House of Commons Hansard #276 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was firearms.
Brigitte Sansoucy NDP Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have been asking important questions about the infrastructure bank for months. To date, the government has been unable to answer them. What is more, appointments to the board are only raising more questions. The government had announced a transparent selection process based on merit, but half of the board members have close ties to the Liberal Party.
How can this government explain the cronyism that has beset the appointment process at the infrastructure bank?
Marc Miller LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure bank is an important part of our $186 billion infrastructure plan to build sustainable, strong, and inclusive communities.
The group of leaders on the board of directors has a great deal of experience and can help the bank attract private capital in order to build 21st century infrastructure. Let us be clear: board members were not accepted or rejected because of their political affiliation.
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, any appointment process that makes sure mostly Liberals are appointed is not fair, open, or transparent in any way. These appointments of Liberal insiders and supporters is just old-fashioned cronyism at the Infrastructure Bank. While Canadians are waiting for infrastructure projects that are years overdue, while Canadians wait for housing, Liberals are stacking the board with wealthy supporters.
Why does the government not put Canadians' interests ahead of the Liberal Party and replace the discredited Infrastructure Bank with public investment in infrastructure?
Marc Miller LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, let me repeat this in English. The Canada Infrastructure Bank is an important part of our government's 12-year $186-billion plan to build strong, sustainable, and inclusive communities across Canada, as we promised to do during the last election. The diverse group of leaders who compose the board bring a wide range of experience to the bank and attract private capital to invest alongside public dollars in building more infrastructure in the public interest.
Let me be clear that political affiliation was neither a qualifying nor a disqualifying criterion for prospective board members. The member will note that within that board is someone who had made a donation to the NDP.
Mary Ng Liberal Markham—Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Markham—Thornhill, I am fortunate to be able to meet with scientists and researchers at Seneca College and York University to see the incredible work they are doing.
After 10 years of stalled funding and neglect, in 2016 with our first budget, our government immediately began rebuilding Canadian science and research with the largest investment in fundamental research in over a decade.
Can the Minister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities inform the House of the next steps that our government will take to support science, research, and innovation in Canada?
Kirsty Duncan LiberalMinister of Science and Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Markham—Thornhill for her strong support of science.
After muzzling scientists and ignoring evidence for 10 years, the Conservatives are back to attacking Canadian science. Last week, the Conservatives voted against funding for scientists and researchers to do their important work for Canadians.
Our government is committed to supporting science in Canada to improve Canadians' lives.
That is why budget 2018 announced the largest investment in discovery science in Canadian history.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, forgive me for being stunningly bewildered, but the minister has said today that there is no need for the national security adviser to testify before a committee for the reason that the media has reported everything the national security adviser told the reporters. This just in: a very esteemed senior individual journalist, David Akin, has just said, “I had one of those briefings from the 'senior government official'. At several points...the official told me stuff he said I couldn't print.”
Let us give up the pretense. Let us give up the—
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. That is not quite the same as recognizing someone in the gallery.
The hon. Minister of Public Safety.
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, perhaps the opposition would like to interrogate Mr. Akin, but the point is that the whole classified context and detail has been offered to the official opposition. Members of the official opposition continue to refuse to receive that information. One can only assume that they want to continue to play a political game rather than get informed of all the facts and not just from Mr. Akin, but directly from the senior officials of the Government of Canada.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. I would ask the opposition House leader not to yell when someone else has the floor. As all members should know, the time to speak is when a member has the floor, and I give that now to the hon. member for Milton.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government has a troubling history that every time its members get pushed on questions that show the fact that they do not have a good answer, they resort to name calling.
Yesterday at the finance committee I was questioning the minister with respect to his own record on promoting women in senior positions. In response the minister said I was one of those people he needed to drag with him and I was a neanderthal. It is unacceptable language. Could the minister please clarify what he was trying to say?
Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I was at the committee meeting yesterday. It is unfortunate that the opposition members make such personal attacks, when they have an opportunity to discuss budget 2018 and provide constructive criticism.
They do everything but talk about the budget while we are tackling the following problems: in Canada, a woman earns an average of 69 cents for every dollar earned by a man; there is still much to do to achieve pay equity; and women's participation in the economy is not on par with men's.
If I have the opportunity to reply to a second question, I would be pleased to list the very concrete measures in budget 2018 that will address these challenges.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, there is no attack in saying the facts. One, the minister never once sought to ensure he had proper representation on his private sector board. Two, the finance department is woefully lacking women in senior positions by 4:11. Three, in his own office there is only one woman who is a member of his senior staff. That is his choice.
I have every right to ask questions that make the government uncomfortable and I am going to continue to do it whether those members like it or not.
Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, we often see in the House a type of selective amnesia. I would like to remind the House that the cabinet of the previous prime minister, Stephen Harper, was far from gender-balanced. That is the example set by the Conservatives for Canadians.
Budget 2018 provides for shared parental leave in order to foster more sharing of family responsibilities and to ease women's return to work, because that is what is important to Canadians. This represents an investment of $1.2 billion over five years. The Conservatives should have thought of that in their 10 years in power. This works in Quebec and Sweden, and it is only one of many measures that will foster true gender equality.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the only parliamentarian who was subject to a personal attack yesterday in committee was the member for Milton. That is the truth. We did not know that these people could be aggressive towards women. What we now know is that they are poor managers and, even worse, secretive.
Today, iPolitics reported that the President of the Treasury Board decided to set aside $7 billion in the budget to be used when he deems it necessary, and to not provide any follow-up information. This is anything but transparent.
Why is the President of the Treasury Board being so secretive?
Scott Brison LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer this question to point out that this government is increasing transparency and accountability. For the first time in recent history, the main estimates will include all budget measures for the upcoming fiscal year. I would draw the hon. member's attention to the budget. In fact, funding in the main estimates will be tied to a detailed table A2.11 from the budget outlining exactly how much will go to each initiative in each department and they will only be able to spend the money on each specific initiative.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
I am not sure if the member for Edmonton West heard me. I cannot imagine that his constituents think that he should be talking when he does not have the floor. Perhaps they could tell him otherwise.
The hon. member for Saskatoon West.
Sheri Benson NDP Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, budget 2018 was a disappointment with very little new money to help Canadians find safe, affordable housing.
The $15.9-billion co-investment fund announced last fall is supposed to start accepting applications in less than a week, but so far, there are no details. Meanwhile, our existing rental stock is aging, and communities are waiting anxiously to make repairs and build new affordable housing, but so far there is nothing.
How much longer will Canadians have to wait?
Jean-Yves Duclos LiberalMinister of Families
Mr. Speaker, on November 22, we were very proud to launch the first ever national housing strategy. Canadians had been waiting a long time for this strategy. We had the fortune of building it with a large number of partners, and with the support of many organizations. We are very proud of the result. We are even more proud of the fact that over the next 10 years, we will work very hard with a number of partners to make sure that more Canadians have access to affordable housing in this great country.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister vacations in the mansions of his millionaire friends, first nations in northern Manitoba are facing a housing crisis. Tataskweyak Cree Nation is facing a shortage of 300 homes and Sagkeeng First Nation is facing a shortage of 250 homes, yet budget 2018 commits to enough money to build one house per reserve, if they are lucky.
The shortage of housing on first nations leads to health and well-being challenges for these communities. Communities are trying to find solutions and yet the federal government is not at the table.
Why is the government ignoring the housing crisis on first nations across Canada?
Don Rusnak LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to co-developing distinctions-based indigenous housing strategies with our first nations, Inuit, and Métis partners. This is why budget 2018 invests $600 million over three years for first nations housing, $500 million over 10 years for Métis Nation housing, and $400 million over 10 years for an Inuit-led housing plan. This funding is a significant step toward addressing the housing needs in indigenous communities.
Our government is committed to closing the unacceptable housing gap for indigenous communities.
Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives undertook consultations that Liberals refused to, and we led the charge against the Prime Minister's summer jobs values test. While Liberals started attacking us, now they are starting to back down, but that will not be good enough for the kids this year, for charities that feed the hungry this year, and for churches that provide child care this year.
Why are the Liberals waiting until next year to do the right thing?
Rodger Cuzner LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment
Mr. Speaker, make no mistake that the actions taken by this government were actions that would defend the rights of all Canadians. Women's groups, immigrants, and the gay, lesbian, transgendered, queer community fought long, hard battles to earn those rights, and they expect their government to stand and defend them. I am proud to be part of a government that did exactly that.
Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Liberal Party proves that they cannot be trusted to defend the rights of Canadians.
The Canada summer jobs program was working well under the previous Conservative government. This government plowed straight ahead, instead of taking the advice of the official opposition, which showed that the values test violated Canadians' fundamental rights.
Since the Minister of Labour now admits that her values test was inappropriate, why does the Prime Minister not ask her to get rid of it immediately instead of waiting for the next election?