Debates of Nov. 20th, 2018

Natural Resources

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in reality, the Liberals killed the only new options for exports to the Asia-Pacific and to Europe. They drove away more than $100 billion in energy projects, the worst loss in more than seven decades. Over 100,000 Canadians lost their jobs.

The pipelines and discount prices harm other sectors in all provinces. ATB's chief economist says, “This is a national problem”, and, “We could well see layoffs in early 2019 and it could spawn yet another—if not a recession—at least another slowdown for the Canadian economy”.

Other than more empty words, what will the minister actually do to fix the crisis the Liberals caused?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, when energy workers needed help, we stood with them. We were the government that extended EI benefits for struggling energy sector workers, which the Conservative government voted against. This—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. We need to hear from both sides, and members, including the hon. opposition House leader, need to listen to both the questions and the answers.

The hon. Minister of Natural Resources has the floor.

[Amarjeet Sohi]

Mr. Speaker, I think they cannot accept the reality that they failed the energy sector, and that is why they make so much noise.

We were there to stand with them when the energy workers needed our support, and we will continue to support them by building pipeline capacity and supporting them in their time of need.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the Liberals want EI cheques, but Conservatives want paycheques for Canadians.

Last year, the Prime Minister said he wanted to phase out the oil sands, and last spring, he said he regrets that Canada cannot get off oil “tomorrow”. The Prime Minister killed the only two pipelines meant for export to new markets. It is a travesty. Canada is the most responsible oil producer, with the third-largest reserves and the fourth-largest exports.

The Liberals' sabotage of Canadian energy caused this crisis and now even calls for decreased production. Can the Liberals be honest for once. Is this not actually exactly what the Prime Minister wants?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, it is really disappointing to hear from the member from Alberta that when workers needed the EI extensions and benefits they deserved, they did not deserve those benefits. It is very disappointing to see that kind of attitude.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. members for Battle River—Crowfoot and Banff—Airdrie seem to think they can speak without having the floor. I would remind them that is not the case.

Order. The member for Calgary Signal Hill will also come to order, unless he wants to exit.

The hon. Minister of Natural Resources.

[Amarjeet Sohi]

Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, we are focused on building the pipeline capacity because we understand that reducing dependence on our single customer, the U.S., should be our focus in order to support our energy sector the right way.

Foreign Affairs

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, in Vancouver, the defence minister made modest promises to recommit Canada to UN peacekeeping. However, last weekend the minister announced that the only concrete part of that promise that he actually kept, providing Canadian medevac support for the UN mission in Mali, will come to an abrupt end in July. That is after just one year, and with no other nation lined up to fill that gap.

Will the minister demonstrate Canada's firm support for UN peacekeeping by extending our Mali mission by at least six months, or until a replacement can be found?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of our government's announcement last year in support of the United Nations. We are very proud of the work that our air task force is doing in Mali.

Our government's support for the United Nations is far broader than the air task force. It is about a whole-of-government approach. It is about providing and focusing on pledges that the United Nations has asked for.

We will be looking at other support as well, in terms of a quick reaction force. It is about increasing the number of women in peace support operations, which we are also supporting. It is also about reducing the number of child soldiers. That will help reduce conflict.

[Hélène Laverdière, NDP, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that despite the fragile ceasefire in Yemen, Saudi-led forces resumed air strikes on the port city of Hodeidah, through which 80% of Yemen's humanitarian aid arrives, presumably including Canadian aid. We provide humanitarian aid to Yemen, but then we sell arms to the country that is preventing the humanitarian aid from arriving.

Can someone please explain the logic behind that?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as far as Saudi Arabia and the war in Yemen is concerned, I want to make something clear.

We condemn the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and we have called for a ceasefire in Yemen.

We are actively looking at other measures, including how we might use the Magnitsky act. Obviously, while we review the situation, no new export permits will be granted.

National Defence

[Richard Martel, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, CPC]

Mr. Speaker, the Australian F-18s will be a burden on the Royal Canadian Air Force and taxpayers.

The capability gap is nothing more than a political invention to distract Canadians from more pressing issues. The Canadian Armed Forces does not have enough pilots or technicians. It is impossible for our current fleet to be fully operational. Our pilots cannot get the flying hours they need. Our fighter jet fleet needs to be renewed.

When will the government cancel the purchase of the Australian F-18s?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, our government will ensure that our women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces have the appropriate equipment they need to do their jobs.

We want to thank the Auditor General for his important work and recommendations. I encourage the member to read the entire report on this. The report confirms what we have always known, that the Harper Conservatives mismanaged the fighter jet file and misled Canadians for over a decade.

The report confirmed that the capability gap exists, which started under the Conservatives. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we will not compromise our ability to meet our NATO and NORAD commitments.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, if there had been a capability gap under us, it would have been found in the ATIP, the access to information, request that came forward. In fact, there were zero documents about a capability gap.

We know that the Liberals invented this capability gap to give cover for the Prime Minister's naive election promise. They used this fabricated gap to justify the purchase of rusted out Australian jets. Now, the Auditor General's report was perfectly clear that these used jets will not meet Canada's international military commitments.

Will the Prime Minister follow the Auditor General's advice and cancel the purchase of these old, used Australian fighter jets?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his passion in support of the Canadian Armed Forces. However, I want to quote the Auditor General's report, that “having a combat-capable fighter force is important to Canadian national security and to National Defence’s ability to meet Canada’s commitments to NORAD and NATO.”

That is why we have launched a full competition to replace the fighters, and not for the 65 fighter aircraft the previous government asked for but 88, because that is what is required to meet our commitments, and we are making—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order.

The hon. member for Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General clearly pointed out that over the last three years pilots have been leaving in droves because of the minister's mismanagement. This proves that the Prime Minister and the Liberals are playing political games with our air force. He is willing to spend billions trying to upgrade jets that are falling apart instead of investing that money in a new fighter fleet, and the air force cannot even recruit enough pilots, because they do not want to fly these old Australian fighter jets.

When will the Prime Minister be honest with Canadians and air force members and cancel this purchase of obsolete Australian jets?

[Harjit S. Sajjan, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member again for his passion in support for the Canadian Armed Forces, but when the Harper Conservatives were in power, the member was the parliamentary secretary to the minister of national defence at the time but did not support the appropriate investments in the Canadian Armed Forces; hence the reason we are in this situation. It is why, back in 2016, we directed the Canadian Armed Forces to start recruiting more pilots. Not only did we know that we needed pilots but also technicians to make sure that we have enough fighters. The new competition that we have already launched will make sure that we have the appropriate—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Northwest Territories.

Natural Resources

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, far too many northern Canadians are energy insecure. Most communities in the Northwest Territories rely on diesel as their primary energy source, and several use diesel as a backup source for other aging energy infrastructure.

Energy generation is both a significant source of carbon pollution and very expensive for families and businesses. Can the Minister of Infrastructure tell the House what the government is doing to help northern communities be more green and more sustainable while ensuring that they have a secure source of affordable energy?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his hard work on Canada's north. I was pleased to join him in the Northwest Territories last week to announce investments of over $14 million to upgrade the Snare Forks hydro plant, as well as $30 million to help build four wind turbines in Inuvik, the first project under the Arctic energy fund. These projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the lives of residents in the Northwest Territories.

We will continue to work with northern Canadians to ensure they have access to reliable and sustainable energy sources now and for the years to come.