminal courts are well known and respected around the world. They will be available to all parties in this particular case, both the Crown and the defence. Due process will apply, and justice will be done.

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

Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, Vice-Admiral Mark Norman should have a legitimate opportunity to defend himself.

The Prime Minister's Office has important documents in its possession that could guarantee him a fair trial. Those documents include communications between an Irving lobbyist and the President of the Treasury Board, another Liberal in the Prime Minister's cabinet.

Is that why the Prime Minister is refusing to be transparent and make the documents available?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the defence in this case is represented by very able legal counsel. They will avail themselves of all the appropriate rules of court and legal proceedings in order to ensure that in every case, justice is not only done but is seen to be done properly in Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board, a Liberal, lobbied for Irving. Everyone knows the member has close ties to the Irving family. To lobby on behalf of a corporation, the member needs prior authorization from the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

My questions are simple. Did the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner authorize his lobbying activities? Why is the Prime Minister's Office hiding these documents?

[Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the Conservatives are politicizing an important matter that is before the courts.

The only engagement I had with Irving Shipbuilding during the period in question was being copied on a letter sent to two other ministers. My job as Treasury Board president includes expenditure review and due diligence to ensure the integrity of government contracting. That is exactly what I did, my job.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety said it is improper for any member of this House to comment on an outstanding matter. Maybe he should tell that to the Prime Minister, who deemed, even before an investigation had concluded, that the admiral would be charged.

The point we are arguing is one very salient for the government and very salient for this place. The Liberals are hiding behind a provision of the Canada Evidence Act to prevent the defence from getting documents they need to prove innocence. Why are they doing this?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Evidence Act is a very important criminal justice piece of legislation that was enacted by this Parliament. Its provisions will apply.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government has the ability to waive the provisions of the Canada Evidence Act, and I would submit that it should do it for this reason: The regime as it currently stands is both wrong in law, the rule of law, and wrong because it prevents the admiral from having procedural fairness. For a government that is in love with the Constitution, I really thought it would understand that the right to a fair defence and the right to procedural fairness for the individual would trump its desire to hide some uncomfortable things that were probably said at a cabinet meeting.

Why is the government putting its self-interest above somebody's defence?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I underscore the fact that the defence in this case obviously is represented by very able legal counsel. They will pursue every proper avenue to ensure that a proper defence is put forward, and this matter will be disposed of according to law so that justice is done and is seen to be done.

Justice

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is the eve of the legalization of cannabis, and thousands of people still carry records for small possession. The Liberals keep saying that they will deal with it. It is tomorrow. Where is the plan?

In the meantime, Canadians continue to have difficulties with employment, rentals and travelling. These barriers are felt even more by marginalized communities, including indigenous people, for something that is perfectly legal tomorrow.

Time is up. We need the Liberals to act now. What is their plan to expunge the records for simple possession?

[Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, this government is very proud to have delivered on its promise to bring forward a strict new regulatory regime that is going to do an eminently better job of protecting our kids and keeping our communities safe. We have also said that we are prepared to address the existing records for simple possession in the appropriate way at the appropriate time. The law remains in effect until tomorrow.

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

Mr. Speaker, today or tomorrow is not the appropriate time. The Liberals have had three years to work on this and have done absolutely nothing, while these records continue to pile up.

Too many people, many of whom are already vulnerable, as my colleague said, are finding that their quality of life, their employment prospects, and their freedom to travel are compromised because of a criminal record for simple possession. My colleague from Victoria proposed a simple, innovative bill that would immediately expunge simple marijuana possession convictions for all Canadians.

Will the Liberals support this bill or not? Will they do something? We do not want to hear another announcement. We want the government to take action now.

[Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, the laws passed in the House remain in effect until they are repealed by the House, and that law remains in effect until tomorrow when the repeal comes into place. At that time, it will be the appropriate time for the government to deal with those records in the appropriate way.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians should be concerned. Canada's traditional security allies, like the United States and Australia, have banned Huawei from their 5G networks. We know that Huawei is controlled by Communist China. We also know that Communist China continues to conduct security breaches and security attacks against Canada and has a history of corporate espionage.

Will the Prime Minister quit playing politics with our Canadian security and ban Huawei from our 5G networks?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to highlight that our government has enormous confidence in our national security agencies. When they are going to do their due diligence, when they are going to properly look at all the relevant information and provide us with the evidence, we will follow that evidence, and we will follow that recommendation.

In the meantime, with regard to 5G, we are right now consulting industry. Make no mistake. We will make sure that we advance the interests of Canadians when we proceed with the rollout of 5G. We never have and never will compromise our national security.