Debates of Dec. 7th, 2018

Indigenous Affairs

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Madam Speaker, that is not all. Here is some more bad news.

Yesterday, the Liberals rejected a resolution passed by the first nations chiefs to amend the Criminal Code to outlaw sterilization. How can this be truth and reconciliation?

The UN Committee Against Torture has confirmed that Canada is guilty of torturing indigenous women by forced sterilization. Do the Liberals not understand that this is a stain on our country, a stain on every one of us in the House? Why are the Liberals tolerating forced sterilization of indigenous women?

[Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.]

Madam Speaker, forced sterilization of any woman is absolutely unacceptable. Our government believes firmly that everyone must receive culturally safe health services, no matter where they live.

The coerced sterilization of indigenous women is a serious violation of human rights and completely unacceptable. We are taking a public health approach to this issue, as outlined by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services. We are investing in public health approaches in indigenous communities. The existing provisions in the Criminal Code do capture a broad range of criminal behaviour, including coerced sterilization.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Madam Speaker, the government boasts about its record, but the facts tell a different story.

The United Nations Committee Against Torture released a report confirming that indigenous women are still being forced into sterilization, here, in Canada, in 2018.

The Prime Minister keeps talking about what he calls his most important relationship, yet nothing is being done to truly protect these women.

Instead of boasting about its record, will the government take action that will put an end to these appalling and dehumanizing practices?

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

Madam Speaker, the forced sterilization of some indigenous women is a human rights violation.

We know that indigenous patients face systemic barriers such as racism and discrimination. We all have a role to play in ensuring that indigenous patients receive quality care without being subject to prejudice, primarily by ensuring that health care professionals receive cultural competency training, as set out in the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

[Matthew Dubé, NDP, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to address the parliamentary secretary's response to my colleague.

The Liberal government just said that it was satisfied with the existing provisions in the Criminal Code. The existing Criminal Code provisions clearly do not work, however, since this appalling practice is still going on in Canada.

The Liberals rejected the resolution passed by first nations chiefs yesterday, on Thursday. We cannot, in good conscience, remain silent in the face of this injustice.

When will the government listen to the chiefs, address this problem and put an end to this unacceptable situation?

[Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.]

Madam Speaker, we completely agree with the party opposite that the situation right now is completely unacceptable, not only to indigenous women, but also to all women in Canada.

As I said, the existing provisions in the Criminal Code capture a broad range of criminal behaviour, including this situation.

That includes the situation vis-à-vis coerced sterilization with respect to indigenous women, which has been highlighted, which needs to be addressed and will be addressed.

Natural Resources

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, last week the Minister of Natural Resources questioned the intelligence of anyone who thinks that it was the Liberals who killed northern gateway. Of course it was the Liberals. They killed it with a shipping ban and a ministerial order. The Prime Minister always opposed northern gateway in opposition, and when he became Prime Minister, he killed it. Now the Liberals want to kill all future pipelines with the no-more-pipelines bill, Bill C-69.

Will the minister apologize for questioning people's intelligence and kill Bill C-69?

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

Madam Speaker, let us share some good news about what is happening in Alberta today. Alberta gained 36,500 new full-time jobs in the month of November. This month was the largest single month for full-time job gains in Alberta on record.

As far as northern gateway is concerned, it was the Federal Court of Appeal that overturned the decision made by the previous government under the flawed process it followed.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Madam Speaker, Bill C-69 heaps additional regulation and uncertainty on Canada's resource and energy sectors. The policies of the Liberal government are driving investors completely out of this country. They have had a devastating effect on investor confidence, especially in my province of Saskatchewan and next door in Alberta. When will the Liberal government stand up for the Canadian energy sector and kill Bill C-69?

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

Madam Speaker, we are focused on fixing the flawed process that led to a number of pipelines not moving forward.

Ninety-nine per cent of Alberta's oil is sold to one single customer, which is the United States. That was the case under the previous government, because it failed to build a single pipeline to non-U.S. markets, because it had a process in place that was so flawed. We are going to fix that. The focus of Bill C-69 is to do exactly that: put a better process in place so we can move forward on building pipelines.

[David Anderson, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Madam Speaker, my constituents are sick and tired of the current Liberal government. They are sick and tired of exploding deficits. They are sick and tired of tax hikes. They are sick and tired of attacks on our way of life. How much further are these Liberals prepared to go to alienate Canadians before they realize the damage they have done? When will they kill Bill C-69, the bill that will kill energy development in Canada?

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

Madam Speaker, our government is moving forward with a plan that is going to help protect the environment and grow the economy at the same time. That includes an overhaul of our environmental assessment process to restore the confidence that was lost under 10 years of Stephen Harper's government. During that 10 years, 99% of the resources that were extracted in our natural resource sector were going to the U.S. After 10 years, it remains that way today.

We are moving forward with a plan that is going to incorporate key feedback from indigenous peoples and protect our environment. I note in particular that the Assembly of First Nations just gave a ringing endorsement to this approach.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Madam Speaker, the Liberals have had four years to get the job done, and they have not done anything on pipelines. Today in my riding, families are struggling to make ends meet, food banks are running low, and this month, families will choose between making their car payments or heating their homes.

The Prime Minister said that Canadians are better off under his plan, but his no-more-pipelines bill, Bill C-69, is a threat to the livelihoods of Canadians who work in the energy sector. When will the Liberals finally put families first and kill Bill C-69?

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

Madam Speaker, let me take the opportunity to correct the hon. member. We approved Enbridge Line 3. That is under way now. That will add 370,000 barrels per day of capacity to get our resources to the U.S. On top of that, we are moving forward in responding to the court's decision on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in the right way. We are making sure that we are responding to the issue of marine safety. We are making sure that we are responding, in a meaningful way, to engage with indigenous communities to deal with their concerns.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Madam Speaker, 1.2 million barrels each day are flowing through pipelines approved by Conservatives. It is zero new barrels for the Liberals.

Today the Prime Minister is meeting with the premiers. Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick all want a west-to-east pipeline to bring Canadian oil to Canadian refineries and exports to Europe, but the Liberals' no-more-pipelines bill is standing in the way and will harm the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Canadians.

Will the Liberals finally at least listen to the premiers and scrap their no-more-pipelines bill, Bill C-69?

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

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to take this question on today of all days. I note, in particular, that Statistics Canada reported this morning that the Canadian economy has added 94,000 new jobs in just the past month. One of the reasons we are seeing this is because we are implementing smart economic policies, because we recognize that we can grow the economy and protect the environment at the same time. That is why we are moving on an overhaul of the environmental assessment process to ensure that projects move forward in the right way.

After 10 years of governance under Stephen Harper, Canadians lost faith that the environment would be protected and rejected development projects on that basis. We are moving forward with a plan that is going to see our economy grow and our environment protected.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Madam Speaker, I asked the Minister of Natural Resources, and he should answer my question.

The fact is that almost half a million barrels per day flow to new markets through pipelines approved by Conservatives. More than 8,000 kilometres of pipelines were built under Conservatives, while these Liberals have already blocked 7,000 kilometres of pipeline, and they have not added a single new inch. The Bank of Canada governor says the value of Canada's oil and gas sector has shrunk by 42% since the Liberals were elected. That is a crisis they created, and their no-more-pipelines bill, Bill C-69, will cripple the industry.

Will they scrap the no-more-pipelines bill, Bill C-69?

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

Madam Speaker, I think it is appropriate that the member should know that one of the pipelines she cited as being built under the Conservatives' tenure was actually built in 1976. All they did was reverse the flow of the pipeline. If that is their record, that clearly demonstrates how they have failed to get anything done.

We are moving forward on building pipeline capacity by approving Enbridge Line 3 as well as moving forward on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion in the right way.

Justice

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, according to a Department of Public Safety report, fully 86% of participants agreed that the government should completely wipe out, not merely suspend, criminal records for minor offences, particularly convictions for cannabis possession. Half a million Canadians have criminal records for this. They continue to face significant barriers to employment and housing for an activity that is now entirely legal. These Canadians deserve freedom, not forgiveness.

Will the Liberals commit to expunging criminal records for cannabis possession?

[Karen McCrimmon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his advocacy on this issue. Removing the stigma of a criminal record for people who have shown themselves to be law-abiding citizens and encouraging their reintegration enhances public safety for all Canadians.

Individuals who were previously criminalized for simple possession of cannabis should be allowed meaningful participation in their communities, good, stable jobs and to become fully contributing members of society. That is why the Government of Canada intends to offer specific recourse, allowing individuals to immediately apply for pardons after completing their sentences and making it free to apply.

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, yesterday I stood in Parliament with leaders from the John Howard Society. They said pardons do not provide enough protection for people with criminal records. They said this:

If people's convictions are expunged, rather than pardoned...they will be able to respond 'no' to any questions about their criminal history—no matter how the question is phrased.

The government admits that black and indigenous Canadians have been disproportionately burdened with criminal records for possession. The application of this law has been fundamentally unjust, so will the government do what is just by erasing their records?

[Karen McCrimmon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.]

Madam Speaker, a pardon is a very effective tool. It is cheaper, it is faster, there is no fee, there is no wait time, the record is sealed and segregated and it can be reopened only in extraordinary circumstances, such as committing another offence. The effect of a pardon is protected by the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, the government has given Canadians a wage cut. The data out just today shows that inflation is rising twice as fast as wage growth, and that is before the average tax increase of $800 for a Canadian family. Then, in January, the carbon tax will take effect. That will add, in the short term, 11¢ a litre to gas and $250 to a home heating bill.

Will the government tell us what will be the full price of the carbon tax when it is completely implemented in the year 2022?

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

Madam Speaker, the report to which the hon. member refers actually points out that 94,000 new jobs were added to the Canadian economy just last month. That brings the total of full-time jobs up to almost 700,000 since we took office. At the same time, we are growing the economy, we are moving forward with a plan to protect our environment that will put a price on pollution, the details of which are transparent and are on our website, that will actually leave middle-class families better off. If the hon. member does not accept the answer from me, I suggest that he talk to Stephen Harper's former director of policy, who can confirm that this is the case.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Madam Speaker, the report he talked about today shows that wages only went up 1.2% while inflation is 2.4%. In other words, the cost of living is rising twice as fast as wages, which is a real wage cut for Canadians. Furthermore, the carbon tax will add additional costs onto Canadians. The government admits that it will bring in a new carbon tax price in the year 2022, only a few years from now. How much will that tax cost in higher gas and home heating prices for struggling families?