House of Commons Hansard #318 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was summer.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
I would ask the hon. member for Edmonton Manning and others not to be speaking when someone else has the floor. The idea is that each side gets to make its arguments. Often the other side does not like those arguments, but each side gets to make them and we need to listen and hear the other side whether we like it or not.
The hon. opposition House leader.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Prime Minister is out of touch with the struggles of everyday Canadians. He is using his job to pay for his celebrity lifestyle.
The Prime Minister thinks he is entitled to his entitlements. He spares no expense when he wants to be pampered and showered with luxury. Who would have guessed that he could use $1.5 million for six days to dance around India? It is unbelievable. When will he stop using taxpayer dollars as his own personal bank account? It is not.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to secure over $1 billion in two-way investment between India and Canada. We were pleased to secure at least 5,800 new jobs in investment in Canada from that trip. We were pleased to do a lot of good work on that nine-day trip, for less than it cost Stephen Harper and the Conservatives to do a six-day trip just a few years before.
We stay focused on the things that matter to Canadians: on growing the economy in ways that are far greater than the Conservatives were able to do for 10 years.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, with regard to the India trip, I do not recall Prime Minister Harper bringing along on the trip his own personal chef—what was that: $17,000—and, may I add, a terrorist.
Maybe the Prime Minister needs to park the arrogance and swagger for just a split second. We know summer is around the corner. We know what that means. The Prime Minister is going to be taking quite a bit of time off, so perhaps he could at this moment have a bit of humility and tell Canadians he is sorry for abusing their tax dollars and he will not do it again.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite highlighted that, indeed, summer is around the corner. We will be spending it across the country engaging with Canadians, as will every member of this House. Hopefully, there will be a little time for families for many of us as well, but we know all of us in this House will continue to stay focused on our responsibilities for Canadians.
It is interesting that on this last day in the House, when plenty of big things are happening around the world, the Conservatives are making the choice to play petty politics and make personal attacks. There are so many big issues we can and should be talking about. I encourage them—
Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, does anyone think it is normal for people to get killed for demonstrating?
Is it true that people expressing their right to peaceful protest run the risk of being shot at? Though upsetting, that is the opinion of the former Governor of the Bank of Canada, David Dodge.
Demonstrations are on the horizon. Thousands of people are furious at the Liberal government's decision on the Kinder Morgan pipeline. They will speak out and they have the right to do so.
Can the Prime Minister assure the House that he will not use infiltration and intimidation tactics or excessive force against our fellow citizens?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, it is extremely important to us that Canadians have freedom of expression and the right to disagree with the government on decisions made in Canada. It is a very important right that we encourage.
However, obviously, we all expect these demonstrations, these expressions, to be carried out in accordance with the law and to not endanger others. We live under the rule of law and we expect those laws to be obeyed.
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, many Canadians are asking themselves what happened to that shiny, progressive, climate-fighting Prime Minister. He was the guy who once said, “No relationship is more important to me...than the [relationship] with Indigenous Peoples”,“governments grant permits...[but] only communities grant permission”, and this classic, “We have a chance to build...economies that are clean,...growing,...and forward-looking.” Then he bought a $4.5-billion, 65-year-old leaky pipeline.
For all those people who thought he was progressive, thought he believed in the new economy, and thought he was going to fight climate change, whatever happened to that guy?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, our government is investing $8 billion in clean technology and renewable energy. That is where we are focused on moving forward. We are also moving forward with the pan-Canadian approach to fight climate change, one that understands that growing the economy and protecting the environment need to go together.
Unfortunately, the NDP does not get that and still thinks there is a choice to be made between the environment and the economy. When it comes to indigenous peoples, it only listens to those who agree with it, and have nothing to say about the indigenous communities that support energy projects.
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice dismissed the concerns of Canadian auto workers, saying everything was just fine. It is not fine when TD Bank says 160,000 jobs are at risk. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is unable to provide details on her plan to protect the jobs of workers in the auto industry.
I am going to ask again a simple question to the Prime Minister. What is the plan to protect auto manufacturing jobs in Canada?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have consistently stood up for Canadian interests and Canadian jobs, and we will continue to. We are standing up strongly against these unfair steel and aluminum tariffs that are challenging for our industry and our workers. I have said to workers directly, right across the country, that we will be there for them.
The threat of tariffs that could be imposed on autos would be absolutely unacceptable. We continue to work with the industry in Canada and in the United States to ensure that never happens. We know we need to continue to stand up for Canadians, and we will do just that.
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Mr. Speaker, the government's superclusters program is said to hand over $950 million of Canadian taxpayer money to for-profit companies. Of the many applications received, nine were shortlisted, and then five were selected to receive the funds, shutting out agrifood, oil and gas, infrastructure, mobility systems, and mining applications.
How does the Prime Minister justify picking winners and losers, leaving Canadian taxpayers on the hook for his corporate welfare scheme?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to repeat the announcement that within our supercluster strategy, we are moving forward with the protein supercluster, which benefits prairie communities right across the Prairies. They will definitely benefit from the kinds of investments, the kinds of innovation, and the kinds of leadership that investment in agriculture needs to happen.
We are proud to be supporting our farmers and our agrifood businesses. The Conservatives talk a good game, but were never there for them when it came to actually creating growth.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, I will tell members about the Liberal support for agriculture. According to the numbers from the Parliamentary Budget Officer, the Liberals' carbon tax will devastate Canadian agriculture. At $50 a tonne, the Liberal carbon tax will cost a Manitoba pork producer more than $36,000 a year; a rancher in Alberta, $13,000; and a wheat grower in Saskatchewan, $12,000. As for potato farmers in P.E.I, the agriculture minister thinks they should be paying $20,000 a year in carbon tax.
Does the Prime Minister agree with these numbers? If not, will he end the cover-up and release the cost of the Liberals' farm-killing carbon tax?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives spend all of their time trying to twist in the wind because they do not admit that climate change is a problem, do not have a plan to fight climate change, and therefore cannot reveal the details of their plan.
We have been transparent in the election campaign and ever since, and in the budget. We have demonstrated that we are moving forward on growing our economy and protecting the environment, at the same time as moving forward on a concrete plan with all provinces to fight climate change. That is what we are doing. The Conservatives cannot say what they are doing because they do not know what they are doing, because they do not have a plan.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, the cover-up continues. The United States is not the only one attacking our dairy farmers. The Liberal Party is going to force dairy farmers to pay a carbon tax. For an average dairy farm, the price tag will be $17,000 in Quebec and $28,000 in British Columbia. Unfortunately for dairy farmers in the Maritimes, the Prime Minister did not forget about them. The bill will be $21,000 in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, $18,000 in Prince Edward Island, and—I hope everyone is sitting down—a whopping $39,000 in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Why is the Prime Minister condoning these attacks, which are threatening Canada's family farms?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are making up numbers to distract us from the fact that they have absolutely no intention of fighting climate change. They cannot tell us what their plan for fighting climate change is, because they have no plan for fighting climate change. All their attacks are designed to keep everyone from realizing that they have no plan and are not even interested in fighting climate change. The Conservatives have not changed a bit since their 10 years of inaction.
Georgina Jolibois NDP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, I asked the Liberals if they would support my private member's bill to make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory holiday. Instead of saying whether they would support it, the minister spoke about the government's celebrations taking place. People already know about the celebrations. What they want is for the Liberals to actually recognize the importance of providing people with a time and opportunity to celebrate.
Therefore, I am asking again: Will the Liberals support my bill and make National Indigenous Peoples Day a statutory holiday?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, no relationship is more important to us than the relationship with indigenous peoples, and that is why, when we talk about moving forward on issues on this, we need to make sure that it is not folks in Ottawa deciding what is going to happen. It needs to be in consultation and in partnership with indigenous people. That is why we are looking very closely at the calls to action, and looking very closely at relationships with indigenous communities to figure out the best way to move forward on commemorating reconciliation. We look forward to having more to say soon on this issue.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Mr. Speaker, so many indigenous people are asking for this day to be a statutory holiday, and the Prime Minister is clearly not listening.
The government continues to show that it does not really respect first nations and the U.N. declaration that it adopted. It is not listening to indigenous communities, as illustrated by the botched consultation on pipeline projects.
Will it at least support my colleague's bill so that all Canadians can celebrate with indigenous peoples and recognize their rights?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud that every year we come together to acknowledge the fundamental contributions that first nations, Inuit, and Métis people have made to the identity and culture of all Canadians. We are working with indigenous peoples to establish a nation-to-nation relationship between the Inuit and the crown and a government-to-government relationship based on respect, partnership, and recognition of rights. We will continue to work with our partners on shared priorities, including this celebration
Bob Nault Liberal Kenora, ON
Mr. Speaker, our government is proposing measures that represent a reasonable and common-sense approach to firearm policy to make Canadians less vulnerable to gun violence. First, I want to be clear that this bill would not recreate a federal long-gun registry.
As parliamentarians, I strongly believe that we have no greater responsibility than keeping Canadians safe. Can the Prime Minister explain how enhanced background checks makes society, gun owners, and Canadians safer and more secure?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we are strengthening Canada's firearm laws in a common-sense, focused, and effective way. We are enhancing background checks, which the committee had further strengthened, so that people with a history of criminality or mental illness associated with violence cannot access firearms. We are formalizing best practices among retailers so that they make sure buyers have a valid licence. We are also investing unprecedented funding of $327 million to tackle gun-related violence and gang activities in Canada.
We are prioritizing community safety while respecting responsible firearm ownership.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has no respect for the provinces. His government introduced a bill to legalize marijuana and is ordering the provinces to administer it. The provinces accepted the challenge and sought to implement a plan for their residents, but the Prime Minister dug in his heels and imposed conditions. During the 2015 federal election campaign, the Liberals promised to work in partnership with the provinces.
Here is the perfect opportunity for the Prime Minister to do so. Will he respect the decisions of Quebec and Manitoba to prohibit home cannabis production, yes or no?