Debates of Oct. 3rd, 2018

Justice

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as has been demonstrated, the minister does not intervene on a case-by-case basis.

If we want to talk about things in the past, let us talk about the Conservative member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, who said, in his capacity as public safety minister, just a few years, “I do not control the security classification of individual prisoners.”

Perhaps the Conservatives will listen to Ben Perrin, who was Stephen Harper's former lawyer, who said, “I’m concerned with politicians being the ones who decide how any particular individual offender is treated.”

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have been listening to the excuses that the Prime Minister continuously gives to the House and to the Canadian public with respect to his unwillingness to transfer Terri-Lynne McClintic from a healing lodge, with no fences and no barriers, back to where she came from, Grand Valley Institution, with fences and bars.

I understand the government will not be voting in favour of our motion today, but does the Prime Minister know whether there will be some of his backbenchers who will see the light and know that this is a moral issue and that they should do the right thing?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would indeed suggest that this is a moral issue. This is about the contrast between a party and a government that respects the rules and respects the independence of our judicial system, that appreciates the professionalism of our correctional services, and a party of ambulance-chasing politicians who are quite frankly demonstrating a contempt for the principles of law and debate in the House. It is inexcusable.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, at least the Prime Minister can show some kind of emotion, even though it is self-righteous indignation that we would actually question him on an issue as important as making sure convicted killers of children are in appropriate institutions, both to protect the integrity of the justice system, but as well to protect the public and any visitors within that institution.

If he is blind to it, get out of the way and let us go back to government and get this right.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it was under the Conservatives that the decision was taken to reclassify from a maximum security to a medium security. Of course, we point out that I am sure they just followed the recommendations and the proper functioning of their public servants, of the professionals in our corrections agency when that transfer happened.

All we are asking is that the Conservatives continue to respect the system in place, which we have asked be verified and be followed up on to ensure that all the rules were appropriately followed.

Natural Resources

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, the Liberals have decided not to appeal the Federal Court ruling on the Trans Mountain expansion. Why? Because the court is right.

Despite their promises, the Liberals used the same process that the Conservatives used and failed to have meaningful consultations with indigenous communities. Now the court is slapping them on the wrist and they have to go back to the drawing board.

They want to restart the consultation process, but how can this consultation be honest and sincere when the government has already made up its mind? It is no different than saying, “Your call is important to us, but the answer is no”.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we thank the court for its clarifications on what to do to engage in even better consultations with indigenous peoples, to show them that we are serious and that we sincerely want to have new nation-to-nation relationships with indigenous peoples. That is exactly what we are going to do.

We are going to sit down with them to hold even more consultations and to ensure that this project is done right if we move forward. That is what Canadians, indigenous peoples, and our justice system expect.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is now promising to finally meaningfully consult indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain pipeline proposal. No, seriously, this time he really means it. Here is his problem. He has already made up his mind about the project. Therefore, asking indigenous peoples for their opinion, but refusing to hear the word “no” is the very definition of paternalism.

How about this? Why does the Prime Minister not go and sit with indigenous leaders so they can teach him what free, prior and informed consent actually means or does he only agree with indigenous rights and title when indigenous people agree with him?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to highlight what the member opposite well knows, that proper consultations with indigenous peoples are possible and lead to good outcomes for everyone. A great example is the LNG Canada announcement that highlighted how much we could work with indigenous peoples.

I know the member must be very pleased, because it will benefit people right across northern British Columbia, to have moved forward on this LNG Canada proposal, which will help indigenous peoples, will grow our economy, will get our resources to markets other than the United States. This is a good day for Canada and it happened because of proper consultation with indigenous peoples.

Justice

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, for weeks, the Minister of Public Safety has tried to pass the buck over the outrageous decision to transfer child killer Terri-Lynne McClintic to a healing lodge. However, no matter how hard the minister tries to avoid taking responsibility, the buck stops with him. He has the authority to reverse the decision. He has the authority to put McClintic back where she belongs, behind bars. Why will he not?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are showing they will not let the facts get in the way of a political opportunity, and that is a real challenge for them and for Canadians watching.

Let me set the facts straight. As reports have shown, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act does not permit politicians to make one-off decisions in regard to the placement of individual inmates. Those are the facts. The Conservatives, yet again, are playing politics.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let me give the Prime Minister the facts. This was an eight-year-old girl who was heinously murdered and these people were convicted of first degree murder and sent to prison, behind bars. Are you telling me that sending this convicted first degree murderer—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. What I think she means is “he”. I will let her correct that.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that in southwestern Ontario we are angry. As a parent, as a member of Parliament, will the Prime Minister do what is right and put this convicted murderer behind bars where she belongs?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, let me highlight that people not just from southwestern Ontario but right across the country are upset and stand with Tori Stafford's family on this terrible tragedy. Right across the country, people's hearts go out to the family.

In 2014, the individual in question was reclassified from a maximum to a medium security facility. Those are the facts. The Conservatives are playing politics in a particularly inappropriate way.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, as a mother and a grandmother, I can only imagine the pain and suffering that Tori's family has experienced. Tori's father has been begging the Prime Minister to reverse the decision that has allowed Terri-Lynne McClintic to serve her time at a healing lodge in Saskatchewan.

When will the Prime Minister listen to Tori's father, do the right thing, reverse this decision and put Tori's killer back behind bars?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to Tori's father, to her entire family, on this terrible tragedy. We understand the anguish and the questions they have and the difficulties they have lived with over the past years.

The corrections act does not permit a minister to weigh in directly on the classification of an individual prisoner. The minister has asked the corrections services to look into what happened here to ensure everything was done according to proper procedures and to make recommendations if the procedures need to be changed.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Tori Stafford's family does not want the Prime Minister's heartfelt sentiments; it wants him to take action. The family does not want the Prime Minister's excuses; it wants Tori's killer back behind bars.

The Conservatives do not respect the decision to put this killer in a healing lodge without fences. We want her back behind bars and so does Tori's family.

Why does the Prime Minister not use the authority he has, take action today and put this killer behind bars?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask the Conservative members to not make guesses about what Tori's family wants and instead be honest about what they want. They want to play politics with a heinous tragedy. They want—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. Members to not get to all talk at once; they speak one at a time. As I was saying, democracy requires it. Let us have a little respect for this institution.

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives want to play politics with this issue. The Conservatives want to drag up this terrible murder and try and look at political gain on this. They have been politicizing this for well over a week, with all the passion they can muster, and they are debasing the nature of the House and the—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. member for Jonquière.

International Trade

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, no matter how great the Prime Minister says the new USMCA is, it comes with no guarantee the 10% surtax on aluminum and the 25% surtax on steel will be eliminated, so it is not a success.

Small and medium-sized businesses in Quebec, our small businesses, are vulnerable to fluctuating prices because of those taxes. Workers are worried.

Does the government have a plan to fix this situation soon, or will it be taking things one day at a time as usual?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, small and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs and workers across Quebec and the rest of Canada are glad we have signed this agreement with the United States. All the same, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them.

Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted.

Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more benefits to Canadians.

We will keep working to protect our workers.