House of Commons Hansard #285 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was environment.
Sylvie Boucher Conservative Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île dOrléans—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, now that the Prime Minister has said that it is in fact illegal to cross the border, could he tell the House what the plan is and what he intends to do to stop illegal migration at the border?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, again we see that the Conservatives are only interested in playing politics. This is something I have been saying for a long time, and we have been talking about our plan for responding to this situation for a long time as well.
We are working with all orders of government, ensuring the integrity of our immigration system as a whole, keeping Canadians safe, and investing in our border services and immigration systems so that we can process all these applications.
Emmanuel Dubourg Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, for many years, Montreal residents have been calling for public transit to be improved. Our government offered help last year by pledging to invest in the Réseau électrique métropolitain project, which is going to transform the region. However, that is not enough. Residents want to know when the metro's blue line will be extended.
Could the right hon. Prime Minister tell us what our government is doing to move this project forward?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer the member for Bourassa's question, especially since, as the member for Papineau, I am thrilled to see progress happening on the blue line.
Two weeks ago, I got together with Premier Couillard and Mayor Plante to announce funding to prepare the business case and engineering studies for the extension of Montreal's blue line. The blue line project will improve metro access for residents of Montreal's east end, after a decade of Conservative inaction on Quebec infrastructure. I am proud to say we are going ahead with this project.
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, I thought my questions about the Prime Minister's scandalous trip to India had come to an end, but the government's story keeps changing. Yesterday, we learned that the RCMP knew about the invitation of Mr. Atwal at least a day before the national security adviser told the committee that he knew. Security forces and Mr. Jean were kept in the dark by the Prime Minister's Office.
My question is simple. I just want a date. When did the Prime Minister learn that his friend Jas was on his invite list for the India state dinner?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the RCMP has corrected the information and has accepted full responsibility for the erroneous information that went out. However, the facts remain. There is no great conspiracy here that we are keeping from Canadians. The approach is one of concern that we have. We continue to deepen the friendships and the relationships with India, while ensuring that we are rigorous in our approach to defending Canadian values.
Daniel Blaikie NDP Elmwood—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, normally budget items have to get Treasury Board approval before being included in the main estimates. That is why last year we all agreed to delay the tabling of the main estimates so that budget items could be approved by the Treasury Board and included in them. However, this year's estimates include seven billion dollars' worth of budget initiatives that have not gone through the Treasury Board process and should be brought forward in supplementary estimates. It is a big change in the way we approve government spending, and that is why I have asked the President of the Treasury Board to request a take note debate in the House so that we can learn more about this and pronounce on it.
Will the Prime Minister support that request?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, one of the things we wanted to do in improving access, transparency, and openness in government was align the estimates process with the budget process. In previous years, as parliamentarians who have been here for a while will know, voting on estimates, even though it might have happened after a budget, had no relation to the budget that a government had just put forward. We chose to create greater transparency and, even more, greater ability by opposition MPs to hold the government to account on spending, which as we well know is at the core of the functioning of this place.
We are pleased with the movement we are making—
Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB
Mr. Speaker, during the last election campaign, our party committed to renewing our nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples.
In Manitoba, the Kapyong Barracks property was declared surplus by the Department of National Defence in 2001. The site comprises 40 buildings and over 65 hectares of land. Unlike the previous government, we are approaching reconciliation with a whole-of-government approach.
Can the Prime Minister inform the House as to what role DND and our government are playing in reconciliation with first nations in Canada?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Saint Boniface—Saint Vital for his leadership.
We recognize the importance of the Kapyong Barracks land to the Treaty No. 1 first nations, and we remain committed to working together in the spirit of reconciliation.
Last week, we were proud to announce an agreement in principle with the Treaty No. 1 first nations for the Kapyong Barracks land. This agreement is a concrete step on the path to reconciliation and renewing the relationship with indigenous peoples. We will continue working with the Treaty No. 1 first nations to develop a final settlement agreement.
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, now Canadians know the truth. We know that both the RCMP and the PMO knew about Mr. Atwal's invite, but it seems that the PMO did not share that information with the national security adviser. How can Canadians have confidence in the Prime Minister, when his office holds back information from security agencies and from his own national security adviser?
Since the Prime Minister will not answer simple questions, will he commit to appointing an independent council to review the handling of the Atwal Indian affair so that Canadians can get to the bottom of this?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are twisting and torquing the facts in any which way they can to try to make political hay out of an issue that is simply not one.
The RCMP corrected the record, but nothing about the actual timeline has changed in terms of when the information became available and how we acted on it immediately. For the members opposite to simply suggest that there is some grand conspiracy here is simply irresponsible.
I was pleased that the leader of the official opposition took that confidential briefing. I was pleased that members got—
Hunter Tootoo Independent Nunavut, NU
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
In a speech delivered on April 7, the Minister of Indigenous Services acknowledged that Canada has failed to address the many social determinants that lead to poor health and poverty in indigenous communities. Many in my riding of Nunavut feel that Canada has failed them and continues to fail them. Funding for housing, education, infrastructure, and health services is lacking as a direct result of the per capita funding allocation.
Will the Prime Minister commit his government to changing the per capita funding allocation to more of a needs-based approach?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to building a new relationship together with indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership in a distinctions-based approach that recognizes the uniqueness of the Inuit-crown partnership.
Through budget 2018, Nunavut will receive $1.6 billion in 2018-19 in major transfers, an increase of over $50 million from the previous year. We are also investing over $500 million to make progress in the areas identified through the Inuit-Crown Partnership Committee, such as health and wellness, skills and training, and housing.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Amadou Sanneh, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs of the Republic of the Gambia.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order, and in a moment I am going to move a motion as well. We just heard in the question period exchange not only opposition members, including the Conservative House leader and other members, but the Prime Minister misrepresent to the House by suggesting that those who cross over at unofficial borders are doing this illegally. In fact, it states very clearly in section 133 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that it is not illegal for people to make crossings at unofficial border crossings. In fact, it is not a violation of the Criminal Code.
Therefore, I would like to move a motion and call on the Prime Minister to apologize for using the term “illegal”.
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Mr. Speaker, during question period, the Prime Minister suggested that the opposition was inventing the controversy around the government funding protesters of the Kinder Morgan pipeline. I would like to seek the unanimous consent of the House to table the Dogwood Initiative job posting for an organizing assistant asking for someone to apply who will work directly with the Dogwood provincial organizer and the field organizing team to help the organizing network stop the Kinder Morgan pipeline. I would like unanimous consent to table that.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition.
While I am on my feet, moved:
That the House do now proceed to orders of the day.