House of Commons Hansard #357 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was post.

Topics

Veterans AffairsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order. The hon. member for Foothills will come to order. Order. Also the hon. parliamentary secretary.

The hon. member for Durham.

Veterans AffairsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Speaker, when Julian Fantino got into an argument in this building with veterans, he apologized for losing his cool. At the time, the Prime Minister, then the third party leader, said that was insufficient and that he should be fired.

The minister is looking at his colleagues for approval when he is attacking and not answering the question. I would ask him to look at little further at Mr. Bruyea, who is here.

Apologize to this Canadian Forces veteran and do not make him go to court to clear his name.

Veterans AffairsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Seamus O'Regan Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.

Mr. Speaker, I stand proudly in front of everyone in this House to say that we have put $10 billion towards new programs and services for our veterans. We have reopened every one of those offices that side of the House had closed. As veterans returned from Afghanistan, they found a government that tried, and did not succeed, in balancing a budget on their backs. The Conservatives could not get that right. Their record toward veterans is shameful. We will not be apologizing on this side of the this House.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

NDP

Anne Minh-Thu Quach NDP Salaberry—Suroît, QC

Mr. Speaker, there was a youth suicide crisis in Akwesasne in 2011, and since 2015, Nelson White has been trying to get federal funding for an addiction treatment centre set up by and for first nations.

Mr. White has already invested more than $1 million, even if this should be the federal government's responsibility. When will the minister confirm that the government will invest to make the White Pine Healing Lodge a reality?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Dan Vandal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services, Lib.

Mr. Speaker, the loss of life from suicide is a tragedy beyond measure. Our government has increased the number of community-led mental wellness teams by 52 since becoming government in 2015. We also actively support community-based prevention initiatives, such as the choose life program.

With respect to the specific request by the hon. member, I do not have that information, but I will take it under advisement and communicate with the hon. member on where we are on that project.

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

NDP

Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC

Mr. Speaker, social licence is not optional; it is mandatory. This is why I participated in the march against TELUS last week, alongside 300 of my constituents.

Since 2014, TELUS has been acting in bad faith with respect to its telecommunications tower. It is now pushing to put up its tower in a sensitive and protected environmental area. What is worse, the minister is ignoring my comments and is forcing the city to take this matter to court.

Will the minister listen to the people of Otterburn Park and step in?

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

LaSalle—Émard—Verdun Québec

Liberal

David Lametti LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation

Mr. Speaker, I will take the question from the hon. member under advisement and get back to him personally with an answer.

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Mr. Speaker, every day, more than 40,000 residents of Lévis—Lotbinière cross the Quebec Bridge or the Pierre Laporte Bridge and lose many precious hours of their lives in traffic.

A majority of residents in the greater Quebec City metropolitan area think it is time for a third bridge. On this side of the house, we build bridges.

Why do the Liberals refuse to admit that a third bridge is needed between Lévis and Quebec City?

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

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

Mr. Speaker, I admire the theatrics of my colleague opposite, especially on a Friday.

I remind the member that I was in Quebec City yesterday to talk to Mayor Labeaume to talk about projects in the greater Quebec City area. We are working on more than $287 million in projects in Quebec City. We spoke about the tramway, the Quebec Bridge, and topics that matter to Quebec City residents. The people of Quebec City know one thing, and that is that they have the support of this side of the House.

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, the third link project is very important, not only for traffic, but also for the economic development of the greater Quebec City region.

I do not think I am mistaken in saying that the hon. member for Louis-Hébert has said on the radio many times that he supports the third link project. However, his leader has just appointed a new advisor, Steven Guilbeault, who is fiercely opposed to the third link project.

I would like to give the hon. member for Louis-Hébert the opportunity to tell us today whether he has concerns in that regard and whether he still supports the third link, as he has done on the radio.

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to see my colleagues on the other side of the House take an interest in infrastructure.

After 10 years of disinvestment in infrastructure, here we are on a Friday with some interesting questions about infrastructure. I can tell my colleague that, on this side of the House, we welcome Mr. Guilbeault as environmental advisor.

I can also tell my colleagues that, yesterday, I had the opportunity to talk about the third link. When a plan is submitted, we will take a very close look at it.

Those watching us in Quebec City know one thing, however, and that is that we, on this side of the House, will always be there for them.

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, it is a shame the member for Louis-Hébert was unable to answer the question. The minister said he would take a very close look at it. This is no longer hypothetical. It is going to happen. It is on the CAQ government's agenda.

Will they support the project once it is ready to go? Can they tell us right now if they support it, yes or no?

InfrastructureOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

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

Mr. Speaker, that gives me an opportunity to talk about the member for Louis-Hébert today. He is doing exceptional work for the greater Quebec City area. Every time the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance rises, he reminds Canadians about what members on this side of the House have done for Canadians, Quebeckers, and the people of Quebec City.

I would like to remind my colleague that I was with Mayor Labeaume just yesterday. We spent two hours together. We talked about all of Quebec City's issues. I want to make one thing clear to everyone watching: we are here for the people of Quebec City today, as we will be tomorrow and in the future.

HousingOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

Vance Badawey Liberal Niagara Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, one year ago this week the government unveiled Canada's first ever national housing strategy, a 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. The national housing strategy represents a milestone because it does not just invest in housing, it recognizes the federal government's essential role as a key partner in providing Canadians with safe, affordable, accessible housing.

Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House what this government has achieved on housing since it came into government in 2015?

HousingOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Québec Québec

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Families

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for Niagara Centre for his hard work for his constituents.

Yesterday, we had one million reasons to celebrate National Housing Day, because since 2016, our housing investments have helped a million families across Canada. Yesterday we also celebrated the first anniversary of the national housing strategy, a historic 10-year, $40-billion plan to give more Canadians a safe and affordable home.

Today, yesterday and every day, we are happy to celebrate the return of a new housing era, a renewed level of federal leadership and partnership.

Agriculture and Agri-foodOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Mr. Speaker, in spite of recent lofty commitments, the government has increased the burden on our businesses. In my riding, Absorbent Products, a three-decade-old family business that manufactures food grade additives for use in animal feed, has been fighting with CFIA officials for over two years. They have introduced arbitrary new regulations that will imperil not only the owner's operations in Canada but his ability to export to foreign markets.

How can the Liberals claim to be helping business, when they are forcing people like the owners of Absorbent Products out of my riding?

Agriculture and Agri-foodOral Questions

11:55 a.m.

Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe New Brunswick

Liberal

Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, protecting the health and safety of Canadians is my number one priority as the health minister. I continue to work with the CFIA. The regulations are under way, and we look forward to reporting the information very soon.

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

Noon

Liberal

Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON

Mr. Speaker, access to quality high-speed Internet is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity for businesses to grow and be competitive and for all Canadians to have full access to the goods and services available in the digital economy. Innovation exists everywhere that Canadians live and work, in northern Ontario and in rural regions.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell the House what the government plans to do to make Internet access more affordable?

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

Noon

LaSalle—Émard—Verdun Québec

Liberal

David Lametti LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Nickel Belt, a proud Franco-Ontarian, for the question.

Canadians deserve an equal opportunity in the digital economy. That is why we have signed an important agreement with the provincial and territorial ministers to develop a long-term connectivity strategy. Canada has made incredible advances, building mobile networks that are among the fastest in the world and deploying broadband Internet across the country. Through connect to innovate, our government is providing basic infrastructure to more than 900 rural and remote communities.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

Noon

Conservative

Blake Richards Conservative Banff—Airdrie, AB

Mr. Speaker, parents who have lost a child experience unimaginable grief. In some cases, that grief is added to by the immediate loss of government benefits, which forces them back to work long before they are ready. These families deserve some compassion and support from their government. Instead, the Liberal government shut down debate on the issue and also voted against creating bereavement leave.

Words are not enough. When will that Liberal government take action to actually show these families the compassion they need?

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

Noon

Québec Québec

Liberal

Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Families

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and proud to answer this very important question.

We know and feel how difficult it is for families living in difficult circumstances to go through the hardships our colleague mentioned. That is why we have, since 2015, introduced a number of important changes to the EI system, including a new compassionate care benefit and enhanced benefits and enhanced flexibility for maternal, parental and shared parental benefits to deal exactly with those difficult circumstances about which we must be extremely concerned.

Canada PostOral Questions

Noon

Bloc

Simon Marcil Bloc Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government spends its time boasting about how it signs progressive trade agreements that are supposed to protect collective bargaining rights. Then it turns around and introduces special legislation and suspends the rules. It is taking all the bargaining power away from workers. Just a moment. I want to look at them with contempt.

Why is this always the way with this government? Why does it always say one thing and do the opposite?

Canada PostOral Questions

Noon

Cape Breton—Canso Nova Scotia

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment

Mr. Speaker, when my colleague talks about progressive governments, I think he wants me to share with him just what we have done for labour.

We have repealed Bill C-525 and Bill C-377. We have amended the Canada Labour Code and given federally regulated employees the right to flexible work. We have strengthened occupational health and safety standards and passed Bill C-65. We have ratified the ILO. We have banned asbestos, both domestic and the international trade of asbestos.

I think that is pretty progressive.

JusticeOral Questions

Noon

Bloc

Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC

Mr. Speaker, since this government took office in 2015, it has been dragging its feet and refusing to crack down on pimps. Bill C-452, which would require pimps to serve consecutive prison sentences for their crimes, received royal assent three years ago. Prevention and intervention are not enough. Punitive measures and deterrents are needed to protect our young people, but no, it seems this government would rather protect their abusers.

After three years of dilly-dallying, will the Prime Minister finally decide to sign the order to bring Bill C-452 into force?

JusticeOral Questions

Noon

Waterloo Ontario

Liberal

Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. I will find out the answer and get back to him.