House of Commons Hansard #365 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was transplant.

Topics

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

It being Wednesday, we will now have the singing of the national anthem led by the hon. member for Hochelaga.

[Members sang the national anthem]

Indigenous AffairsStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Independent

Hunter Tootoo Independent Nunavut, NU

Mr. Speaker,

[Member spoke in Cree]

[English]

Last week, in response to my question, the Prime Minister said that all parties that are supposed to be at the table for the two Dene treaties are at the table. He was wrong.

Since 1975, every modern land claims agreement in Canada has involved the province or territory where the lands in question are located. Further, every modern land claims agreement in Canada's northern territories has involved three parties: the indigenous group, Canada and the government of the territory where the agreement is to operate.

The two Dene treaties affect jurisdictional authority and will result in financial obligations to the Government of Nunavut and will also require amendments to the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. They cannot be implemented without the consent of the Government of Nunavut.

Given the legal precedents and subsequent jurisprudence, I call on the Government of Canada to do the right thing and immediately invite the Government of Nunavut to the table as a full participant and signatory, where they should be. The treaties will be stronger for it.

International Volunteer DayStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Angelo Iacono Liberal Alfred-Pellan, QC

Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate International Volunteer Day and the important contribution volunteers make to our communities.

Volunteers are kind and caring people who give their time to support causes they believe in. Volunteers help make our society stronger, more inclusive and more prosperous.

I would like to give some of the volunteers in my riding a big hand for their remarkable dedication and their involvement in our community: Dmjy Théodore, Geri MacDonald, Naomi Panetta, Justin Boisvert, Vincent Cammisano, Gian-Andrea Lacombe, Silvio De Cicco, Lisa Muzzo, Line Boudreault, Elisa Verillo, Saïda Seddiki, Robert Alexandre and Nick Colasurdo.

On this International Volunteer Day, I thank them for giving their time to important causes and for the contributions they make every day. I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

Gate 3:16 Outreach CentreStatements By Members

December 5th, 2018 / 2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON

Mr. Speaker, during the Christmas season it is important to remember the organizations that go above and beyond to help those who need it most. In my community of Oshawa, we are blessed to have the Gate 3:16 Outreach Centre, led by Betty and her outstanding team of staff and volunteers.

Since 1990, they have offered hot meals, warm showers, laundry services and much more to anyone in need. Having spoken with its patrons over the years, I know how valuable their safe and friendly space is to many in my community.

Earlier this year, they found themselves without a physical location, and they had to suspend services. I am extremely proud to say that they have found a new home and are back to serving the community. I stopped by last week to donate some supplies and had the opportunity to speak with their general manager, Rita. She tells me that they are thrilled with the new space and are excited to be back working with their patrons.

On behalf of all residents of Oshawa, I extend my sincere thanks to the team at Gate 3:16 and wish them every success in their location, as well as a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Thaddeus DreherStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Nick Whalen Liberal St. John's East, NL

Mr. Speaker, one of my constituents, Thaddeus Dreher, turned 100 years old on August 23. Thaddeus was born in Poland just before the First World War. He was an army officer and was studying engineering when Germany invaded Poland in 1939.

After the war, his brothers went to work for the RCMP in Ottawa and one of them became the owner of a bakery in Montreal. They convinced him that Canada was the best country in the world. His work as a civil engineer took him all over the world, and his talent for languages gave him a clear advantage. He spoke Polish, Russian, Latin, Italian, Spanish, English, French and a bit of Thai.

Suree, his wife of 54 years who is Thai, agrees that the secret to a long life is optimism and courage in the face of adversity and change.

Thaddeus, happy 100th birthday. You are an inspiration to us all.

The EconomyStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

NDP

Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB

Mr. Speaker, Canada is losing more and more good-paying jobs. This past week was particularly bad in terms of job losses. In our region, it was the announcement by HudBay that it is closing the Flin Flon mining operation by 2021. This follows the closure of the smelter and the refinery in Thompson earlier this year. Nationally, we have seen the closure of the Oshawa GM plant.

We are seeing the hollowing out of the Canadian economy in key sectors, like manufacturing and the resource sector. While our communities have been working hard to diversify and find other job opportunities, there can be no doubt that the loss of these good-paying jobs is devastating.

Governments need to be there for us in tough times. They need to be there for Canadians, and the federal government has been largely absent. Despite the fact that the Flin Flon operation is directly under federal jurisdiction, the government has done nothing.

As the member of Parliament for our region, I believe that governments have to be engaged. The federal government must be at the table. These are tough times for northern communities and communities across the country. Our region and our country deserves better.

The FrancophonieStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Peter Fragiskatos Liberal London North Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the importance of the French language. It is one of Canada's founding languages and part of our identity. I am so convinced that our great country is stronger for having adopted bilingualism that after I was elected to represent a region in Ontario where the majority of people are anglophone, I decided to learn French. Today, I am reaffirming my commitment to always promote the French language and culture. I want to sincerely thank the francophone community of London for working tirelessly to preserve its culture.

Thank you for your historic resistance to Doug Ford's policies.

HanukkahStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Rob Nicholson Conservative Niagara Falls, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this House today to pay tribute to the Jewish people and the celebration of Hanukkah. The word “Hanukkah” is Hebrew for dedication. The holiday commemorates the festival of lights, when one day's supply of olive oil miraculously lasted for eight days during the dedication of the second Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

Last Sunday, I was honoured to be asked by Rabbi Zaltzman to light the first candle on the menorah in Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls. At a time when people of faith are being persecuted around the world, celebrating our heritage and religions is critical. I would like to thank Rabbi Zaltzman, from Chabad in the Niagara region, for putting together this event each year.

As the word Hanukkah denotes dedication, may we dedicate ourselves to ensuring religious freedom in Canada and around the world. I would like to take this opportunity to wish a happy Hanukkah to my colleagues in this House and across our nation.

JusticeStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

John Aldag Liberal Cloverdale—Langley City, BC

Mr. Speaker, I recently attended the gala of the Langley Community Justice Initiatives Association. This community organization provides conflict resolution programs and services, which have achieved excellent results. It is a pioneer in this area.

Marlyn Ferguson told her story of courage and transformation after her son was murdered. I was moved to hear her say that the association helped her meet with three of the people responsible for the death of her son. Her experience shows the power of restorative justice and the results that can be achieved with this approach. I would like to thank her very much for telling her story.

I would also like to thank the association for the important work it does in our community.

The FrancophonieStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, I rallied with my francophone community at the former St. Boniface city hall to show our solidarity with the Franco-Ontarian community. More than 200 attended. We were all united, young and old, established and new arrivals, francophones and francophiles, in solidarity with this community.

This rally, primarily organized by the Conseil jeunesse provincial and the students' association at the Université de Saint-Boniface, is a testament to the engagement of our Franco-Manitoban youth.

The torch has been passed from those who fought for our rights in the 1980s to the next generation, which is just as determined. More are joining in. Their voice is strong and diverse. The future of our Manitoban and Canadian francophonie looks bright in the hands of these youth.

ImmigrationStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB

Mr. Speaker, I want to put on record my opposition to signing the United Nations Global Compact for Migration. We currently have an issue at our borders with an unprecedented number of asylum seekers entering illegally. We recently learned that it costs taxpayers about $34,000 for each migrant to be processed, and this cost is projected to rise as more people arrive in this manner and the system becomes backlogged.

The current border crisis is expected to cost taxpayers over $1 billion by 2020, which does not include costs incurred by the provinces. The costs associated with signing and implementing this global compact are unknown right now. Signing this compact could put an even larger burden on the backs of Canadian taxpayers.

I support a safe and orderly immigration system and believe that Canada must be in control of our borders. Signing the UN global compact does not give us control. I strongly urge the government to reconsider committing our country to this global compact.

International Day of Persons with DisabilitiesStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Kent Hehr Liberal Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, Monday was the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. We celebrate the contributions that persons with disabilities made to our society.

We know that many people continue to face numerous barriers to inclusion. That is why our government introduced the accessible Canada act, to transform the way the government and federally regulated sectors remove barriers to accessibility in Calgary and across Canada.

Violence Against WomenStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Anju Dhillon Liberal Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle, QC

Mr. Speaker, on December 6, 1989, 14 women were killed and another 10 were injured at the École polytechnique de Montréal, simply for being women.

Gender-based violence continues to plague our society to this day. It can take many different forms, including physical, sexual or online violence, and can manifest in insidious ways, through actions intended to maintain a hold over someone, such as defamation, coercion and criminal harassment. All this can cause psychological harm to victims.

Gender-based violence is an issue that our government cares deeply about. We are working tirelessly to combat this scourge. Every December 6, we commemorate the 14 women who were so cruelly snatched away from their loved ones, and we condemn the tragic consequences of gender-based violence.

Government PoliciesStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that the Liberal Statistics Canada data grab has been held at bay. Canadians rose up against this out-of-touch Liberal scheme to secretly access their personal financial records, and our Conservative team listened to them. We stood up for the privacy rights of Canadians and we stood up for the principle that government does not demand Canadians' information, it asks Canadians for permission for their information.

The Liberals did not listen. They condescendingly accused concerned Canadians of being fearmongers and digital neanderthals. Well, Canadians won and the out-of-touch Liberal elites lost. The Conservatives will hold the Liberals accountable, and we will remain vigilant in defending Canadians from this intrusive policy.

Étienne-Brûlé High SchoolStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Frank Baylis Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, I was born in Montreal, and even though I come from an anglophone family my parents wanted me to learn French, so they sent me to a French school.

Then, when we moved to Toronto, my parents insisted that I continue my studies in French. I went to the only French-language public high school in the greater Toronto area, the École secondaire Étienne-Brûlé, which opened its doors after a long battle fought by the Franco-Ontarian community. Construction was completed in 1973, three years before I began going to school there.

In my day, students came from Oshawa, Burlington, Orangeville and other communities. We were a proud mix of ethnic groups, which was clearly reflected in our school's motto, “unity in diversity”. We were all proud to be Franco-Ontarians.

Gender-based ViolenceStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

NDP

Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Mr. Speaker, as the 16 days of action to end violence against women go on, women's organizations across Canada still struggle to pay their staff and keep their doors open. Every day, the Vancouver Island University Students' Union, the Haven Society and the Nanaimo Women's Resource Centre in Nanaimo—Ladysmith that I represent work to keep women safe. Every day they turn women away. Can members imagine a woman who is fleeing domestic violence and has the bravery to ask for help, but there is no room at the inn? These groups tell us that if we are going to protect women, we have to fund the groups' core operations.

The Liberals say they want to end violence against women. They are willing to invest in infrastructure for energy companies. Why not invest in the vital life-saving infrastructure that women's organizations across this country provide? Actions matter.

Government PoliciesStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB

Mr. Speaker, the supercilious Liberal government bragged about letting the sun shine in, but we are sitting here in the dark dealing with even more of their secrecy and hypocrisy.

The Liberals are saddling our air force with flying pieces of Australian scrap metal. They are claiming that is because of some non-existent capability gap.

They are tarnishing the reputation of a distinguished vice-admiral and dragging him through a criminal trial, but they spent months refusing to hand over crucial documents for that same trial. The information the public is getting about Vice-Admiral Norman's case is not from this so-called open and transparent government, it is from Vice-Admiral Norman's lawyer. Thanks to her, we now know that a Privy Council investigation reports at least 73 people knew about the cabinet discussions, including nine cabinet ministers and two reporters.

The Liberal government must stop this needless witch hunt. If they really want to find the source of their problems, all they have to do is look around their own cabinet table.

Des Pionniers Elementary SchoolStatements By Members

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Alaina Lockhart Liberal Fundy Royal, NB

Mr. Speaker, last month, I had the opportunity to welcome my neighbour to the north, the hon. Minister of Health, to École des Pionniers in Quispamsis.

The students and teachers at École des Pionniers are living proof of the vitality of francophone minority communities in Fundy Royal and across Canada. As the only French-language elementary school in Fundy Royal, École des Pionniers gives our children the opportunity to learn French in a positive environment.

The minister and I reiterated our commitment to them, and they know that their federal government will always support them and their language rights.

I would like to thank the principal, staff and students at École des Pionniers for their different perspectives and their warm welcome.

We support Franco-Ontarians and linguistic minorities across Canada.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister attempted to defend his natural resource minister's ridiculous claim that the court killed the northern gateway pipeline, but the facts are clear. Just like in the ruling for Trans Mountain, the judge provided a clear path forward for northern gateway, saying that this process “need not take long”, but the Prime Minister ignored that ruling and killed northern gateway. Why? Because he has been fighting against it for years.

If the Prime Minister does not want to accept responsibility for northern gateway being ended, will he commit today to reviving it and completing the process?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives spent a decade failing to get Canadian oil to new markets. On northern gateway, the Federal Court of Appeal found that the previous government's consultations with indigenous peoples “fell well short of the mark”. The Conservatives seem to think that the duty to consult is only a suggestion, not a constitutional obligation. They had 10 years to get the job done and they failed. They failed for 10 years.

We are moving forward on expanding to global markets, building pipeline capacity in the right way.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, four major pipeline projects were approved by the previous government: Enbridge Alberta Clipper, the TransCanada Keystone, Kinder Morgan's Anchor Loop and Enbridge Line 9B reversal. All these projects were approved and, here is the kicker, built under the previous Conservative government.

The Trans Mountain expansion will not access the deepwater ports that northern gateway would. Aboriginal communities were going to be partners in the beneficiaries from that project. Why did the Prime Minister kill the northern gateway project?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

2:20 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, once again, a zero per cent increase in pipeline capacity to new markets under 10 years of Conservative government for the very simple reason that they did not understand that the way to build big projects is to work with indigenous peoples in full respect and partnership, to work with environmental scientists and concerned citizens to demonstrate it is being done in the right way. They failed for 10 years and now they double down on an approach that failed the oil industry and failed Canadians.

Prime Minister’s Trip to IndiaOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, it is this Prime Minister who has failed to get projects built. It is under this Prime Minister's watch that all the major pipeline proponents in this country have left and are building projects in the United States, and in the case of Kinder Morgan, with the $4.5 billion of taxpayers' money that he gave them to get out of town with.

Every time we ask the Prime Minister questions about his disastrous trip to India, he always replies there is nothing to worry about because there is no problem. Canadians know full well that there are problems.

Will the Prime Minister finally show some respect for Canadians and disclose the entire guest list for his events during his trip to India?

Prime Minister’s Trip to IndiaOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we have always shown our commitment to openness and transparency on the international stage.

I want to once again congratulate the members of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians for the incredible work they have done. We accept their recommendations and we will continue to respect the great work they do.

Member for Brampton EastOral Questions

2:25 p.m.

Regina—Qu'Appelle Saskatchewan

Conservative

Andrew Scheer ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, major questions have been raised about the role of the innovation minister and the member for Brampton East with respect to a questionable real estate deal. The allegations also involve Liberal Party donors, a former Liberal Party riding president and, of course, the Prime Minister's disastrous trip to India.

Can the Prime Minister confirm whether his innovation minister has had any contact with any law enforcement agency or anyone in their offices, including the Prime Minister's Office, regarding any of the allegations surrounding the member for Brampton East?