Debates of April 25th, 2018

International Trade

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we have always said, we will defend supply management. It was a Liberal government that established supply management more than 40 years ago. We know that it works very well, not just for dairy producers, but for our entire agricultural industry. That is why we successfully defended supply management in several international negotiations. We will continue to do so, particularly in our NAFTA negotiations.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, farmers know the truth. CETA, TPP, every deal the Liberals sign they are betraying supply management.

Key environmental advocates in all three NAFTA countries have published a report warning that the current deal locks the whole continent into high carbon futures. This will absolutely prevent us from meeting our Paris agreement commitment. Two decades of aggressive energy proportionality provisions and it is clear what we must do to fight climate change.

Would the Prime Minister assure Canadians that energy proportionality will be removed from NAFTA?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we all know very well the NDP's perspective on trade deals. We respectfully disagree with the NDP, which cannot seem to find trade deals of any good for Canadians. We know they help Canadian workers. We know they help Canadian small businesses. We know they help Canadian consumers.

However, we recognize there is a need to be more progressive in our trade deals. That is why we are bringing in labour chapters, bringing in gender chapters, and making sure we are moving forward in a way that includes everyone in the benefits of trade. That is what Canadians elected when they elected a progressive government.

Health

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, sadly, cancer continues to be the leading cause of death in Canada. In fact, nearly half of all Canadians will be affected in their lifetime. Cancer does not discriminate. It is just as likely to strike someone in Davenport, of whatever background and means, as it is anywhere else in Canada.

April is also cancer awareness month.

Can the Prime Minister update the House on the actions our government has taken on cancer research?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Davenport for her long-time advocacy on this important issue.

All Canadians know just how devastating a cancer diagnosis can be for families and friends. That is why we are proud to promote partnerships such as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, with funding of up to $50 million a year.

It is through the strength of these partnerships that we can collectively reduce risk factors, support research, and ensure better treatments today, but also for years to come.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals refer to border crossings into Canada at points of entry that are not monitored by the CBSA as “irregular”. However, such crossings are considered a crime under the law. If the government does not enforce its own law, the message to the public is that the law is arbitrary.

Yes or no, does the Prime Minister think that it is acceptable for people to break the law and cross the border illegally?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, how sad to see members opposite using fear to drive wedges.

It is indeed illegal to cross the border between border crossings. However, we are also party to UN conventions that require us to analyze asylum claims using a rigorous process. We are currently defending our system, protecting Canadians, ensuring public safety, but also protecting the integrity of our immigration system.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just confirmed what we have been saying for a year and a half: it is illegal to cross our border. I thank him for admitting that.

Now, what does the Prime Minister plan to do to prevent people from illegally entering Canada?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether the member opposite is asking Canada to withdraw from international conventions on refugees, but that is what he seems to be doing.

We are ensuring that our immigration system rigorously applies to all, and we are reassuring Canadians that they are safe, although there will always be challenges to our security. The members opposite are instilling fear and doubt among Canadians, while we are doing what Canadians expect of us: protecting our system, maintaining the integrity of our laws, and also—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. opposition House leader.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, last year alone over 20,000 people crossed the border illegally, as the Prime Minister now acknowledges, and that problem is only getting worse. The people who are really suffering are those men, women, and their families that are trying to come to Canada legally, but are being put at the back of the line because of the Prime Minister's inaction.

The Prime Minister has just acknowledged that the problem at the border is a problem of legality. He is the Prime Minister, after all. What is his answer to this ever-growing crisis?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, first, the answer is not to stoke fear among Canadians and new arrivals about what is actually happening. We have a strong and rigorous immigration system that is being applied to everyone who arrives in this country. If they arrive between border points, they are arrested. They go through a process whereby if they call for asylum, we have to respect our international conventions to analyze the request for asylum.

That is what Canadians expect, and that is what we are bringing forward.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, I am not invoking or talking about fear. I am talking about an issue at our border where people are coming across the border illegally. Our borders matter, or do they not matter to the Prime Minister?

The Prime Minister needs to answer to Canadians who are concerned. They are not racist. Canadians who are concerned are not racist. People who are trying to come to Canada legally are not racist. They have a legitimate concern.

The Prime Minister, instead of laughing, needs to answer the question.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, what we have been saying for months and indeed years now is that the integrity of Canada's immigration system is holding.

We are ensuring that anyone who arrives in this country, whether it is regularly or irregularly, goes through security checks and a rigorous immigration system that Canadians can be reassured is being applied to the full extent of the laws and rules that Canadians expect.

To suggest otherwise is simply irresponsible, polarizing politics.

The Environment

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I was thrilled to hear that the Prime Minister is open to considering my motion on a national strategy to combat plastics in our lakes and oceans. I extended an invitation to him to discuss this very important issue, and I look forward to hearing from him.

However, I was also concerned that he failed to follow other countries, like the U.K., and take a simple step forward, such as banning plastic straws. I am pretty sure Shirley Temples would taste the same without plastic straws.

Will the Prime Minister commit, today, to doing something simple, like moving toward banning plastic straws? It is simple.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to continuing to have excellent conversations with the member about the oceans and their protection.

Unfortunately for the NDP members, though, nothing is ever as simple as they would like it to be. We are committed and moving forward to protect the oceans, particularly from plastics, as part of our G7 leadership.

We intend to look not just at macroplastics but also at microplastics and even nanoplastics. There are many issues facing our oceans, and we are going to get them right. That is what Canadians expect.

Agriculture and Agrifood

[Ruth Ellen Brosseau, NDP, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last spring, a number of farmers in my region of Berthier—Maskinongé experienced exceptional flooding that caused significant damage to their farmland.

Despite repeated calls from the Union des producteurs agricoles, the federal government has not done anything. As a result, many farmers have lost more than $100,000 and half of their crops. I urge the government to take immediate action.

Will the Prime Minister confirm today in the House that he will provide assistance to farmers in my region?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we recognize just how important the agricultural industry is to our economy; it is even a source of economic growth.

We were very happy to approve a protein industries supercluster, which will provide solutions across the country. We remain concerned about dairy producers and farmers in Berthier—Maskinongé. We will work with them, just like we will work to protect farmers across the country.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Ted Falk, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister misled many would-be migrants to illegally cross the border.

In response to a problem of his own making, the Prime Minister is throwing Canadian tax dollars at a problem with no concrete plan. Yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to even commit to a plan.

Can the Prime Minister tell the House if he believes it is wrong to illegally cross the border and jump the queue?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, not only have I answered that question today, but I have answered it many times over the past months. Crossing a border between official border crossings is illegal.

What the members opposite want us to do is step back from our international commitments—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I am so pleased everyone is happy, but one person at a time, please. Order. The right hon. Prime Minister has the floor.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what the members opposite seem to take issue with is actually the commitment Canada has made to the international community to respect the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. If someone claims asylum because that person is fleeing persecution, war, or violence, we are required to analyze that request. We are a party to the international convention on refugees and therefore we will stay true to our obligations.

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister acknowledges that the immigration crisis he triggered at the border is illegal, but he is doing nothing. We are expecting between 300 and 400 illegal entries per day this year.

Still the government does nothing, and that penalizes immigrants who come in legally and follow the process. We hear about people waiting up to 11 years. The Liberals' approach is unjust and inhumane.

Why the double standard? Why do illegal migrants get to jump the queue while immigrants who follow this country's rules have to wait in line?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is completely irresponsible of the Conservatives to arouse fears and concerns about our immigration system and refugees.

We enforce every one of the laws and regulations relating to our immigration system. Canadians have nothing to worry about when it comes to security and our system. The reason for the delays is that the Harper Conservatives spent 10 years cutting our immigration services and getting rid of the employees who process applications. They did not do what Canadians expected of them. They did not manage our immigration system responsibly.