Debates of April 17th, 2018

TRIUMF Particle Accelerator

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TRIUMF, Canada's particle accelerator centre, a hub for discovery and innovation. Founded in 1968 as the regional tri-university meson facility, TRIUMF is now a multidisciplinary, nationwide partnership of 20 universities.

Powered by top talent and advanced accelerator infrastructure, including the world's largest cyclotron and a new superconducting linear accelerator, TRIUMF is driving the leading edge in science, innovation, and technology.

As a perfect example of the value of the pure science our government embraces, TRIUMF is enhancing the lives of Canadians as it continues to push the frontiers in research to advance science, medicine, and business. By asking the big questions about our universe and exploring tiny particles, TRIUMF boosts the knowledge economy. By providing inspiration and training to the next generations of young scientists and innovators, TRIUMF ensures that Canada will continue to lead for the next 50 years--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Markham—Unionville.

Vaisakhi

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

[Member spoke in Punjabi]

[English]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my best wishes to everyone in Canada and abroad celebrating Vaisakhi. Tomorrow I am hosting a Vaisakhi celebration in the Sir John A. Macdonald Building at 5 p.m. I hope all members can join me.

Sikhs and non-Sikhs alike will participate in vibrant parades and celebrations. I will be attending a Vaisakhi parade this weekend in Vancouver and a Khalsa Day parade in Toronto next weekend.

I am grateful that there will be so many people joining in on the celebrations tomorrow evening.

This is also a perfect day to honour the significant contributions Sikhs have made to our great country since Confederation. I wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday. Happy Vaisakhi.

National Volunteer Week

[Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Liberal, Whitby, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to offer condolences to the Whitby fire department as they lay to rest today Chief Fire Protection Officer Nick Webb, who died in the line of duty.

As we celebrate National Volunteer Week, I want to highlight some awesome civic spirit and dedication in Whitby. In particular, I recognize Jason and Brenda Atkins, of 360insights, who raised $46,000 for a stem facility in Haiti; James Potvin, nine years old, who rode his bike from Whitby to Ottawa last year and will ride to Coney Island this year to raise money for Grandview Children's Hospital; Isaac Wanzama of Geekspeak Commerce, who hosted a 36-hour hack-a-thon to build an app to fight climate change; and Wounded Warriors and their In This Together campaign to raise awareness of mental health for veterans and first responders.

Whitby Fire and local businesses have raised money for children to get surgery. Neighbours gather for movies in the park to feed the needy in Durham.

I invite all my colleagues to join me in congratulating the people of Whitby for their incredible spirit of community and generosity.

Jean-Yves Phaneuf and Mark Chaplin

[Pierre Breton, Liberal, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me immense pleasure to pay tribute to Jean-Yves Phaneuf and Mark Chaplin, who received the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers from the Governor General of Canada this morning for their outstanding volunteer contributions to my riding of Shefford.

Mr. Phaneuf has dedicated more than 40 years of his life to promoting youth soccer. He is the founder of the Cosmos de Granby soccer club and the driving force behind Canada's biggest soccer tournament. He has been inducted into the Quebec soccer hall of fame.

Mr. Chaplin has been volunteering with the Navy League of Canada since 2009, where he fosters and maintains the well-being of the cadet corps of the municipality of Valcourt. He was honoured for his tireless dedication to helping youth in our region.

Mr. Phaneuf and Mr. Chaplin, who are here in Ottawa this afternoon, fully deserve these commendations for their contributions to helping youth in our community. I want to extend my warmest congratulations to them and thank them for their great generosity.

Vimy Ridge

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on April 9, Canadians marked the 101st anniversary of Vimy Ridge. Vimy Ridge Day marks one of the most important events in Canadian history. It commemorates the coming together of all four First World War corps for the first time to accomplish what no other allied army was able to do.

The Germans had heavily fortified the seven-kilometre ridge. Canadian soldiers were posted along what was known as the crater line, only metres apart from the German positions and one of the most dangerous positions on the front. At 5:30 a.m. on the morning of April 9, 1917, the Canadians pressed forward. It cost 10,000 Canadian lives to take the ridge. Another 11,000 were wounded.

For over a century, and without pause, the men and women of our Canadian Armed Forces have not wavered in their resolve to defend our country, our values, and our way of life.

Lest we forget.

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as a proud fellow chartered professional accountant, I am delighted to highlight an important milestone for Canada's accounting profession.

On April 1, the accounting profession celebrated its fifth anniversary of operations.

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, CPA Canada, is one of the largest national accounting bodies in the world, with over 210,000 members at home and abroad.

CPA Canada's mission is to act in the public interest and contribute to economic and social development.

Members of the CPA profession work with the government on vital issues, such as tax policy, financial literacy, climate change, labour mobility, and international trade.

I invite all parliamentarians to join me in commending them for their efforts and wishing CPA Canada a happy anniversary.

Charter of Rights and Freedoms

[Colin Fraser, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, 36 years ago today, Queen Elizabeth II signed into law the Constitution Act, 1982, which contains the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The charter is a statement of Canada's principles, including fundamental freedoms, democratic rights, mobility rights, legal rights, equality rights, and language rights, and it provides a framework to assert these cherished principles. The body of jurisprudence that has developed under the charter has breathed life into the document.

We are blessed to live in one of the best countries in the world. However, we should never take that blessing for granted and we must continue to work for liberty, justice, and equality for all our citizens.

I invite all of us here in Parliament, and indeed all Canadians, to reflect on the principles expressed 36 years ago in the charter and the responsibility we have to bequeath to the generations of Canadians to follow an even more free, fair, and democratic Canada.

Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our nation grieves the tragic accident involving the Humboldt Broncos. While this is a national tragedy, it has hit particularly close to home for my community of St. Albert. Four of the young men who lost their lives played for the St. Albert Raiders hockey team: Conner Lukan, Jaxon Joseph, Logan Hunter, and Stephen Wack. Each of these young men touched the lives of so many people in our community.

In the wake of this tragedy, the people of St. Albert have come together to show their love and support for all of those who have been impacted by this tragedy. Conner, Jaxon, Logan, and Stephen's positive contributions will always be remembered.

Fadi Ziadeh

[Fayçal El-Khoury, Liberal, Laval—Les Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during a ceremony at Rideau Hall on January 29, the Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada, received the letters of credence of the head of the Lebanon mission, His Excellency Fadi Ziadeh, ambassador of the Republic of Lebanon in Canada.

On behalf of my colleagues in the House, I want to wish Mr. Ziadeh the best of luck in his mandate. He was the consul general of Lebanon in Montreal for six years, where he already left his mark by modernizing consular services for the Lebanese community.

I sincerely hope that our new ambassador will help our relations with Lebanon to continue to progress. We are determined to develop our bilateral, economic, cultural, and political ties and work together in international forums in which we share common interests.

Long live Canada. Love live Lebanon.

The Environment

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is way behind on meeting its objectives with respect to protecting marine environments. The Liberal government committed to protecting at least 10% of marine environments by 2020. Unfortunately, the government is taking shortcuts by creating marine refuges. This invention, which has no legal basis, does not even comply with internationally recognized criteria.

This is why I tabled Motion No. 169, to create a marine protected area in the St. Lawrence Estuary. This motion builds on a motion I moved in 2014 to protect the belugas and the fragile ecosystem in the St. Lawrence. This government must take immediate action and listen to the public and to organizations like the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the David Suzuki Foundation. I urge the public to join me in calling for the creation of marine protected areas to preserve our biodiversity.

Humboldt Broncos Bus Crash

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Friday, April 6 marked a very dark day for the community of Humboldt, the province of Saskatchewan, and all of Canada.

While there are no words to capture the devastation and heartbreak that too many families are experiencing right now, there is hope. A debt of gratitude is owed to our emergency medical services personnel, doctors, nurses, crisis workers, and chaplains, who performed their duties with dedication and professionalism under the most difficult of circumstances.

Saskatchewanians are strong and resilient, but this tragedy has reminded us that we need one another. At times like this, we draw on our loved ones, friends, and neighbours for strength. The outpouring of support from Canada and around the world, and from members on both sides of this place, also reminds us of what is truly important in life: faith, love, family, and community.

We love you, Humboldt, and our thoughts and prayers remain with you and all those touched by this tragedy.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

G7 Youth Delegates

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week, Canada has the privilege to welcome youth delegates to Ottawa from the G7 member countries; the European Union; Charlevoix, the G7 host city; and several indigenous communities.

We welcome these 36 young leaders as they come together to find youth-led solutions to gender equality, the future of work in a changing economy, and climate change and the environment.

This gathering would not be possible without the work of the Young Diplomats of Canada, most notably co-chairs Sabrina Grover and Max Seunik and the entire YDC team.

As the first government to recognize the Y7 as a formal engagement group, setting a benchmark for the G7, we look forward to accepting the official communique of the Y7 this Wednesday. I am confident that the same can be said of the G7 leaders this coming June.

As our Prime Minister said, young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. These young leaders are proof of that.

Natural Resources

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline was announced with a promise of a $7.4 billion investment in our economy and the creation of 37,000 Canadian jobs. It was great news for an industry that was already suffering from the loss of previously announced projects, such as energy east.

Now, just months after this approval, we find ourselves in a crisis and the future of this project in serious danger. Was the Prime Minister really serious when he said he wanted to phase out the oil sands from the Canadian economy?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada approved the pipeline because of the jobs that it will create, because of the better price we will get for our natural resources in export markets, and because of the importance not only for western Canadians but for the whole country to learn that the future of the energy industry in Canada is vital to our economic growth. The Prime Minister has reiterated that objective as recently as two days ago.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, words without action are simply words, and the reality is that this government has a record of making great announcements but an appalling record of actually implementing the things it is announcing.

We have the third-largest oil reserves in the world, and our economy depends upon the success of this industry. The uncertainty over Trans Mountain is costing us $40 million a day, and billions of dollars more are fleeing our country. Why is the Prime Minister shortchanging Canadians through his failure to deliver?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we understand the uncertainty that has been surrounding the project, an uncertainty that is due in large part to the actions and the threat of actions by the Government of British Columbia, which is why the Prime Minister said very clearly to all Canadians on Sunday that he has asked the Minister of Finance to engage in financial discussions with Kinder Morgan and others while the government looks at all legislative options.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister speaks of one province, but this is not a crisis that is caused by one province or another; it is a crisis that is caused simply by the lack of leadership and the inability of the government to actually get the job done. We have seen this before, and as long as the government fails to step up, we are going to see it again.

Eighty billion dollars in investment has left the energy sector, as well as 100,000 well-paying Canadian jobs. These results are simply unacceptable. When will the Prime Minister stop failing the Canadian families who are relying on these projects?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, in 10 years of the Harper government, they failed—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

I know why they would be sensitive. It is because not one kilometre of pipeline was built so that we could access global markets. Ninety-nine per cent of the exports of oil and gas go to one country, the United States. I think all members of the House would agree that this is not in Canada's interest.

The Prime Minister could not be clearer. This project is good for Canada, and it will be built.

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

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians of good faith want this project to work. This is a $7.5-billion project that, it is important to note, has the support of over 40 first nations communities. First nations that will be directly affected by this project want it to happen. Canadians want it. The problem is that the Prime Minister of Canada does not believe in Canadian oil and does not like it. Over a year ago, he said “it's time to phase them out”, to cut back on Canadian oil and get rid of it.

With such a bad salesperson, is it any wonder the project is stalled?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we know how important this project is. The Trans Mountain expansion is in the national interest. That is why we support it, and that is why it will get built. We believe Canada's economic growth goes hand in hand with important environmental responsibilities. Alberta's natural resources are important to Canada. British Columbia has a role to play and a responsibility. The federal government will ensure that this bill goes through.

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

Mr. Speaker, the government is so invested in this project that the Prime Minister said that we need to gradually phase out Canadian oil. It was the Prime Minister of Canada himself who said that. It makes no sense.

We all know that we are in this mess because of British Columbia, the NDP government, and the Greens, but we have known that for 10 months now.

What did the Prime Minister do to ensure that this project would go through today?