Debates of Oct. 31st, 2018

Privacy

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister can try to deflect responsibility all he wants. The fact of the matter is that he has the ability, he has the power, right now to stand up for Canadians' right to privacy. He seems to be confused. He seems to think that if the government has access to our data, that is somehow protecting our privacy. Does he not understand that protecting privacy does not just mean not making it public? It also means ensuring that government does not have the right to intrude into the private lives of Canadians and individuals.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House not only do we believe in facts and evidence, but we fundamentally believe in the strong work done by the Privacy Commissioner to protect Canadians' privacy. This is something that we believe in and cherish on this side of the House, and we will always protect Canadians' privacy, which is why we are ensuring that Statistics Canada works with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure that they are always protecting Canadians' privacy.

The Conservatives are yet again trying to stir up fear and division and attack facts. We will protect Canadians' privacy and rely on data.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister seems to think that he, as Prime Minister, and his government have the right to go into the line-by-line detail of Canadians' bank accounts and credit cards. Conservatives will always stand up against that kind of intrusion in the lives of Canadians.

He talks about protecting privacy. Just last year, the Liberal government was forced to pay $17.5 million in a class action lawsuit over a major privacy breach involving student loan recipients. The government's track record in protecting Canadians' right to privacy is a disaster.

Will he do the right thing, stand up for Canadians' right to privacy and end this practice?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would invite the hon. member for Cape Breton—Canso and others, of course, to remember that the time to speak is when they have the floor. I am sure he knows that.

The right hon. Prime Minister

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, not only do we respect and protect Canadians' privacy, we also respect the Privacy Commissioner whose job it is to ensure that Canadians' data and Canadians' privacy is properly protected.

The members opposite have not once mentioned the excellent work that the Privacy Commissioner does and will continue to do. We will choose to work with the Privacy Commissioner to ensure we continue to protect Canadians' data. That is something the members opposite will not do because they prefer to play politics with this.

We will continue to use the right tools to protect Canadians' privacy.

Taxation

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while the Liberals twiddle their thumbs over taxing web giants, other countries are taking action.

The United Kingdom announced yesterday that it is introducing a 2% digital services tax. Spain unveiled its own 3% digital services tax 10 days ago. The European Commission is considering a 3% tax on web giants' revenues.

Canada, however, cannot even be bothered to impose a simple sales tax like the one our own companies are subject to.

Speaking on the red carpet at the ADISQ gala, the Prime Minister said he had heard the culture sector's cry for help.

Hearing is all well and good, but when is he going to do something?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the review of the Broadcasting Act is currently under way, but we have not been idle.

We are investing over $3.2 billion in our artists and creators, which is the largest investment in the G7. We have doubled funding to the Canada Council for the Arts. We have reinvested $675 million in CBC/Radio-Canada. We have also injected $172 million into the Canada Media Fund.

We are always proud to support our artists and creators, and we will keep supporting them.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think that he did not understand the question. I was talking about taxing web giants. He is not taxing web giants, but that is no surprise because the government's tax policy is illogical and hard to follow.

The Canada Revenue Agency has audited the files of 332,000 Canadians who receive benefits, but it is incapable of processing the 3,000 files of people involved in the Panama papers.

Yesterday, in his disjointed answer, the Prime Minister said that they had spent $1 billion to carry out investigations. That billion dollars was spent to investigate Canadians who are not wealthy enough to defend themselves. It is obvious that we have a two-tiered tax system.

Once again, what will the minister do?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, yes, we have invested historic amounts in the Canada Revenue Agency to fight tax fraud. To ensure that there are consequences, we fully adopted the OECD Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information and provided the resources that the CRA needs to better target taxpayers involved in aggressive tax avoidance.

With regard to offshore non-compliance, since we took office, the Canada Revenue Agency has doubled the number of audits conducted abroad. Fighting tax evasion, particularly abroad, is a priority for our government.

By-Elections

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the leaders of the NDP, the Conservatives, the Greens and the Bloc all wrote the Prime Minister to insist that he do the honourable thing and respect the more than 300,000 Canadians who did not have a representative and call the by-elections.

I am not sure these leaders could agree on what time of day it is, but they do agree that every Canadian deserves a voice in Parliament. The only one who does not agree is the Prime Minister. Let us remind him that this place does not belong to him, that the voices of all Canadians are due respect and are deserving of a representative here.

When is the Prime Minister going to do the right thing and call the by-elections?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I was pleased to call the by-election in Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes. We look forward to calling the other by-elections soon. We are all looking forward to meeting on the campaign trail in those by-elections.

I recognize and applaud the enthusiasm of the members opposite for the electoral process.

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

Mr. Speaker, we just wish he shared that enthusiasm for the electoral process.

When it comes to Liberal promises about respecting our democracy, they are about as hollow as the pumpkins I put on the front step last night. These guys are all trick, no treat. The Liberals betrayed their promise to make 2015 the last election under first past the post. They broke their promise not to ram through an election bill, just like Stephen Harper did.

Now the Prime Minister is holding these ridings hostage for his political games. He called by-elections just last year in less time than we have waited in York—Simcoe, Burnaby South and in Outremont. What is the problem—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians can be pleased that we have moved forward on significant election legislation, which will ensure, unlike the 2015 election that was under the Conservatives flawed elections plan, that we will have fair elections that will allow people to vote right across the country, that will recognize real limits on the expenses of third parties and during pre-writ periods. We know Canadians expect free and fair elections. That is exactly what we are delivering. Promise made, promise kept.

Carbon Pricing

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it was a long and arduous journey, but the Liberals are starting to finally reveal the truth about their carbon tax. Yesterday it was the environment minister and her parliamentary secretary who both admitted that the new Liberal carbon tax would kill jobs and make Canada less competitive. They said that it was bad for business. They admitted that it was the rationale for exempting large industrial emitters.

Will the Prime Minister recognize that it will also affect jobs in small and medium-size businesses and give those companies the exact same break?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, climate change is real. We are the first generation to know what to do about it, but the last generation that will actually be able to do anything about it. That is what we are doing.

We have put forward a comprehensive plan to fight climate change, to work with provinces, which are willing to do so, right across the country and to make sure that we put a price on pollution. That is something Canadians expect.

The Conservatives do not have a plan to fight climate change, are not even sure climate change is real and do not know how to meet their targets.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister was on TV in Quebec where he said that nothing Canada could do would have an impact on climate change. Therefore, he put forward a plan that would have no impact on climate change, because he has given Canada's largest emitters a special deal. He recognizes that people who work in those companies will have their jobs threatened if they are forced to pay the full price of the carbon tax.

My question is simple. For all those employees who work in small and medium-size businesses, will they get the same deal?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that it is time Canada had a real and concrete plan to fight climate change. That is exactly what we put forward by putting a price on pollution. It is very simple. Pollution is free, so we have too much of it. We put a price on it; we reduce pollution. That is what the essence of our plan is.

We are moving forward in a way that supports families and indeed, yes, supports small and medium-size businesses as we go through the transition toward a cleaner economy and toward protecting future generations. The Conservatives—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is the Prime Minister's own plan that makes pollution free. He has given massive exemptions to big businesses that can afford well-paid government lobbyists. However, small and medium-size businesses that do not have that ability are left bearing the full brunt. Now we learn that he has exempted coal-fired power plants from his carbon tax.

Why is the Prime Minister making pollution free and taxing individual Canadians and families?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the question from the member opposite gives me an opportunity highlight that we put a plan in place to phase out coal by 2030. Meanwhile, Stephen Harper's plan, which is the closest the Conservatives have to an actual plan because they have not put forward any plan, would have phased out coal by 2060, which is completely irresponsible. However, what is even more irresponsible is the party opposite has no plan to phase out coal or act on climate change at all. The Conservatives have no plan to do anything to tackle it as a challenge facing our kids, to make our air cleaner for kids and grandkids. We are acting while they are—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has put forward a plan that gives massive exemptions to the country's largest emitters. He said to all those companies that had well-paid government lobbyists who could negotiate a special deal, no problem, 90% off on their carbon tax. Now we learn there is a special deal for Canada's largest emitters in the electrical generation field.

Why is it that when the Prime Minister brings forward a plan, it is individual Canadians and families that bear the brunt? Why is the Prime Minister giving a big break for polluters and a big tax for commuters?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives, we believe that emissions need to go down and that we need to create good, middle-class jobs for Canadians. What the Conservatives are saying is, surprise, surprise, factually wrong.

We have set a target for industry to reduce pollution. If it fails to meet that target, it pays the price. If it does better, for example through innovation, then it is rewarded. Our plan will also give money directly to households where the federal backstop applies. The only mystery here is, where is the Conservatives' plan?

Democratic Institutions

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, apparently the Prime Minister cannot tell the difference between parliamentary work and general elections. There was no need to impose a leaders' debates commission, and there is even less need for the Prime Minister to try dictating the rules of the next election.

Why makes the Prime Minister think he has the right to impose the criteria for the next round of election debates?