House of Commons Hansard #269 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was organizations.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are proud of their universal health plan, which is publicly funded and based on need, not the ability to pay. However, this plan could be improved.
We have created an advisory council on the implementation of national pharmacare. This committee is mandated to study and evaluate the options and to make recommendations to the government. It will continue the great work that the health committee started. We look forward to receiving its recommendations.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, “Many Canadians have limited prescription drug coverage, and 12% have no coverage at all. This situation is plainly inconsistent with the values upon which medicare is based. It is illogical to guarantee access to medical diagnosis, but not the treatment, nor does it make economic sense. Together with key partners, a new Liberal government will develop a national plan and timetable for introducing universal public coverage.”
What am I quoting? It is from the 1997 Liberal platform. Liberals failed Canadians then. Why should we believe them now?
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
The member for Vancouver Kingsway is of course an experienced member and knows that he is not allowed to use props in this place.
The hon. Minister of Health.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is no surprise to hear the NDP try to implement an idea without a plan. We are moving forward with a plan. We have created a national advisory council on the implementation of a national pharmacare program. Its mandate is to study, to evaluate, and to bring recommendations to our government. I say “recommendations”, because we want to get this right. This initiative is going to build on the good work the health committee has done in the House. I am looking forward to hearing its recommendations in the spring of 2019.
Anita Vandenbeld Liberal Ottawa West—Nepean, ON
Mr. Speaker, next week, on International Women's Day, we will be reminded of the important role that women play in shaping our communities, both here in Canada and around the world. Although we have seen significant progress, there is still progress to be made in ensuring real gender equality.
As we approach International Women's Day, could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Status of Women please tell the House how budget 2018 will contribute to helping close the gaps and ensuring women have real equal opportunities to succeed?
Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary for Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, as we get set to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women on International Women's Day, I am pleased to say that our government is taking concrete actions toward gender equality by putting gender at the heart of decision-making by legislating gender-based analysis plus, recognizing the important role of Status of Women Canada by making it a full department, and investing $100 million for a strong, sustainable women's movement. When women succeed, we all succeed, and our economy succeeds.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, never has a government spent so much and achieved so little. That is the Liberal government's record, with the budget it presented this week. The worst part of the whole thing is that the deficit is $18 billion, three times more than they promised.
We are not the only ones worried about this situation. The Liberal Premier of Quebec even said that in a period of economic growth, budgets should be balanced.
With all due respect, here is my question for the Minister of Finance: since he claims to be so good at math, could he give us a number? When will we return to a balanced budget?
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, my advice to the member is that he go back to his riding and really look at what we have achieved. We have the highest growth rate in the G7. We have created 600,000 new jobs in the past two years. That is what we have achieved. Canadian families are in a very good situation.
We decided to invest in Canadians, and we have achieved real results for people across the country. That is the right way to manage an economy.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is welcome to come visit the riding of Louis-Saint-Laurent whenever he wants. I would be only too delighted. The problem is that that was not my question. My question is very simple: when will we return to a balanced budget?
Anyone who knows about economics knows that it makes no sense to run deficits when the economy is doing well. To wit, Sylvain Gilbert, a partner in the firm Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, said that the Minister of Finance needs to pray that the Canadian economy stays healthy and that continuing to run deficits when the economy is doing well is a very dangerous game.
I will ask my very simple question once again: when will we return to a balanced budget?
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, there was a debate in this country: should we choose budget cuts and austerity, or should we make investments for Canadians? Canadians chose the right way to improve the economy and improve their lives. That is why we have been investing in our country and our families.
Where are we now? Our economic growth rate is very high, and the debt-to-GDP ratio is falling every year. This is a great situation for Canadians.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, talk is cheap, except when the current finance minister does it. Then it is very expensive. He said the deficit would be just $6 billion this year. Instead, it is $18 billion. He said it would be balanced next year. Now that will not happen for another quarter-century.
In fact, while he was delivering his budget speech, the national debt grew by $1.5 million. That is either too much spending or too much talking. Which is it?
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I think we had a debate a couple of years ago in the country. We had to decide between cuts and austerity, or investments in Canadians. Let us consider the results. We have had the fastest growth in the G7 and the lowest unemployment in about 40 years.
Therefore, in the face of these facts, this is incredible to me. It is only the Conservatives that would consider, with sheer incompetence, to go back to the Harper Conservative approach of austerity and cuts. We are making a difference for Canadians, growing the economy and getting them jobs.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is like the rooster who thinks he made the sun come up just because he crowed when the sun came up.
In fact, he inherited temporary good fortune from oil prices that are up by 100%, a housing bubble in both Vancouver and Toronto, and massive household indebtedness, which has put our economy on a short-term sugar high. Why has the finance minister spent the cupboard bare in the short-term good times, leaving us so exposed to danger in the long-term future?
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
I think colleagues would know that it is probably best for order in this place if they do not compare members to barnyard animals.
The hon. Minister of Finance.
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I hate to let facts get in the way of rhetoric, but perhaps we can consider what actually was the inheritance this government took from the previous government. It was unemployment rates at over 7%, and a situation where we had seen the lowest growth rate since the Great Depression.
What has happened since then? With our approach of investing in Canada, we have the highest growth rate in the G7. We have the lowest unemployment rates we have seen in 40 years. Where are we now? We have a fiscally responsible approach to keep investing in the long term in the country, so this generation, the next generation, and future generations will be better off.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister was travelling around the world with his chef in tow, the reality is that more and more Canadians are being left behind. People in Churchill are facing skyrocketing food prices. They are going hungry because of the policies and incompetence of the government that has led to the loss of the rail service.
When will the Prime Minister recognize that his globetrotting selfies and his photo-op tours are doing nothing to help Canadians? When will he get to work to act on the real challenges that people in Churchill and across the country are facing today?
Karen McCrimmon LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to the people of Churchill and northern Manitoba. We recognize the importance of that rail line for that community. We will continue to support the government's negotiator and the ongoing discussions with interested buyers, indigenous groups, and community leaders. We are optimistic we can make progress on this, and we need a sustainable business plan toward owning and operating that line.
Fin Donnelly NDP Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Wild Fish Conservancy released lab results showing 100% of escaped salmon tested were infected with the highly contagious virus, PRV. The Liberal rhetoric about strong regulations and environmental protection for salmon mean nothing. The burden of proof that PRV does not cause harm to wild salmon does not rest on the fish. The minister needs to act.
When will the minister get these disease-ridden farms off the wild salmon migration route and on land?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows very well that our government is deeply concerned about the state of the wild salmon populations in British Columbia. We have invested literally tens of millions of dollars in enhanced science, monitoring, and auditing processes to ensure the protection of wild Pacific salmon remains a priority for our government. It is something our Pacific caucus has talked to us about over and over again.
We understand that there needs to be robust aquaculture regulations. We understand that conservation protection officers and increased monitoring is important, and we are going to work with the Government of British Columbia to ensure we have the toughest rules in place to protect this industry.
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Speaker, the fisheries minister has now had three days to reflect on a question I asked in the House earlier this week. I will ask again, and hope to actually get an answer this time.
When the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans made a decision on the Arctic surf clam quota, a quota that is worth millions of dollars, was he aware that the beneficiary of his decision was the brother of a Liberal caucus colleague member?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, when we made a decision to add a new entrant into this important commercial fishery, we knew that the most important people to benefit from this change were indigenous Canadians on the east coast of Canada and in the province of Quebec.
The previous Conservative government had a process to add a new entrant to this fishery. It forgot to include indigenous people. We had an open, competitive process where seven bids were analyzed in detail, and we chose the one that offered the best economic opportunity for indigenous people, Atlantic Canadians, and Quebeckers.
Mel Arnold Conservative North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Speaker, the minister and the Liberal government are completely out of touch with Canadians. By hand-picking winners and losers, the minister is jeopardizing middle-class jobs in Grand Bank and all across Newfoundland and Labrador. The mayor of Grand Bank has called this a devastating blow to his community.
How can the minister justify this to the workers and their families, families whose livelihoods are at stake because of his decision?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, we understand and we respect the concerns of the people of Grand Bank and the people who work in that processing facility. My colleague who represents that community in the House of Commons has spoken to me about this important issue. So has the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
We are committed to ensuring that the facility in Grand Bank and the workers who earn their living at that important facility have the benefit of an economic opportunity that is sustainable and that is long term. We will continue to ensure that the economic opportunities in Grand Bank remain robust.
However, that party was also planning to bring a new entrant into the fishery, and it did not seem concerned about Grand Bank then.
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Mr. Speaker, the chair of the First Nations Financial Management Board said last year that the need for housing and infrastructure is between $20 billion and $30 billion. Then he said:
Where is all of that money going to come from...if we don't engage in business and economic development?
The Liberals' response is tanker bans, drilling moratoriums, taxes, and increased red tape. Investment is fleeing and they have impeded the opportunity for investment.
Why are the Liberals putting up so many roadblocks for indigenous economic prosperity?
Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to answer this question and to talk about things like the housing investments that were made in our federal budget this week.
We have investments of $500 million for Métis housing, $400 million for Inuit housing, and $200 million every single year for first nations housing. We are working with our partners on developing a distinctions-based housing strategy to make sure that we address these gaps, get jobs for people, and get people homes to live in.