Debates of Nov. 26th, 2018

Democratic Reform

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows, we absolutely do not support foreign interference in our elections at all. This is something on which all colleagues in the House should get together to ensure we are not politicizing this issue.

In fact, Bill C-76 has important measures in place to ensure that we are not enabling foreign funding in any event in advertising for our elections and that we are protecting the integrity of our elections. This is something that is above partisanship and we are working hard with all our national security agencies to ensure that—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Trois-Rivières.

Pyrrhotite

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, over two months ago, I asked the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to announce a scientific study, a solution everyone has known about for ages, to help pyrrhotite victims caught in the grey area. His office later told me that a research protocol would be signed with Université Laval very soon. However, it is now two months later, and still nothing.

Can the minister give us an update today on when this agreement will be signed and how long this widely anticipated study will take?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question.

Our government recognizes the importance of standardizing regulations regarding the design and construction of new buildings in Canada.

The National Research Council Canada, in partnership with Université Laval, is leading a Canada-wide research project. This collaboration will help researchers determine the acceptable limits for sulphide in Canadian concrete.

We will be announcing something soon.

Status of Women

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Sunday was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. November 25 also marked the beginning of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

Statistics show that women and girls are more likely to suffer many forms of gender-based violence than men and boys. For example, we know that every six days, one woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner.

Could the Minister of Status of Women give us ideas of ways we can all get involved in the effort to end gender-based violence once and for all?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the courage of silence breakers, we now understand more than ever that gender-based violence hurts families, individuals and it scars for life. It also costs our economy $12 billion a year, which is what domestic violence alone costs our Canadian communities.

Our government has introduced over $200 million in investments to address and prevent gender-based violence. We kicked off 16 days of activism in partnership with the CFL to show that men are part of the solution. Over the next few days, we will be announcing investments on addressing campus violence and also ensuring that communities are supported through—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Lévis—Lotbinière.

Infrastructure

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lévis—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's action regarding the third link project has been feeble, if not non-existent.

The member for Louis-Hébert and the member for Québec are not making any effort to stand up for regional issues and are not siding with the majority of the population. The third link will foster unprecedented economic development in the greater Quebec City area.

When will the Liberal government show some leadership and support the forward-looking project to build a third link between Lévis and Quebec City?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Lévis—Lotbinière for showing the House his talent for drama. However, the real leadership is on this side of the House.

Last week, in consultation with the member for Louis-Hébert and the member for Québec, I actually met with Mayor Labeaume, and we talked about the $287 million we have invested in infrastructure projects in Quebec City.

We will continue to invest in infrastructure and in public transit. Once a project is brought forward for Quebec City's third link, we will take a close look at it.

The Environment

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is no green shift in the government's economic update. Once again, it is subsidizing big oil instead of developing green transportation.

That is not surprising. According to Oil Change International, over the past five years, Ottawa has spent $62 billion on fossil fuels, compared to $5 billion on clean energy. It kind of feels like the Conservatives are still in power.

When will the federal government stop wasting Quebeckers' money on businesses that are speeding up climate change?

[Sean Fraser, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the fall economic statement, it included specific measures to encourage manufacturers to invest in clean equipment, among other things.

I would never compare our record in shame to the Conservatives, who after 10 years only were able to achieve a reduction in emissions by shrinking the economy. We are investing in public transit. We are putting a price on pollution. We are investing in a clean economy.

I could not be more proud to be part of this government, because we are finally taking the environment seriously while we grow the economy at the same time.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we cannot base our economy on fossil fuels. The government does not seem to get that.

If the government does not go green, we will be headed for disaster and our young people will pay the price. That is why a youth environmental organization called ENvironnement JEUnesse brought a class action against Ottawa today. They say the government is breaking its climate change promises. That is what it has come to: our young people are so worried about their future that they are suing the federal government.

Do our young people really have to take the government to court to drive home the point that it has to stop subsidizing big oil?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Repentigny.

I would like to remind her about our historic infrastructure investments worth over $180 billion over the next decade. That includes major investments of close to $30 billion in public transit and almost $27 billion in green infrastructure.

We on this side of the House understand that Canadians want modern, resilient, green 21st-century infrastructure, and that is what we are going to deliver for Canadians across the country.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question for the Prime Minister is this.

On Sunday, December 2, the 24th Conference of the Parties on the climate convention will convene in Poland. The report of the IPCC on the imperative that the planet hold to 1.5°C and not above it in global average temperature is on that agenda.

Will Canada commit to improving our plan, such that we are on a pathway to 1.5°C, and help lead the world there?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her dedication and passion on the environmental file.

Let us face the facts. Climate change is real. Climate change is man made. We must act to fight it. That is why we are working hard to meet our 2030 targets, knowing there will be more work to do after that.

After a decade of international abandonment on the environmental file under the Conservatives, Canada has returned as a leader at COP. We will continue to tackle climate change both at home and abroad.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska on a point of order.

French Services in Ontario

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

Mr. Speaker, given what is currently happening in Ontario with the French-language university and the protection of official language minority communities, I seek the unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion:

That the House call on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Official Languages to use their authority within their areas of jurisdiction to develop a plan whereby the federal government will work in partnership with the Government of Ontario on all projects that support the vitality of French-language services in Ontario, and that the plan be tabled no later than December 1, 2018.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motion agreed to)

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands on a point of order.

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as you have directed us on numerous occasions, it offends Standing Order 16 in several places when hon. members interrupt someone who is speaking.

I wonder if you could direct us on the question that strikes me. Quite often you will chastise someone you have heard interrupt. Down here we do not hear members interrupt, because the noises, while rude, are isolated. It seems there is a new practice of organized, loud laughter, which is actually so loud that it interrupts my ability to hear members across the way.

I wonder if loud laughter when someone else is speaking, organized by the party whip, could be seen as a violation of our standing rules.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I thank the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. I appreciate her concern about this issue of decorum in the House.

I do not know if the Chair would be able to detect whether something of the nature she is describing was organized. I would simply ask members to restrain themselves and listen to other points of view, and when others have the floor, to not interrupt.

The hon. member for Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix on a point of order.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for over a week now, the Minister of La Francophonie has been playing petty politics at the expense of Ontarians by attacking us, the members on this side of the House.

I have plenty of evidence to prove that she misled the House by saying that my leader has done nothing. He wrote a letter today, and we requested a positive response, which we have not yet received.

If the minister does not want to explain herself to the House, she should join me outside. I have plenty of evidence against her.