Debates of Oct. 4th, 2018

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest

[Raj Saini, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians of German origin are one of the largest ancestral groups in Canada. One out of 10 Canadians is of German ancestry, and one of every five lives where I do in Waterloo region. The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, now marking its 50th anniversary, is the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Germany. It is a nine-day celebration of German heritage, filled with food, music and festivities.

Colleagues should put on their lederhosen and dirndls and experience the gemütlichkeit as they polka the night away at one of our 17 Festhallen.

On behalf of myself and the members for Kitchener South—Hespeler, Kitchener—Conestoga, Cambridge and Waterloo, it gives me great pleasure to invite all members to join us tomorrow at Kitchener City Hall for the official keg-tapping opening ceremony.

Combatting Climate Change

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my riding of Salaberry—Suroît, like every other riding in this country, is feeling the effects of climate change. It is even more of a challenge in the outlying regions, because we are also struggling to maintain our economic base or courting new businesses to combat the rural exodus. I am very proud to announce to the House that the city of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield has scored a win on both fronts. Last week, city hall announced an agreement with Solargist to build a large solar-panel factory. This involves an investment of nearly $1 billion, which will create 450 jobs in my region. This excellent news is coupled with the fact that this company creates plastic-free solar panels. I want to congratulate the mayor, Miguel Lemieux, the municipal councillors and all those who helped make this project a reality.

The municipal government did its job, and now it is up to the federal government to show some leadership on climate action.

Carbon Pricing

[Robert Sopuck, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Speaker, when it came to the Liberals' carbon tax, Manitoba premier Brian Pallister tried to be reasonable. Premier Pallister is a strong conservationist himself, which led to the development of the Manitoba climate and green plan. The plan focuses on the four pillars of clean water, conservation of natural areas, effective steps to address climate change and strengthening the economy.

Unfortunately, the Prime Minister was completely unreasonable. It is clear to me that the Prime Minister's intransigence in the face of an eminently reasonable proposal gave Premier Pallister no choice but to move forward with his made-in-Manitoba climate and green plan, without a carbon tax.

I applaud the decision by the Manitoba government to protect taxpayers from the Liberals' heavy-handed carbon tax scheme while still moving forward with a detailed environmental plan. I look forward to seeing the real and tangible environmental outcomes that will flow from the Manitoba climate and green plan, while ensuring Manitoba's economy continues to grow.

I thank Premier Brian Pallister.

Sisters in Spirit

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, today, here on Parliament Hill and all across the country, vigils are being held in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. I invite all Canadians to observe a moment of silence today on the occasion of Sisters in Spirit vigils, which have been taking place since 2006. A vigil can take many forms, from a walk to a rally to a shared meal; it is a moment to reflect and a moment to remember. Let us honour our Sisters in Spirit by participating in a vigil today. Let us demonstrate our shared commitment to end the national tragedy of violence experienced by indigenous girls and women in Canada.

As Sisters in Spirit Vigil founder, Kukdooka Terri Brown, says, “Grandmother, lighten our path in the dark. Creator, keep our sisters safe from harm."

Today, we remember all of them and work toward a safer country.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Following discussions among representatives of all parties in the House, I understand that there is agreement to observe a moment of silence for the Sisters in Spirit Vigil, which is held every year on October 4 in memory of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. I invite hon. members to rise.

[A moment of silence observed]

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement includes chapter 32, which gives the U.S. a say in our trade negotiations with non-market countries.

The Prime Minister has given the United States, or rather President Trump, the right to interfere in our economy. He has compromised our sovereign ability to freely negotiate our own free trade deals.

Could the Prime Minister tell us what he got in exchange for making this massive concession?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it is very important to diversify our trade in order to grow our economy. We are a nation of traders.

Within NAFTA, the parties always had the ability to leave the agreement, which is essential. Every country has the sovereign right to withdraw from a trade agreement. Nothing in this agreement infringes on Canada's sovereign right to develop a trade relationship with any country of its choosing.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is always impressive to see how incapable that party is of answering simple questions.

Loss of economic sovereignty, ongoing taxes on steel, aluminum and softwood lumber, concessions in the dairy industry, and higher drug prices: all the government did was make concessions that penalize our dairy farmers, our entrepreneurs, and Canadian workers across the country.

Can the Prime Minister just tell us what economic advantage he managed to gain from the concessions he made to U.S. President Donald Trump?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am mystified that the Conservatives are not congratulating us on the unbelievable deal that we signed on Sunday evening. It is not just any old agreement. It is an agreement that is good for Canada.

Everyone else in Canada knows it. Why do they not? This agreement is very important for the economy, stability and long-term access. We were successful. They should be commending us.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 100 years ago, 60,000 Canadians died in the Great War. Their sacrifice and bloodshed is full of the remembrance of that war. Parliament is full of reminders of that sacrifice. Their bloodshed paid for an independent Canadian foreign policy. It paid for our signature on the Treaty of Versailles. It paid for the Statute of Westminster, but the current government was so desperate for a deal that we now have to ask Washington for permission to negotiate free trade with certain countries. Article 32 makes us a vassal state. Is this restoring Canadian leadership in the world? Is this standing up for Canada?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives. We have always been a sovereign country, we will always be a sovereign country and we will negotiate trade agreements with any country that it is in the interest of Canada to negotiate with. That is how we run things in this government, and that has always been the case.

In case the member does not know it, under NAFTA, any party to NAFTA is allowed, under the new arrangement, to leave with six months' notice.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister had the chance to respond to Canadians, do the right thing, and move Tori Stafford's killer back behind bars. He had a chance to speak out against this terrible decision and act to reverse it. Instead, he did what he always does when he is challenged. He acted like a bully and called us names, but in doing so, he rejected the calls from Canadians, and indeed from Tori's family, to correct this injustice. When will the Prime Minister stop acting like a bully, stop calling names, do his job and reverse this terrible decision?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they have endured and lived with for the last nine years.

The Corrections and Conditional Release Act makes individual placement decisions on inmates the responsibility of corrections staff, not politicians. The Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness has asked the new commissioner of corrections to fully review the placement decision in order to ensure that it was compliant with all correctional service policies and to make sure that these policies are adequate.

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

Mr. Speaker, Tori's dad could not have been clearer. He wants the Prime Minister to reverse this decision. We all want action.

The Prime Minister could immediately implement a broad policy, which would make sure that no child killer is placed in a healing lodge. That would include McClintic and anyone like her. It would be a broad policy. It would be very simple. It would satisfy the concerns the government has.

Again, will the government do its job, will it act and will it reverse this decision with a broad policy?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, our thoughts are with Tori Stafford's family, and we sympathize with the grief and suffering they must have endured over the past nine years. Under the corrections act, decisions on inmate management are the responsibility of professional corrections staff, not politicians. The minister has asked the commissioner to review the decision made by her predecessor in order to ensure that it was compliant with existing policies and to determine whether those policies could be improved.

International Trade

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the United States has been imposing 10% tariffs on aluminum imports and 25% on steel for four months now. Prices are up and orders are down. As a result, profit margins are slimmer. Across Canada, thousands of people could lose their jobs. Our workers were hoping that the new NAFTA negotiations would lead to those tariffs being eliminated.

Why did the government sign a trade agreement without any assurances that those tariffs would be dropped?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure Canadians that we continue to discuss the section 232 tariffs with the United States. Our position remains firm and clear. Those tariffs are unjustified. The new agreement is further proof that we are putting Canadian workers first. Incidentally, we imposed our own tariffs to the tune of $16 billion on the United States. Just as we fought for Canadians at the negotiating table, we will continue to challenge those tariffs on behalf of steel and aluminium workers.

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, metal processing SMEs in Quebec are hardest hit. In my region, Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, workers are wondering how much longer they will have a job. Thousands of families are living in uncertainty. That is not a position anyone wants to be in. Quebec produces 90% of Canada's aluminum, most of which is exported to the United States. The Trump administration must lift the tariffs on aluminum and steel.

When will we see the government's plan?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are also fighting against the completely unjustified tariffs that were imposed by the United States on the basis of national security, which makes no sense. Canadians and Quebeckers in the aluminum industry know that we are currently fighting these tariffs. They know that we have imposed counter-tariffs of $16 billion on the United States. They know that we are there to protect them because we recognize the importance of our workers in the aluminum and steel industry.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every single day, workers in Windsor, Essex and Ontario have to face the fact that the government has abandoned them. Failing to get steel and aluminum exempted from U.S. tariffs in the new USMCA deal is clear proof that the government does not care about Canadian workers. Experts have said that it does not make sense to make an agreement where there would be a tariff on a particular good.

What do Liberals have to say to the tens of thousands of families whose livelihoods have been left on the line because of their failure to get an exemption?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that Canadians understand the very strong position taken by the government against the United States tariffs imposed on aluminum and steel. They know that we are there to protect them. They know that we are there to provide protection while these tariffs are on. They know that we have imposed counter-tariffs of $16 billion on these 232 measures, which are completely unjustified.

Canadians know that the government is there for them.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a strong position would have not been to leave the table without those tariffs removed.

Do the Liberals not realize that we are talking about tens of thousands of jobs in small shops across our country? While the big players are painfully weathering the storm, small shops are fighting to keep their doors open. While Liberals keep bragging about the USMCA, we are talking about small businesses and shops that are drowning under these tariffs.

The NDP has called on the government to strike a national tariff task force to help with this urgent situation. Will Liberals agree to the task force to help small business, or have they turned their backs on them too?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am always somewhat baffled by the NDP position. If I am not mistaken, the NDP does not really want us to go ahead with the USMCA, yet NDP members have all sorts of comments to make about it: strike some task forces, do this and do that.

The fact is, we care about the Canadian population and the future of our trade with our neighbours to the south. We now have over $2 billion per day of trade with our southern neighbours. This is good for Canada, and it is good for our economy. I wish the NDP would change its mind about trade agreements.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, I bring great news from my home province of Manitoba. Yesterday, our premier, Brian Pallister, announced that Manitobans will not be subjected to the carbon tax. Manitoba abandoned the Liberal carbon tax plan and came up with its own green plan after the Prime Minister's arrogance and Ottawa-knows-best attitude. Manitoba has made it clear, and so have a number of other provinces across the country: A carbon tax does not work and it costs Canadians families.

Will the federal government respect the provinces, and will it finally abandon this terrible carbon tax?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, our government respects the provinces, which is precisely why we committed in the pan-Canadian framework, signed by the Government of Manitoba, to work with provinces to design a real climate plan to deal with the real threat that climate change poses to all Canadians.

We regret very much that the Government of Manitoba has decided to pull out of the plan it had previously submitted, which put a price on pollution. It obviously thinks that pollution should be free. We do not agree with this flip-flop by the Government of Manitoba.