Debates of May 1st, 2018

National Local Food Day Act

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague across the floor had me at perogies, based on my Ukrainian heritage.

Agriculture, and local agriculture in particular, is essential for health across the country, but it is also essential for the economy. As I mentioned earlier, in 2016 agriculture contributed $111.9 billion to the economy and accounted for 6.7% of Canada's GDP. The agriculture and agrifood sector as a whole provides one in eight Canadian jobs, employing 2.3 million people. It is a major industry in Canada, essential to our economy.

What I really like about Bill C-281 is that it provides the opportunity for all members of the House to celebrate what happens in their own ridings every day and to celebrate their local food producers.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Kootenay—Columbia for introducing this very timely bill. I heard that there is a lot of turkey farming in my colleague's riding. Maybe that is why he chose the Friday before Thanksgiving to be national local food day. Like all members in the House, he probably wanted to promote Canadian local food and invite all Canadians to feast on turkeys from his riding in British Columbia.

Could the hon. member provide a bit more detail on his definition of local? As I was just saying, a turkey raised in British Columbia is Canadian. It is therefore local to us. However, does his bill have a more specific definition of the word “local” as applied to food?

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, to me, local food is just that. It is whatever happens in a particular riding.

I will use turkeys as an example. When I was regional manager with the Ministry of the Environment, we introduced a wild turkey season for hunting in my riding. That contributed about a million dollars to the economy in my region, because, as every hunter knows, when a new species shows up, hunters have to go out and buy a new gun, a new outfit, and an ATV.

Local food can be wild. Hunting and fishing are very big in my riding. Local food on the coast is more about the ocean and the things that can be found there. In the Prairies, there are a number of different crops, such as wheat, peas, and other products.

What I like about local food and celebrating local food day is that it is relevant to every member of Parliament, every senator, and every Canadian in terms of its importance.

[Jean-Claude Poissant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Kootenay—Columbia for introducing this bill for our farmers.

More and more consumers now want to know where their food comes from. They want to reconnect with the agricultural sector and support their local economy. At the same time, the agriculture and agrifood sector has a lot to gain from strengthening its relationship with its clients. Agriculture and agrifood businesses can get a better idea of what consumers need and adapt accordingly by establishing direct contact with them.

I think many people would be surprised to see all the progress that has been made on Canadian farms over the past few years. Gone are the days of pitchforks and horse-drawn ploughs.

Farmers now drive GPS-guided tractors that will soon be self-driving. Technology has opened up a whole new world to the agriculture and agrifood sector. Precision farming now allows farmers to adjust inputs such as water and fertilizer to meet the specific needs of each individual plant. It is that accurate.

Not only do these advances save farmers money, but they also ease the pressure on the environment by reducing the amount of inputs. Farmers now use drones to detect pests, pinpoint nutrient deficiencies in crops, and locate weeds. These technologies have infinite possibilities.

Farms have also made considerable progress in the area of animal health and food safety. Many farms now apply strict biosecurity measures. For example, hog farms have a shower-in/shower-out protocol to protect the animals' health.

Responsible use of animal health products is another way producers protect animals' health and ensure food safety. Producers take food safety seriously because it is the key to their success. Their clients, whether they are local or international consumers, must be certain that Canadian agriculture and agrifood products pose absolutely no risk.

All these changes make it possible for Canadians to be better informed than ever about where their food comes from. Today's average consumer no longer has a connection to the land. That is why agricultural awareness and the consumer confidence it inspires are so important.

Locally produced food plays a critical role in promoting agriculture. An initiative like national local food day could help strengthen ties between consumers and food producers. That is why agricultural awareness and public confidence are key elements of the new Canadian agricultural partnership. The partnership, which came into effect on April 1, 2018, includes a $3-billion federal-provincial-territorial investment that will help the sector innovate, grow, and prosper. It is the first framework agreement to emphasize the critical importance of maintaining public confidence in our food system. The partnership recognizes that governments and industry must work together to ensure that Canadian and foreign consumers have confidence in Canada's agriculture and agrifood products.

Our producers and processors have earned and deserve consumers' confidence. With this partnership, our government will be supporting efforts to maintain public confidence and increase awareness of food and agricultural practices. The partnership also includes a new focus on agricultural inclusiveness to foster diversity in this sector. The partnership will break down barriers for people with disabilities, women, indigenous communities, and youth to help them take on leadership roles in agriculture.

The Canadian agricultural partnership is also designed to meet the needs of producers of a wide variety of products in order to ensure that all businesses benefit from these investments, no matter their size. Just like our country, the more diversified the sector is, the more prosperous it will be. That includes the dynamic sector of organic products. We support the organic farming industry because it is one of the many farming systems meeting the needs of Canadian consumers. Today, the market for certified organic products in Canada is over $5 billion, making Canada one of the largest markets for organics in the world, and demand for these products continues to grow.

According to the industry, two out of three Canadian consumers buy organic products. That is a 10% increase over last year. According to Statistics Canada, the number of organic farms in Canada has increased by two-thirds over the past 15 years. In addition to this impressive domestic growth, Canadian organic exports are worth more than half a billion dollars annually.

Our government is proud to support the organic sector, which is good for the agricultural industry and for our economy. Over the past two and a half years, our government has invested nearly $20 million to support the organic sector through new technology, new markets, green jobs for young people, and research.

On January 26, 2018, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced an investment of over $400,000 to keep Canada's organic industry strong and growing. Most of the funding, $250,000, will be used to help Canada's organic industry complete the mandatory review of the Canadian organic standards.

This government investment will help the industry ensure that consumers know that, when they are buying Canadian products, they are buying the best products available. Canadians will know that they are buying certified organic products of Canada that meet a strict set of standards.

In closing, I would like to quote from one of the first debates on agriculture in the House. In 1884, the member for Rouville, Quebec, spoke on behalf of Canadian farmers. Both our country and our country's agricultural industry were still very young at that time. The member said that agriculture was the basis of Canada's prosperity.

Over 130 years later, new technology and new practices have revolutionized the agricultural industry and increased its productivity and sustainability, but these words are just as relevant today. Farmers create jobs and stimulate growth in every community across the country.

I would like to invite all Canadians to thank a farmer, to visit a farm, and to talk to a farmer about how food gets from farm to table. There is no better way to learn about the food we eat than by talking to the person who grows it.

I would like to once again thank the member for Kootenay—Columbia for introducing this bill.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my turn to rise and say to my colleague from Kootenay—Columbia that his idea to designate the Friday before Thanksgiving each year as national local food day is an excellent one. I am quite certain that each and every one of us in the House has a very personal story to tell about food, whether it be local or from somewhere else. When we talk about local food production, we are talking about people in our everyday lives. We are talking about the restaurant owners who feed us when we are visiting our ridings. We are talking about the crops growing in rows that we drive by as we visit our ridings. Local food is about much more than just what we eat; it is about how we live in the regions.

As I mentioned to my colleague in a previous question, the term “local” is very broad. We can eat “Canadian” and, since Canada is such a huge country, local food can come from a long way away. I assume my colleague from Kootenay—Columbia means « very » local, in other words, close to home, from a field that he can drive to in his car and then go to a brewery and taste a local beer. He mentioned the many local breweries in his riding. Let us assume we are talking about very local food, then. I imagine that is his meaning.

Agriculture is an excellent way to stimulate not only our appetite, but also the regional economy. It has a positive impact on population growth, the vitality of our towns, and the businesses and services in each of our regions.

Agriculture is the main source of income for thousands of people in Mégantic—L'Érable. I am proud of the people who devote their lives to the quest for innovative ideas about agricultural production and are passionate about finding ways of getting their products onto local people's plates. Ninety-six percent of the RCM of L'Érable is agricultural land. In 2017, the RCM decided to make the most of unused agricultural land that major producers have no interest in farming. One thing the RCM did was let young people who are interested in agriculture but who do not necessarily want to pursue it as a career use the land for new kinds of unconventional farming and livestock operations. That aligns very well with the national day the member for Kootenay—Columbia wants to celebrate each year. It is the same idea.

I did some research to prepare for this speech on national local food day. I happened to come across an article on the website for Enfin!, a Lac-Mégantic company that is passionate about our grandmothers' recipes and that promotes local food through its catering company and sugar shack. That is a plug, and here is why. Sophie Dorval takes care of the website. Here is part of what she wrote to promote local food:

Did you know that, out of all the age brackets, Quebeckers 65 and up are most likely to make the effort to buy local?...I'm not going to go on about the benefits of buying local, because you've probably heard it all before. No, I want to share my thoughts on what it looks like. From the inside, I want to say that I'm proud of your choices.

...

You forget your lunch, so you head over to Marché Lavallée to pick up a sandwich (thanks, by the way!). You see the HUGE display of Quebec beers and tell yourself that you'll come back tomorrow night with your buddy to pick up some homemade sausages and bbq potatoes for your Oktoberfest party.

You don't realize it, but in buying your lunch, you helped support families in our region and in Quebec. The Première Moisson bakery uses local, chemical-free flour for all of its breads (your sandwich). Your onions and garlic scapes (pesto) were organically grown this summer by Angélique and Manuel in St-Romain. The onions in your onion preserve were delivered with a smile from less than 30 km away and were mixed with the finest maple syrup (France and Sylvio also bought their separator in St-Ludger at Lapierre Equipment) and LEO (beer from La Gare'nison). The ham and turkey were bought at Marché Lavallée and were labelled “Aliment Québec”. Your cheese comes from the Fromagerie La Chaudière, where the young single mom who lives next door works, and your uncle too. Your lettuce, zucchini, and peppers come from the community garden where Sophie and Vincent toiled long and hard to grow all kinds of tasty organic veggies.

People have no idea that something as simple as choosing a local product at the grocery store can support jobs and bring about real change in the lives of folks back home. She goes on:

Some days this summer, you even ate veggies that Sophie harvested in the field a few hours before I put them in your sandwich. In the winter, food comes from elsewhere in Quebec or from Ontario.

It is an impressive piece of writing. I came across it by chance. I congratulate Sophie on writing such a magnificent text to let people know that unremarkable, everyday actions can change the lives of many people. These are such easy things to do. People just have to be aware and choose to buy foods produced close to home by people they know. That includes medium-sized businesses like Fromagerie La Chaudière, which has about 100 employees. It includes all the people we know and people in our communities who can make a living because consumers make the simple choice to buy local.

The day before Thanksgiving weekend, there could be an awareness campaign to encourage people to make additional efforts to ensure that they are eating locally produced food. Obviously, not all the turkeys could come from Kootenay—Columbia. People spend a little more, they have family and friends over, and they could also be doing something to help their local economy.

There is also a difference in taste. The less food has to travel, the fresher it is. These farms tend to be smaller, so people take greater care with their products. I am not saying that products from major producers are not good. I am just saying that people put a little more love into the products they grow, harvest, and deliver themselves to local markets. I am convinced that this love makes a big difference in the taste and in the palates of those who consume local products.

I did some more research and found Docteur bonne bouffe, a small website in France that explains why it is important to eat local. What does it mean to buy and eat local? What are the advantages of local food? Food is eaten when in season. In other words, if we really want to reap the benefits of local food, we will eat strawberries when in season. When maple sap is running, we will definitely visit a producer to buy a tin of fresh maple syrup, that sweet golden syrup from Mégantic—L'Érable. That is a plug people are hearing a little more often.

As I mentioned, the products are full of flavour. If they are organic and we know the producers, we know how they were produced and we do not have to worry about the use of different products.

These goods sometimes command a higher price, but not always. It just depends. Sometimes, they cost a little more, but we are doing our part to support the local economy. It is also an environmental choice, if we consider that this food does not have to be shipped by plane or boat across thousands of kilometres. It makes sense to choose local food.

Canada is a major agricultural producer. I was listening to the parliamentary secretary talk about the importance of agriculture in Canada since 1884. Even before that, when the first colonists arrived, the first thing that happened was that they were given some land to farm. They knew very well that the food sent from France or England would no longer be very good when it arrived in Canada. The first colonists chose to eat locally and to make the country prosper with local products. We should always keep that in mind.

I would address one last message to everyone living in big cities. Sometimes, people make quick decisions without really thinking about what they are putting on their plates. They should take the time to see where these products come from. This small gesture of choosing quality products to put in their grocery carts would create hundreds and thousands of jobs in Canada.

I hope that we will celebrate the first national local food day together next Thanksgiving.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Kootenay—Columbia for presenting this important bill and for all of his hard work on preparing this bill on agriculture and promoting local food. So far, we have had a great debate. It is around suppertime right now, and a lot of us are getting hungry thinking about all the amazing food that is produced in Canada.

This is an important bill that all parliamentarians can get behind. We know that everybody eats. Sometimes there are situations even in Canada, a rich country, when families and kids do not have the opportunity to eat, for multiple reasons.

This is an important bill to talk about local food and to encourage other people to buy local food, and also to thank farmers for the work that they do to feed us. We know that farmers work 365 days a year. They do not often have a vacation. They are very hard-working people, so this is an important bill to give thanks to primary producers, who do amazing work.

Canada is considered as the breadbasket of the world. A lot of countries and people across the world are very envious of the food that we produce here in Canada. Therefore, I would like to speak a bit about where this bill comes from.

There has been a lot of talk about local food here in the House. There have been a lot of movements across Canada. A lot more people are trying to buy locally and encourage the local food movement, so making this bill a reality and to have a national food day the Friday before Thanksgiving is a great step in the right direction.

I had the pleasure of sitting on the agriculture committee beginning in 2012. As of recently, I am no longer on the committee because I have new responsibilities, but I used to work with Malcolm Allen from Welland, who was a great source of inspiration for me. We were kind of the tag team for agriculture. He brought forward the idea of a national food day, and we also had the honour to work together to prepare a national food strategy. That was the first time a political party had put forward a vision for agriculture, not just for farmers but for Canadians. We put that forward in 2014. I know that the government is consulting on a food strategy, so supporting local farmers and local food here in Canada kind of fits into its priorities.

I want to talk about Berthier—Maskinongé. Since 2011, I have had the honour of representing the people of Berthier—Maskinongé, a riding located between Montreal and Trois-Rivières. It is a rural area, so I represent many farmers. The riding is home to many dairy, poultry, and organic farms. It is home to value-added businesses.

I love summer. Yes, the weather is warmer, but we can also buy more local products at our farmers' markets. Berthier—Maskinongé is home to all kinds of farmers' markets and many organizations that work to promote local food. Every summer, I take part in the Yamachiche farmers' market. I work with a cook there. He is the expert because, although I have some talents, cooking is not always my strong suit. We buy a number of local products and then cook them and have people try them. It is really important to make people aware of new products. In my riding, there is also the Saint-Élie-de-Caxton farmers' market, the Saint-Norbert farmers' market, and the Lanoraie farmers' market. I would also be remiss if I failed to mention the Marché de solidarité régionale de Brandon. This farmers' market has been working to promote local products for years. It is an initiative of the AmiEs de la Terre de Brandon. They do a lot of work to promote food self-sufficiency with high-quality products in Brandon and the surrounding areas. They promote local and green agrifood.

They also talk a lot about protecting the environment. Buying local requires less transportation. It is a great way of reducing our environmental footprint. Fewer greenhouse gas emissions are produced because less transportation is required. The Marché de solidarité régionale de Brandon also does a lot of work for soil preservation by reducing the use of chemicals. That is why I often shop at that market.

I can say that we have amazing producers in Berthier—Maskinongé. I could talk about them all night long.

D'Autray, in the Lanaudière region, has an organization called Goûtez Lanaudière, which promotes foods from Lanaudière producers.

There is also a tourist route for discovering Lanaudière and its wineries. Former tobacco plantations have been turned into vineyards that make fantastic wine. They include the Vent maudit vineyard, the Carone vineyard, the Aux pieds des noyers vineyard, and the Saint-Gabriel vineyard in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, which is an organic vineyard. There are not many organic vineyards in Quebec.

The Mauricie region has the Miam designation, which is placed on products that represent the best of the Mauricie's agrifood industry. It serves as a kind of certification for local producers that sell their own products, such as turkey, beef, cheese, and beer. The Miam designation showcases the products of the Mauricie region. In the grocery store and at farmers' markets, the Miam label shows that the food is produced locally.

To quote Jean-Marie Giguère, president of the Mauricie UPA or agricultural producers' union:

If every person in Quebec spent $20 a week on local products, we could create 100,000 jobs in Quebec. For the Mauricie, the proportion is the same, amounting to about 10,000 jobs.

That is why it is so important to support buying local everywhere. Buying local is not just restricted to the regions. Many local products are sold in urban areas as well. Produce is being grown on rooftops, and plenty of products are available in farmers' markets. It is tremendously important to support buying local and support local food. Buying local reduces our environmental impact. Local food contains fewer preservatives and is fresh. Farmers' markets are crucial.

I think the government can also support the bill introduced by my colleague from Kootenay—Columbia. It could be promoted to raise public awareness, as my Conservative colleague just said in his speech. The government needs to encourage people to buy local and promote local food.

There is one other thing I want to talk about. We are talking about local food but we should also be talking about traditional food for first nations.

We have a great opportunity here to thank farmers for the wonderful work they do. Going forward with this local food day would be a step in the right direction. All members of the House can talk about food systems in their ridings and how proud they are of the food that is produced in Canada.

The debate so far has been very positive. We hope that the bill will go to committee and that next year, we will celebrate national local food day on the Friday before Thanksgiving.

It is really important to work with and educate kids too, both in my riding and across Quebec.

The Union des producteurs agricoles organizes an open house. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and my Conservative colleague know what I am talking about. Quebec producers, like pork, poultry, or organic farmers, open their doors for the day so the public can visit and learn about where milk comes from and how food is produced, for example.

It is important to promote buying local and to raise public awareness, because working in agriculture, being a farmer, is the best job in the world. I think we should thank all farmers for their work, and a good way to do so is for everyone in the House to vote in favour of this bill.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Toronto--Danforth.

I want to point out that the member will have eight minutes instead of the traditional 10, and she will be able to take up the remaining two minutes when this topic comes up again.

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy today to stand in support of this bill. I would like to thank my friend across the way from Kootenay—Columbia for bringing forth this bill for us to recognize the importance of local foods by having a local food day.

I support this bill because it gives us an opportunity to celebrate our nutritious and delicious local foods. In fact, as the day has gone, we have heard a great deal about different recipes and local foods, and there is a lot of excitement about these opportunities. It is also a chance for us to talk about the importance of where our food comes from, how it is grown, and who is growing our food. It is an opportunity for us to have those conversations and celebrate at the same time.

When I heard about this day, the first thing that came to my mind was one of my family traditions, which is that every year around Thanksgiving we go to an apple orchard together to pick apples. It is one of those great family events for us. We go out, spend some time together, and get to have some wonderful apples. There is really nothing like an apple freshly picked from the tree when it is in season. It is the most wonderful thing. It is also a chance for us to explore the country and meet some of our farmers.

In addition, we get to go and pick other fruits and vegetables. It was always of importance for me to take my children out as they were growing up, and we would pick raspberries, strawberries, potatoes—which was very messy—peas, and all those types of things. It was very important to me for us to learn, as people growing up in the city, about the importance of our farmers and where our food comes from.

We do not always have to leave the city to do that, though. There are opportunities right in our community. One of the things I celebrate every spring is the opening of the farmers' markets in my community. It is a wonderful chance for people to get together and see neighbours, and also to talk with farmers and buy local food.

In only two weeks, I am looking forward to one of the farmers' markets opening up, the East York Farmers' Market at the East York Civic Centre. It is there every Tuesday starting May 15, and runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It has great food, and it is really nice to see people coming together outside of the Civic Centre to celebrate our local foods.

Shortly on the heels of that, we will have the Leslieville Farmers' Market opening up. That one is also fun. There is great music along with the food. It is a chance to bring people together. Every Saturday starting May 20, at Jonathan Ashbridge Park, people will be out and celebrating local food.

Having a local food day is a chance for us to talk about how we can do more of this, more bringing people together in cities and celebrating our local foods.

Not to be left out, the last farmers' market that is going to be opening up in my community is the Withrow Park Farmers' Market. It is every Saturday, starting June 2, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. That is another place where they have different community events, such as “100 in 1 Day”, where people were able to learn how to build homes for bees and all of those types of things. We learn about pollinators and food issues while we are there.

As I said, having a local food day really encourages us to have that conversation about the importance of our local foods. It is a chance to highlight people working in the farmers' markets and their volunteers, the farmers who bring the food to the markets, and learn about everything we can do to make sure we protect the lands on which this food is grown. That is another important aspect.

I found it very interesting that a poll of Ontario consumers conducted by Environics Analytics in partnership with the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation in 2007 found that 80% of Ontarians polled preferred to buy locally grown produce. In fact, 91% of the people polled said that they would buy locally grown food if they could find it in the grocery stores. The poll shows that in my home province of Ontario—and I expect this is similar across our country—people support local food production. They actually seek it out and would really like that to be something they can find in their stores.

In Toronto, one of the places where those local foods can be found and are grown is in our Greenbelt. I cannot emphasize how important our Greenbelt is in the greater Toronto area to Ontario, and really across our country, for food.

In fact, Ontario's Greenbelt is the world's largest permanently protected greenbelt. It has almost two million acres. It protects farmland and forests, but also agricultural lands. It really surprised me that it is the world's largest greenbelt and, not only that, of the approximately two million acres, over 900,000 acres of the Greenbelt are farmland. As it is so close to the city of Toronto, local food day would be an opportunity for people to explore and get to know more about the Greenbelt that surrounds them. In fact, if the weather is nice, people could even choose to explore, on local food day, the Greenbelt by cycling, because there are cycling trails. There are 462 kilometres of cycling routes through the Greenbelt. What a wonderful opportunity to cycle along those routes and see some of our great farms close by.

As we celebrate local food day, it is also important to think about how we can promote and support farmers. It is a chance for us to grow an awareness of the importance of our local farmlands. I do not want us to underestimate the importance of that conversation because, as has happened recently in conversations members have had in their communities, people tell us that they believe there are better uses for our agricultural land. They tell us that we should be using some of the Greenbelt for other uses, such as development. Local food day would give us an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting the Greenbelt. It would give us a reason to have conversations with people so they could learn more about why we need to make sure those agricultural lands are protected.

We can talk about the reasons we like our local food and recipes, but it is also about healthy food that we can grow locally. It is good for our environment to have these green spaces, It is good for our economy, which people do not always talk about. Local food and our agricultural markets are very important to our economy as well.

Finally, as we have been talking today, people have shared recipes and talked about their favourite restaurants and foods in their areas. It is about community as well. It is wonderful that food is a way to bring people together and if we have local food day, I am excited to push that forward, have the conversations, and also eat some wonderful foods together.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The time provided for private members' business has now expired, and the order is dropped to the bottom of the order of precedence on the Order Paper.

A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.

Natural Resources

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when Kinder Morgan announced that it would stop all non-essential work on the Trans Mountain extension project until it received assurances that there would be no more government delays, I do not think anyone was surprised. They were concerned, yes; angered, sure; saddened and disappointed, of course; but not surprised. That is because the Liberal government has failed time and again to support the Canadian energy sector. It has changed the rules, vetoed projects that were already independently approved, imposed burdensome regulations, and spoken publicly about phasing out the Canadian energy sector.

I am not surprised, because I know that actions have consequences, and the consequence of the Liberal government's failure to support the energy sector is that investors no longer have confidence in our business environment. On its own, the Prime Minister's failure to show leadership to get the Trans Mountain pipeline built would be detrimental to the energy sector. However, when it is combined with the cancellation of the energy east pipeline and the veto of the northern gateway pipeline, it is clear that there is a pattern.

The Liberal government's actions are making it increasingly difficult for the natural resources industry to access any global markets whatsoever. If Bill C-69 is passed in its current form, I question whether we will ever see another major energy project approved. This raises the stakes of the Trans Mountain extension. It is essential that the Liberal government ensure that this project goes forward.

Over the last two years, we have witnessed the flight of foreign investment from the Canadian energy sector, and I fear that this will only increase as investors watch this development in the Trans Mountain project and question whether to invest in projects without dependable access to global markets, not to mention the burdensome regulations.

This phenomenon has very real implications for the families and communities that depend on the energy sector for their livelihoods. More than 110,000 energy workers have lost their jobs, thanks to the Prime Minister's policies and the resulting decline in energy investment.

While knocking on doors in my riding of Calgary Midnapore, I have spoken with countless men and women who have lost their jobs in the energy sector over the past two years and who are now struggling to make ends meet. The Liberal government needs to show that it cares about the energy sector and the hard-working Canadians whose livelihoods depend on it.

The stakes are incredibly high for this industry, and the Trans Mountain extension must be built. What concrete steps is the Liberal government taking to make sure that this happens?

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Calgary Midnapore for her question.

My colleague spoke about the importance of leadership and action in her speech, and I completely agree with her on that. This is why I am proud of our government and, in particular, of the Prime Minister's leadership in making the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion a reality.

The Prime Minister has been clear, all across the country, about how urgent it is that this project move forward, since it is in the national interest and reflects our profound belief that economic prosperity and environmental protection can go hand in hand. This has not always been the case in Canada's recent history.

For instance, not a single pipeline was built along the coast in 10 years, and in fact, environmental protections were weakened considerably. Obviously, our government did not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. That is why one of the first things we did when we took office was to introduce an interim set of guiding principles for reviews of major resource development projects already in the works. This was a new approach intended to maintain investors' confidence. We also increased public consultation and the participation of indigenous peoples considerably.

Just a few months later, in June 2016, we launched a comprehensive review to come up with a permanent solution for conducting environmental assessments and regulatory reviews in Canada. The result is Bill C-69, which provides for stricter rules for carrying out major projects and getting our energy resources to global markets. It includes plans for a new Canadian energy regulator to replace the National Energy Board, which has not been modified since the National Energy Board Act came into effect in 1959.

Our objective is clear: to develop the vital infrastructure that is critical to our capacity to get Canadian resources to global markets, while also protecting our environment, which includes protecting our coastlines and combatting climate change.

The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is part of that. It is part of a sensible approach that includes diversifying our energy markets, improving environmental safety, and creating thousands of good jobs for the middle class, including good jobs for first nations communities. The Prime Minister has been very clear and consistent on this. He said that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project is a vital strategic interest to Canada and insisted that it be built.

That is why he also asked the Minister of Finance to engage in formal financial discussions with the pipeline proponent. We are also looking at legislative options to clearly assert the Government of Canada's jurisdiction over this project in order to see it come to fruition.

That is what I call leadership. We were not just posturing. We made a commitment.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments. Unfortunately, I disagree with him. I see this completely differently.

The fate of the energy sector since the election of the Liberals has been disastrous. Just last week we learned that not only had the Liberal government failed to champion Trans Mountain, but it also had decided to fund a group opposing the project through the Canada summer jobs program. This is absolutely unacceptable.

Project after project has been cancelled or vetoed, and foreign investment and jobs have been lost as a result. The Liberal government needs to take concrete action to ensure that the Trans Mountain expansion project does not become just another name on a long list of failed energy projects. The consequences of this are nothing short of devastating.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, again, I want to be clear.

As I said in my speech, our government and the Prime Minister in particular wanted to ensure that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project goes forward because it is in the national interest. We need this infrastructure to get our energy resources to other markets.

That is why we are going to make every effort to support Canada's energy industry, as well as the jobs it represents. I would remind hon. members that not a single kilometre of pipeline was built under the former government. We are committed to ensuring that this project moves ahead. Lastly, I would like the hon. member to know that her French is excellent.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, at this late hour, on behalf of the House, we would like to thank you for staying late every night to debate matters of the nation, and we would also like to thank the table officers for doing their job well.

The issue I am keeping you late for tonight, Mr. Speaker, is something that I think is of great importance, and that is what we include in Canada's citizenship guide.

First of all, I want to thank the over 50,000 Canadians who signed the petition to pressure the government to keep references to female genital mutilation in Canada's citizenship guide. This was spurred by a report that came out in July 2017. It was written by a Canadian Press author and published in the Toronto Star. If I am citing the Toronto Star, there must be an issue here.

The article talked about the fact that there was a leaked copy of the citizenship guide. It said:

In the draft version, the reference to barbaric cultural practices is gone, as is the inclusion of getting a job as one of the responsibilities of citizenship.

After months of bashing my head against the wall, and after 50,000 signatures, we managed to get the government to do the right thing. It has said that it is going to include FGM in the citizenship guide. Why I had to spend all of my parliamentary time getting the government to do that is beyond me. It is actually bananas that this was ever going to be removed from there.

Now, there is the other half of that statement. In the draft guide, the inclusion of getting a job as one of the responsibilities of citizenship is being removed from the citizenship guide. Can members imagine that? Newcomers are coming to Canada, and getting a job is not a responsibility. I do not understand that.

In fact, the sponsorship agreement for Canadians who raise private money to sponsor refugees to come to Canada has been changed by the Liberal government as well, and the section that used to say that finding a job or becoming self-sufficient is a responsibility of refugees now says that it is aspirational. The sponsorship agreement has also been changed such that if a refugee refuses a reasonable job offer, the sponsors cannot withhold funds.

I am just wondering, with this change in the citizenship guide and the sponsorship agreement, why the government has decided all of a sudden to move Canada's immigration system away from that principle. I believe in immigration. We should have more immigration. Immigration is what is going to make Canada's future prosperous, if it is done in a planned, orderly way.

However, what the government has done is move Canada's immigration system away from that principle and toward one of entitlement. With these changes, the government is focusing on entitlement rather than contribution and self-sufficiency.

My question for the parliamentary secretary is very simple. Will he give credit to the 50,000 people who signed petitions, bashed their head against the wall, and made the Prime Minister do the right thing and keep this in the citizenship guide? Will he thank them, and will he also ensure that having a job as a responsibility of new Canadians is also included in the citizenship guide?

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, once again, I believe that I have participated in a few adjournment debates with the member for Calgary Nose Hill. This evening, she wants an answer to a question about the citizenship guide and female genital mutilation. That is exactly the question I am going to answer. If she would like answers about other matters, she can ask questions at other adjournment debates.

As we know, under the Canadian Citizenship Act, citizenship applicants between 18 and 54 must demonstrate knowledge of Canada and of the responsibilities of citizenship.

The current citizenship guide, entitled Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship, is a study guide that newcomers use to prepare for the citizenship test, which they must pass to become Canadian citizens.

After they arrive, immigrants are given the guide at ports of entry or by service providers. It contains information about Canada's history, symbols, and regions, and even about how our government works. It is available in French and English, online and as a hard copy. It also contains questions similar to those on the test. Last year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada began extensive consultations with a broad range of stakeholders, including national indigenous organizations and many experts, with a view to updating the guide.

The goal was to ensure that the revised content of the citizenship study guide was representative of all Canadians, including indigenous peoples, minorities, women, francophones, Canadians with disabilities, and a broad range of other Canadians. As consultations progress, the draft content of the guide will continue to evolve based on the comments we receive. Once again, I would like to remind the member that we held these consultations in partnership with all of these groups, groups that the former government neglected and forgot about.

To come back to the question that the member for Calgary Nose Hill asked about female genital mutilation, I would like to remind her that, under the previous government, her good friend Jason Kenney removed all references to LGBTQ communities from the citizenship guide. I think the former minister of citizenship and immigration should be ashamed of that. I think the member for Calgary Nose Hill should be ashamed of what her former minister did when he removed all references to LGBTQ communities from the old citizenship guide. We want to make sure those groups are properly represented.

The consultations on the new guide are still ongoing, and its content has not yet been finalized. However, we can confirm that the new document will include information about Canada's laws against gender-based violence, including female genital mutilation.

Once again, that was the question that the member for Calgary Nose Hill wanted answered. I gave her the answer to that question.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, it gives me great pleasure to underscore the fact that it was under a Conservative government and Conservative immigration minister Jason Kenney that, for the first time, the rights of LGBTQ people were included in Canada's citizenship guide. It is a wonderful thing. The citizenship guide is definitively a place to underscore the rights of all Canadians, including members of that community, because Canada is a pluralism and does that well.

I want people who are watching to know that for the parliamentary secretary to stand and say he is not going to answer this question because the member cannot ask this question, it is procedurally incorrect. It is a responsibility of every member in this place to be able to ask questions and debate. The fact that the parliamentary secretary stands and diligently reads talking points that were undoubtedly painstakingly put together by department officials this afternoon is highly embarrassing and he can do better. I encourage him to do so in the future.

[Serge Cormier, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I think I may have gotten under the skin of the member for Calgary Nose Hill. I know the subject she is talking about inside out, but once again, I think she knows the rules of the House better than I do because she has been here longer than I have. She made reference to talking points prepared for me by departmental officials or whoever else. I respect the public servants and our employees who prepare those notes for us. I think that the member for Calgary Nose Hill is well aware that former minister Jason Kenney and his government removed references to the LGBTQ community from the citizenship guide. I think she should be ashamed of the previous government, which she was part of.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 2 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 7:27 p.m.)