Debates of March 21st, 2018

Status of Women

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the recent budget is full of lofty rhetoric and missed opportunities. The government may claim to be feminist, but the fact is, the budget lacks substantive action to help women.

When will we see meaningful action to encourage the hiring of women for infrastructure projects?

When will we see investments to implement the pay equity legislation?

When will we see a universal, affordable child care program?

When will we see federal funding to implement rape prevention policies on our campuses?

How much longer do women have to wait?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, the budget clearly invests and builds on previous investments to improve lives for women and communities across the country, with $7.5 billion for child care and early learning and $40 billion in affordable housing, 25% of which will support women and their families. Who will be building this infrastructure? We are providing grants and opportunities for women to enter the trades. We are also investing $1.65 billion in an entrepreneurship strategy. When we invest in women—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, none of this is for the women who really need it now.

The budget mentions women hundreds of times, but fails to deliver for them. The so-called feminist government's budget has little concrete help for women on the ground right now. Why is there no money to put pay equity in place? Why are there no EI reforms so that women can actually access parental leave? How can the Liberals think they are for women's equality when they still have not funded universal, affordable child care?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, “Gender equality is good for Canada. It’s good for the economy, it’s good for families and it’s good for women and girls. After years of slipping in global rankings, this is the change of direction we need.” That was said by Maya Roy, the CEO of YWCA Canada, in response to the first federal budget in the history of this country to have an intersectional gender lens applied.

Pay equity is mentioned in this budget, along with over $3 million to address pay transparency. When we invest in women, we grow the economy for everyone.

Canada-India Relations

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on February 27, the Prime Minister told this House that the Atwal invitation was part of an Indian government conspiracy to undermine his trip. The same day, a Liberal MP publicly apologized for the Atwal invite. Weeks later, the foreign affairs minister called the invite “an honest mistake”, directly contradicting the Prime Minister.

That is a lot of invitations to Mr. Atwal. The opposition members have one invite they would like the Prime Minister to make: invite the national security adviser to the public safety committee so we can get answers.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the answer with respect to the invitation is already very clear. The invitation should never have been issued, and when that invitation was discovered, it was immediately rescinded.

Another point that needs to be noted is that the government has great confidence in the security and diplomatic advisers to the government, who always act in an impartial fashion and always in the best interests of Canadians.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the minister, I would like to remind the House that a senior bureaucrat and the Prime Minister himself both confirmed that Jaspar Atwal's invitation to the event in India was a set-up initiated by the Indian government. However, the Indian government, Mr. Atwal, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Liberal member for Surrey Centre all deny those claims.

Will our transparent Prime Minister provide elected officials with the same debriefing that was given to the media, and allow us to call Daniel Jean to appear before the Standing Committee on Public Safety?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, on the issue of the invitation, which is obviously the core element in the question that has just been asked, the answer is abundantly clear. The invitation should not have been extended. When it was discovered, it was immediately rescinded, because it should not have been issued in the first place. That is the complete and full answer.

Social Development

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in February, the Prime Minister called out a woman for using the term “mankind” and said that he preferred the term “peoplekind” because it is more inclusive. He later conceded that the remark was a dumb joke, yet another one. Today, Service Canada employees who interact with the public are no longer allowed to use terms like “Mr.” and “Mrs.” and now have to use gender-neutral language.

Can the Prime Minister confirm whether this new practice has truly been imposed because—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question and I invite her to listen carefully to the answer I gave earlier, when I said that we were very clear on the fact that Service Canada would continue to use “Mr.” and “Mrs.” as salutations and that Service Canada would continue to do its work and respect the diversity of Canada's families and the reality of their circumstances in 2018.

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister said that his “peoplekind” comment was a dumb joke, apparently he was just kidding.

According to a report, Service Canada employees have been instructed to no longer refer to people as “mother” or “father”. It is now “parent number one” or “parent number two”. What is next?

Can the minister confirm if this instruction is indeed true?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad and grateful to be able to answer this question. I am also glad and grateful to say that in Canada in 2018, we have a diversity of families. We have grandfathers or recomposed families looking after children. We have parents of the same gender. These parents deserve the same respect and the same support as other parents in Canada. I am glad that we have a government that supports this view, and we will continue to work hard for that.

Privacy

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today the President of the Treasury Board has been referring to the Liberal research bureau as if it is a credible source. Having known the member for 16 years in the chamber, I would ask him to please stop. It is simply not factual, and it is not believable.

The reality is that former Liberal employee Christopher Wylie is part of this scandal, working with former Liberal leaders Dion and Ignatieff, and the current Prime Minister. The fact that Europe and the U.S. are investigating the Canadian content in this manipulation is embarrassing to all of us.

Could the Prime Minister explain why the Liberals would even consider helping design and engineer a system that abuses democracy—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. President of the Treasury Board.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think we would want to credit that individual with the electoral successes of the Liberal Party of Canada in 2008 or 2011. He may not want to be associated with that.

The fact is that, in 2016, he completed a brief pilot for the Liberal research bureau, and the Liberal research bureau did not move forward beyond that pilot.

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

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that not only does the government not care that Facebook does not pay its fair share of taxes, but it does not seem to care if Facebook is stealing Canadians' personal information either. There is no accountability.

People all around the world and in Canada are deeply concerned about Cambridge Analytica's use of personal data from millions of Facebook users. They fear that their personal information is being used to undermine our democracy. However, it is not just elections that are being targeted. Privacy breaches adversely affect many aspects of our lives.

When will we have legislation to legally and financially punish the offending companies?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, we are currently gathering facts, as are other governments, on the Facebook issue. We have a responsibility to protect the personal information of Canadians and the integrity of Canada's electoral system.

I have spoken with the Privacy Commissioner to support his investigation. We have reached out and are engaged with Canada's top security officials. I have also spoken with Facebook. I have told them that we need answers and we need to know that the personal information of Canadians was not compromised.

Public Safety

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the safety of Canadians is of utmost importance to the government. Unfortunately, the Harper government's changes to the law meant that someone selling a firearm did not have to make sure the buyer was actually permitted to own one.

Thankfully, most businesses still check, but the loophole created by the Conservatives can allow firearms to fall into the wrong hands.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I do not know if members have forgotten that each side gets its opportunity throughout question period for various questions and various answers. We need to hear both the questions and the answers, so I would ask for order.

The hon. member for Oakville North—Burlington has the floor.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, now the current Conservative leader wants to further undermine public safety by increasing the number of bullets that magazines can hold.

Could the Minister of Public Safety please tell the House what the government is doing to make our communities safer?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we introduced common-sense legislation that prioritizes public safety and effective police work, while respecting law-abiding firearms owners. That legislation includes practical measures, such as making background checks more extensive, which I note has already been applauded by all parties represented in the House.

I also note that the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police says that it is “encouraged by the positive direction taken by [the government] towards sensible firearm legislation enhancing the tools available” to police to ensure public—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.