Debates of Feb. 15th, 2018

Natural Resources

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Speaking of plans, Mr. Speaker, in October, in Winnipeg, there was a conference called Generation Energy, to which 650 people came from every corner of Canada and all around the world: Norway, the United States, Germany, indigenous leaders, oil and gas leaders, those involved in renewable energy, academics, members of the New Democratic Party. The only people who did not show up for the Generation Energy conference were members of the official opposition.

What is their interest in the future of Canada's energy sector?

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's inaction—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. member for Calgary Midnapore has the floor. She wishes to ask a question and I am going to ask her to start now.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's inaction is threatening to kill the Trans Mountain pipeline project. He has done nothing to de-escalate an all-out trade war between provinces and is risking our national unity. The Liberals clearly have no plan, except for crossing their fingers and wishing for the best.

When will the Prime Minister put his foot down and stand up for the tens of thousands of jobs that this project would create?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, at the Generation Energy conference in Winnipeg, at which 650 Canadians were present, we talked about the future of energy in Canada. We talked about a transition to a low-carbon economy. We talked about the importance of traditional sources. We talked about the oil and gas sector. We talked about job creation, and Canada's responsibility in the world. This was one of the most important conversations that we have had in Canada about our energy future. It is too bad the members of the opposition did not show up.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. opposition House leader will come to order.

The hon. member for Vancouver East.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's immigration law discriminates against people with disabilities. Even the Minister of Immigration admits that this law does not align with Canada's values on the inclusion of persons with disabilities. The minister has been studying this issue since 2016. Committee members from all political parties agree that this law needs to be repealed. Still, there is no action. An impacted family member said, “I always thought Canada did not discriminate against people because they are different”.

Will the minister adopt my private member's bill as a government bill and end this injustice?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her work on this really important issue.

As the member opposite knows, we are conducting a fundamental review of the policy to make sure that this policy continues to fit into our government's accessibility agenda. I have said it on the record and I will repeat it. The 40-year-old policy is out of step with our overall government's accessibility agenda, but we have to continue consulting with provinces and territories to make sure that we get it right. Part of the reason we were waiting is to also hear from the citizenship and immigration committee, of which the hon. member is a member.

Indigenous Affairs

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House the Prime Minister spoke about his government recognizing and respecting aboriginal rights, yet his government has spent over $19 million of Canadian taxpayers' money in litigation, fighting against the recognition and implementation of the rights of five Nuu-Chah-Nulth nations on the west coast of Vancouver Island to catch and sell fish.

The Liberals must put words into action. They must do as they said yesterday, and truly recognize and respect indigenous rights. When will the government stop seeking to redefine and diminish the rights of these five first nations?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister reaffirmed our commitment to reconciliation and a renewed nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples as we look to create a recognition and implementation of rights framework.

The work has already begun. This morning, I was pleased to extend an offer to the five nations to facilitate the transfer of licences and quotas for groundfish, salmon, and shellfish. This is a concrete action, taken in the spirit of reconciliation. I look forward to doing more with indigenous peoples on the west coast and right across the country to advance this important issue.

Finance

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, just before Christmas, the Department of Finance issued a report on the state of public finances. According to this report, the budget will not be balanced until 2045. Need I remind members that those people over there promised a balanced budget by 2019? They were only off by 26 years. Wow.

Since the budget is going to be tabled shortly, could we have some indication of when we can expect a balanced budget? Will it be in 2019, as they promised, will it be in 2045, as the finance department projects, or does no one know, as the Prime Minister has previously said?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question, because it gives me an opportunity to remind members that we made a very clear commitment to Canadians during the election campaign. That commitment was to invest in our economy, in infrastructure, and in progressive programs like the Canada child benefit, which is lifting 300,000 children out of poverty and has helped Canada post its highest growth in 15 years. That was the fastest growth rate in the G7, after a decade of failures on employment, exports, and growth.

We have nothing to learn from that side of the House.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the finance minister inherited great fortune, a balanced budget from the previous government, oil prices which had doubled, a booming world economy, and a ferociously hungry American economy buying up goods, and yet they are blowing it. The deficit is twice what they promised, and the budget will not be balanced until a quarter-century after they said it would.

Will next year's budget deficit stay under $6 billion, as the Prime Minister promised?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear the member say that to Christine Lagarde, the president of the International Monetary Fund, who said that Canada's approach with regard to its economy under this government should go viral, because when interest rates are low and when the economy was sluggish, like the one we inherited from the Conservatives, it is good to make smart investments, to invest in infrastructure, invest in the future, invest in innovation, and invest in our communities, which is what we have done.

The results speak for themselves, with close to 600,000 jobs created in the last two years. We have no lessons to hear from them.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise that big international bankers would be delighted with the economic policy of the government. This big borrowing government is the delight to any wealthy bond holder that wants to make money off the interest payments that taxpayers will be forced to give them. Therefore, it is no surprise that Christine Lagarde, and others like her, would be supportive of this policy.

We stand on the side of the working-class taxpayer who has to pay bills in this country. When will the government do the same?

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder who was the working-class Canadians they were thinking about when they doubled the TFSA limit, which would have benefited the wealthiest—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. It is always nice to see the House in a good mood on Thursdays.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder how many of their constituents have $11,000 at the end of the year to put in their TFSA limit? They cheered for that, just like they cheered for sending cheques to families of millionaires.

We decided to take a different approach to help those who need it the most, with the Canada child benefit, and with GIS for seniors, where we are helping 900,000 seniors with close to $1,000 more a year. Those are the steps we have taken to make the economy work for everyone.

The Economy

[Frank Baylis, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, countries are increasingly relying on unique comparative advantages and on their specialities to foster economic development.

Canada has several talent-rich sectors, which means that our country is well positioned to be a future leader.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development explain what the government is doing to capitalize on our talents?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the member for Pierrefonds—Dollard, for his question.

We committed to investing up to $950 million to grow our innovation sector, and we received some bold, ambitious strategies to revitalize our regional economies.

The five superclusters announced today include more than 300 SMEs, 60 post-secondary institutions, and 180 other participants in Canada's innovative sectors. They should generate more than 50,000 new middle-class jobs.

Foreign Affairs

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the recent earthquake in Taiwan, among them two Canadians. On behalf of the official opposition, our deepest sympathies are with all of those who have been affected by this tragedy. At a time when nations should be coming together, the government on the mainland pushes ahead with its anti-Taiwan actions without even a respectful pause.

Can the government update the House on how Canada is helping Taiwan in its time of need, and explain why it has yet to join most other nations in expressing public acknowledgement of and solidarity with those killed in this tragedy?

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, certainly we extend our deepest sympathies, as have members of our government in the House, to the people of Taiwan. At the same time, we are moving forward with an ambitious agenda to build a stronger relationship with China. We always focus on the promotion and protection of human rights when we meet with our Chinese counterparts, and we ensure that we work with them to expand the relationship, as members of this government have done at every level when meeting with their counterparts in China.

Public Services and Procurement

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, four weeks ago the Prime Minister did a little tour of the Quebec City region and promised four icebreakers to Davie shipyard workers.

For four weeks these workers have been desperately waiting for the government to tell them whether they will get their jobs back or not. For four weeks, the government has been hemming and hawing. It feels as though the government is marking time. A promise is one thing, but a signed contract would be even better.

When will the Liberal government stop twiddling its thumbs, keep its promise, and bring back hundreds of good jobs for the Quebec City region?