House of Commons Hansard #351 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was tariffs.

Topics

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister stood in Belleville with veterans as a backdrop, including some from his own caucus wearing their medals, and said, “We will [immediately] reinstate lifelong pensions.” Veterans understood that to mean the type of pension that existed before the new veterans charter. We now know the Prime Minister deceived veterans and their families. The Liberal pension for life scheme moves away from the one veteran, one standard model and takes a half a billion dollars away from veterans and their families.

Why did the Prime Minister make a promise he knew he could not keep?

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are keeping our promises to veterans, which is something the Conservatives never did.

Our investments into veterans is $10 billion, new dollars, including delivering on our promise for a pension for life option. Because veterans are expected to take the $1,150 monthly tax-free payment for the rest of their lives, rather than taking a lump sum upfront, of course the budgetary costs are spread out over a longer time.

We immediately increased financial support for veterans, increased mental health support, and are delivering on our promise to veterans.

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, as he stood in Belleville with his hand over his heart, the Prime Minister clearly had his other hand behind his back with his fingers crossed. Veterans and their families do not like being lied to or deceived.

Will the Prime Minister admit that the Liberal pension for life scheme means no new money and in fact means less money for veterans and their families? While he is at it, why does he not apologize to veterans for lying to them?

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I encourage members to be careful and judicious in the choice of their words.

VeteransOral Questions

2:55 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in government, they tried to balance their budgets on the backs of veterans by cutting their services, by nickel-and-diming them and disrespecting them at every step of the way. I will take no lessons on how to treat our veterans with respect from those guys.

VeteransOral Questions

3 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order, please. The hon. member for Durham will come to order.

The hon. member for Drummond.

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, our employment insurance system is unfair to sick people.

Cynthia Lafontaine is a young mom who lives in my riding, Drummond. She was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer. She was able to collect benefits for 15 weeks, and after that, she did not have a penny to her name. By failing to take action, the government has put Cynthia and many other people in this awful situation. People do not recover from cancer in 15 weeks.

Would the Prime Minister show some empathy and give Canadians better sickness benefits?

Employment InsuranceOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we have made solid commitments to improve the employment insurance system so that it meets the needs of Canadian families.

We created the new family caregiver benefit, we made the rules for EI sickness benefits more flexible, and we simplified the application process so Canadians can get their benefits more easily.

The Conservatives did not understand what a huge impact some illnesses can have on Canadian families, but we are working steadily to improve the employment insurance system.

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

3 p.m.

NDP

Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Services keeps saying fixing the Phoenix fiasco is her number one priority. My constituent went on maternity leave and thanks to Phoenix, her T-4 slip says she was paid four times more than what she actually received. Canada Revenue Agency will not put a hold on her file and as a result, she received a $14,000 tax bill and was forced to pay taxes on income that she never earned. She filed a complaint more than seven months ago and was told no action has been taken.

How can the Prime Minister think that this is acceptable?

Public Services and ProcurementOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we do not think this is acceptable. Canada's public servants deserve to be paid accurately and on time for their important work. Our government remains focused on stabilizing the Phoenix pay system and resolving these unacceptable issues, which continue to be our number one priority. We have increased the capacity by 1,500 people at the pay centre. The backlog is down 100,000 cases since January 2015. We did not create this Phoenix problem, but we are going to fix it.

VeteransOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister likes to boast and spout his litanies, but if a francophone veteran needs medical assistance, watch out. That will take a while. Who said that? It was the veterans ombudsman.

That should come as no surprise, since the Prime Minister said that veterans were asking for too much. Even women veterans have to wait forever.

When will the Prime Minister stop treating francophone veterans like second-class citizens?

VeteransOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we continue to defend access to services in both official languages, and it would be unacceptable if francophones were not receiving adequate services in a timely manner. If there is a problem, we will make sure that it gets fixed.

I want point out, however, that since 2016, we have invested $10 million in veterans programs and services. We have increased financial supports for veterans and their caregivers. We have supported a continuum of mental health services. We also reopened all the veteran service offices that were closed by the member and his government.

International TradeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

Mr. Speaker, after meeting with over 150 businesses throughout Canada, the negative effect of the imposed steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. has become very evident. Companies are downsizing. Some are closing. Employees are being laid off and losing their jobs, thanks to the Liberals signing a bad deal. It is unfathomable that the Liberals would sign a deal with the U.S. without having these tariffs removed.

Why would the Prime Minister sign a deal with the United States with steel and aluminum tariffs still in place?

International TradeOral Questions

3 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, once again, I want to begin by thanking all Canadians of different parties for working together so diligently to demonstrate a united front as we negotiated the new NAFTA. This was something that across the partisan divide was so important that we did together and we can all take credit for the security that we have in continued access to the U.S. markets.

However, as I told the steel and aluminum workers on the floor of their plant, this government has their back. We always will.

International TradeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, that is not readily apparent.

When we were negotiating directly with the Americans, tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum were in place. This issue directly affects 30,000 jobs in Quebec.

The Prime Minister should have used the negotiations as an opportunity to make sure the tariffs were lifted, but he did not. The tariffs have been in effect for five months now. It has been almost a month since the agreement was signed, and the tariffs are still there.

Why did the Prime Minister fail in his duty? Why did he not demand that the Americans remove the tariffs completely before signing this agreement?

International TradeOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as I told steel and aluminum workers when I visited their plants, our government will protect them. Canada's countermeasures will remain in place until the unfair steel and aluminum tariffs are lifted.

Throughout the negotiations, our goal was always to create conditions that will help grow the middle class and provide more opportunities to Canadians.

We will keep working until the tariffs are eliminated. That is what Canadians expect, and that is exactly what we are going to do.

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Don Rusnak Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, just last month, my colleague's private member's bill, Bill C-326, which focuses on drinking water guidelines in Canada, moved to the Senate for first reading. As members will know, decades of neglect have left drinking water systems on first nations reserves in Canada in an unacceptable state. This is why our government is committed to ending long-term drinking water advisories on all public systems on reserve by March 2021.

Can the Prime Minister please update this House as to the actions being taken to ensure reliable access to clean drinking water on reserves?

Indigenous AffairsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River for his hard work and for his advocacy on this important issue.

I am pleased to share that as of today, 74 long-term drinking water advisories have been lifted, some of which have been in place for over a decade. We are making significant investments in improving water systems, in water operator training and to ensure at-risk systems do not become long-term issues. We remain firmly on track to our commitment to lifting all long-term drinking water advisories on public systems on reserve by March 2021.

EthicsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Conservative

Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council revealed that 73 people were aware of Liberal cabinet secrets related to the delay of the Davie Shipbuilding contract. We know that several Liberal ministers and several Liberal MPs have real or perceived conflicts in that shipbuilding deal. This is in a government that has already seen several ministers and the Prime Minister found in ethical breaches.

Will the Prime Minister be completely transparent, release the names of the 73 people who knew or at least the names of the Liberal MPs on that list of 73?

EthicsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, it is improper to comment on this issue under the sub judice rule as the matter is before the court. This rule is a part of the law relating to contempt of court and also a convention recognized by this House. Members of Parliament are expected to refrain from discussing ongoing legal proceedings before the court. We respect this rule, as well as the law and rules that govern legal proceedings, including the handling of evidence, which will be dealt with before the court in due course on this case.

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

NDP

Robert Aubin NDP Trois-Rivières, QC

Mr. Speaker, when Rogers Communications proposed building a tower on Notre-Dame Street West in Trois-Rivières, people were immediately opposed to it.

Nevertheless, the company could still decide to go forward with this despite the public outcry and the municipality's opposition. A wide range of solutions were proposed, but the consultation provided for under the act may prove to be just a necessary inconvenience for the company.

How is it that, in 2018, the Prime Minister is allowing a telecommunications company to go ahead with something like this, despite opposition from the municipality and residents?

TelecommunicationsOral Questions

3:05 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we understand how important access to data and high-speed Internet across the country is for economic growth and to enable Canadians to fully participate in the labour market and job creation in the future. However, we expect all private companies responsible for providing these services to do so in a manner that is respectful to residents.

We will follow up on this issue.

International TradeOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Fayçal El-Khoury Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC

Mr. Speaker, we know that small and medium-sized businesses contribute to our economy by exporting their products.

During the NAFTA negotiations, we consulted with and listened to SMEs. One thing they asked us to do was to reduce red tape at the border to help Canadian companies boost their exports.

Can the Prime Minister inform the House of the new measures in the new agreement that will directly help companies with that?

International TradeOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Laval—Les Îles for his support for the SMEs in his riding.

The new agreement with the United States and Mexico contains a new chapter on customs administration and trade facilitation, as well as a new chapter on SMEs. The new regulations will reduce red tape at the border and boost trade.

This agreement will be good for Canadian companies and workers, including those in Laval.