House of Commons Hansard #274 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agreed.
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister says the GST applies on all goods and services. Is the carbon tax a good or a service? Canadians are paying this tax on their home heating, their gas to get to work, indirectly on their groceries, and now they will be forced to pay a tax on that tax. This is among the most regressive taxes disproportionately targeting poor and working class people.
Why is the government taking from those with the least and putting a tax on a tax?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. The most regressive thing one can do is do nothing on climate change.
Climate change is real. It is actually a tax on future generations. We are paying the price right now. We are paying $100 billion on the impacts of climate change, from floods to forest fires and droughts. That is happening across the country. Canadians know it is real. I really wish the party opposite would actually show it cares about taking serious climate action now.
Matthew Dubé NDP Beloeil—Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, recent scandals, such as those connected to Facebook and Equifax, have shown that the public's personal information is increasingly at risk. We are calling on the federal government to take action. However, we have to wonder whether this government is in a position to do anything, since this government itself is a sieve. Canada Post misplaced passports, Revenue Canada lost personal information, and the CSE lost confidential information.
When will the Liberals take real action to protect Canadians' privacy?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, as I have said, the agency takes the protection of Canadians' tax information very seriously because the trust of individuals and businesses is the cornerstone of Canada's tax system. The vast majority of breaches reported were the result of misdirected mail. The agency is one of the government’s largest service organizations, with more than 40,000 employees. It thoroughly investigates all security breaches and possible breaches of confidentiality of taxpayer information. We will take appropriate action.
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is official. Quebec is going to put an end to an inequity that is hurting our entrepreneurs, in spite of Ottawa. The premier of Quebec said this morning, “All those who conduct business in Quebec have to pay their fair share of taxes...It is a matter of respect for our businesses here in Quebec.” Last week, it seems the Minister of Canadian Heritage saw the light and announced, after two years, that she intends to protect our distinct culture.
What about the Minister of Finance? Will he at least commit to protecting the competitiveness of our businesses before the next election?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, the benefits of the digital world are not shared equally between the web giants and our artists, journalists, and creators. Web giants need to recognize that they have a responsibility. As the Minister of Finance already said, the international community has agreed to examine the impact of digitization on key aspects of the existing tax system and try to come to a consensus. With that in mind, Canada will of course work with the other G7 and G20 countries on this important issue.
Fayçal El-Khoury Liberal Laval—Les Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, tax season has begun. By filing their income tax returns, Canadians get access to the tax credits and benefits that will help them to make ends meet. However, some people find it difficult to file their tax return.
Can the minister inform the House of what our government is doing to help low-income Canadians file their tax returns?
Diane Lebouthillier LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Laval—Les Îles for his ongoing support for vulnerable Canadians. Our government is committed to ensuring that all Canadians receive the tax credits and benefits to which they are entitled. That is why budget 2018 doubles the funding for the community volunteer income tax program so that we can provide even more support for volunteers year round. This program provides much-needed assistance to low-income Canadians by providing a free tax return preparation service. I would like to sincerely thank all of the volunteers who are participating this year.
Shannon Stubbs Conservative Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister about illegal pipeline protesters who injured RCMP officers in Burnaby. One officer was even kicked in the head. The public safety minister shared sentiments about officers and first responders, with which we all agree, but he did not actually answer my clear question, so I am asking it again.
When will the Prime Minister himself condemn the physical violence against RCMP officers by illegal protesters of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, of course all Canadians have the democratic right to express their point of view and to express dissent, but that must always be done within the parameters of the law. Violence in those circumstances is simply unacceptable.
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are rightly concerned that the Prime Minister refuses to condemn the illegal violent protests against the Trans Mountain pipeline. Workers and families need these jobs. Communities need the investment and the benefits that they bring. What Canadians need is less rhetoric and more leadership in order to enforce the rule of law, to stop endangering the police, stop endangering the pipeline workers, and stop undermining Canada's economy.
Will the Prime Minister finally do his job and condemn these illegal acts?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, with the hubbub in the House, I think the hon. gentleman missed my previous answer.
The answer is of course, all Canadians have the democratic right to express their point of view and to express dissent, but it must be done, always, at all times, within the parameters of Canadian law. Violations of the law cannot be tolerated.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance called our farmers tax cheats. The Minister of Agriculture left them out of the budget. The Minister of Transport stood behind the railway companies, leaving farmers to fend for themselves on matters of shipping.
After yesterday's talk about the ridiculous memo on the use of “Mr.” and “Mrs.”, we now learn from iPolitics that farmers will be treated like criminals by Service Canada through a new guideline that gives inspectors an inordinate amount of power.
Why is the Liberal Prime Minister coming down so hard on Canadian farmers?
Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, my colleague touched on so many topics, I do not know where to begin.
As far as farmers are concerned, we want western Canadian grain to get to where it is going as quickly as possible. That is why the Minister of Agriculture and I wrote to CN and CP to tell them that they had to do better. They have put a program in place in order to do better. We will monitor the situation on a daily basis to ensure a sustained increase in the volume of shipments.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, I guess this shows us how much of a priority agriculture is when the ministers do not know who should get up to answer the question.
Farmers and ranchers who use the temporary foreign worker program are stressed and they are angry. Service Canada auditors are treating them like criminals. Liberals are ordering officials to go onto farms, into homes, and to search computers, documents, and cellphones, with no worry about biosecurity, let alone property rights. No permission is necessary. The officials will even go into someone's house when there is no one home.
This is an unbelievable attack on Canadian agriculture. Why is the Prime Minister allowing farmers' property rights to be violated?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Employment
Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the work of the inspectors who work with Service Canada and follow all rules and regulations in doing this critical work.
Last year we assured Canadians that when we use labour from other countries, we would protect those folks, that we we would make sure employers were living up to their obligations of taking care of the very people who are working so hard on behalf of Canadians, and that is exactly what we are doing.
Georgina Jolibois NDP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls inquiry held only one closed door meeting in northern Saskatchewan, despite its promise to hold three meetings in northern Saskatchewan. Many families from Saskatchewan's north did not have the opportunity to share the stories of those they love.
Now the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs has said she received a request to extend the mandate of the inquiry for two more years.
When will the minister hold inquiry hearings in La Ronge, La Loche, and Meadow Lake?
Yvonne Jones LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable the amount of work the commission has been able to do, and the number of families who have been able to have their voices heard. However, this inquiry is far from over, and we know that. We are committed to ending the ongoing national tragedy. We thank the commission for the work that it has done so far.
The minister has received a request from the commission, and she is discussing this with families, indigenous partners, and today with provincial and territorial counterparts. We know that the commission's mandate is clear—
Kennedy Stewart NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to new pipeline projects, in 2014, the Prime Minister stated, “Governments may be able to issue permits, but only communities can grant permission.”
My community of Burnaby, first nations governments, and the Province of British Columbia all oppose the new Kinder Morgan pipeline and do not grant permission for it to proceed. Will the Prime Minister honour his words and not force this pipeline through communities without consent?
Jim Carr LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member said that all people oppose the pipeline. I do not think so. I think there are many people across Canada who agree with the government that responsibly moving our resources is a good idea to grow the Canadian economy. The expansion of export markets, a better price for our resources, jobs for Canadians, and indigenous partnerships, that is the recipe, not making blanket statements that have no reality to them.
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Mr. Speaker, first we learned the minister awarded the contract to his Liberal colleague's brother even though the application was missing critical elements. The company was not even incorporated until a week after the announcement. It did not have multiple first nations partners until after the announcement. It did not even have a boat, and still does not.
It gets even better. Yesterday we learned his colleague's brother is not the only well-known Liberal involved in the scandal. The minister's former colleague and former Liberal MP, Todd Russell, is also getting in on the action. How long has the minister known that Todd Russel is involved?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, my colleague again makes a series of assertions based on a proposal that he has not seen. He should be very careful before he asserts a series of things that perhaps are entirely false.
With respect to Mr. Russell, he is a respected elected indigenous leader from Newfoundland and Labrador, and he has decided that his community will benefit from participating in this initiative, something the previous Conservative government forgot to do when it had a similar proposal in 2014.
Todd Doherty Conservative Cariboo—Prince George, BC
Mr. Speaker, #clamscam.
The minister said media reports pertaining to the Arctic surf clam bid were inaccurate. However, it is not just the media who are questioning the validity of this process. The Liberal fisheries minister in Newfoundland and Labrador as well as numerous first nations are all speaking out. Who is really spreading misinformation? Is it the media? Is it the Liberal fisheries minister in Newfoundland, the Innu First Nation, the Qalipu First Nation, the Mi'kmaq First Nation, or is it this minister?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Mr. Speaker, I can assure you and all members of the House that it certainly is not me who would spread misinformation.
What I can tell the House is that our decision to include indigenous participation in this important offshore fishery was a historic decision. The previous Conservative government had a process in 2014-15 to add a new entrant to this fishery as well. Its process was very similar to the process that we initiated publicly in September. However, the Conservatives forgot to include indigenous people. We thought it was important to do so.
