Debates of June 4th, 2018

Portugal Heritage Month

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in June we celebrate Portugal Heritage Month and the great contributions made by Canadians of Portuguese descent. The Luso community in Canada numbers over half a million members, and we thank them for their contributions in shaping communities from coast to coast to coast.

Portugual Day, June 10, is commemorated both in Portugal and around the world, by Portuguese honouring the 16th century poet, Luís Vaz de Camões, whose prose captured Portugal's age of discovery.

Next week, we will host our third annual Portugal Day on the Hill. It is a special day of pride for me, both as a Portuguese immigrant who came to Canada at the age of two with my family, and as the MP for Mississauga East—Cooksville and resident of Mississauga, a city which over 20,000 Portuguese Canadians call home.

It was an honour for the community to have Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa's official visit to Canada, to deepen our people to people—

Markham Thunder

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a Markham Thunder fan and a proud supporter of women's hockey in Canada.

This year, the Markham Thunder women's hockey team won the Clarkson Cup.

It is my honour, and Minister Jane Philpott's honour, to invite them to Ottawa today to meet the Prime Minister.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member is not to use the names of members in the House.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

It is my honour and that of Jane Philpott—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I must again remind the member not to use names of members. Perhaps she could adjust her statement as she finishes it to ensure that no further names are included.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Markham—Thornhill, ON]

It is my honour to invite them to Ottawa today to meet the Prime Minister.

In 2007, the Canadian Women's Hockey League was created to be a space for women at the highest level of the sport to compete, as well as a commitment to the future of women's hockey in our country.

This team represents the best of women's hockey: the spirit, the tenacity, and the heart to never give up on one's dreams, no matter who says someone is too big or is just a girl.

I am proud to welcome the Clarkson Cup champions to our nation's capital.

74th Anniversary of D-Day

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this Wednesday, June 6th, marks the 74th anniversary of D-Day, the allied invasion of Normandy, commencing the liberation of Europe during World War II. Canada played a large role in the planning and execution of Operation Overlord. Canadian soldiers were tasked with capturing Juno Beach.

Those who were liberated appreciated the sacrifices that so many Canadians made. An example is located right on Juno Beach. The first building in Europe liberated during the invasion of Normandy overlooks the beach on which hundreds of Canadians died. The iconic house, seen in so many photos of D-Day, is known as “Maison des Canadiens”.

Today the house is owned by the family of Hervé Hoffer. After meeting visiting Canadian veterans in 1984, Hoffer decided to honour the sacrifices made by decorating his house with photographs, flags, and other artifacts. Visitors are welcomed inside the house with gratitude and hospitality. Though Hoffer died in January 2017, we must ensure that the house, one of the most important buildings in Canadian military history, remains open to those who wish to visit and remember the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers 74 years ago.

National Indigenous History Month

[Michael McLeod, Liberal, Northwest Territories, NT]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite members of the House, and all Canadians, to join me in celebrating National Indigenous History Month, beginning June 1st. This is a great opportunity to learn about the culture, traditions, and contributions of first nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada.

National Indigenous History Month marks a time to recognize the rich heritage and diversity of indigenous peoples, and promote respect, understanding, and appreciation. On June 21, people should be sure to share in the celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day by participating in an event held in their area. I encourage everyone to take part in the variety of unique events that will be taking place all month long.

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho.

Italian Heritage Month

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, June is Italian Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the artistic, culinary, cultural, and musical contributions of our fellow citizens of Italian descent.

This recognition of our deep connection with our roots and our traditions reflects the pride and accomplishments of a strong, united community. The harmonious fusion of cultures where pasta and pizza are standard fare in Canadian homes and poutine and smoked meat are a must in Italian weddings is a testament to the beauty of our diversity.

In that spirit, members from all parties will gather tomorrow for the third annual Canada Italy Day on the Hill to celebrate all things Italian.

[Member spoke in Italian as follows:]

Viva l'Italia e grazie Canada per la vostra amicizia and [that's] amore.

M.G. L'Heureux Farm

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

Mr. Speaker, World Milk Day is a UN initiative celebrated in early July recognizing the benefits of this white gold.

Like farms owned by many Canadian families, the M. G. L'Heureux farm in Saint-Henri, Bellechasse, proudly produces high-quality milk. The farm has been family-owned for 90 years, and since 1986 has been run by brothers Michel and Gilles and their spouses Raymonde and Nancy. The farm has experienced such growth that it is now the top dairy operation in eastern Quebec.

In addition to managing a herd of 580 dairy cows producing 8 million tonnes of milk a year, the family cultivates 2,700 acres of forage and cereal crops. This farm is known not only for its volume of production and use of advanced technology, but also for its Quebec and Latin American workers, as well as the successful efforts to transition ownership to the next generation.

The L'Heureux family was recently awarded the Grande Distinction Desjardins. On this World Milk Day, we thank and congratulate this family for their passion and commitment to sustainable prosperity.

Pride Season

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, as the special adviser to the Prime Minister on LGBTQ2 issues, it is a singular honour to rise in the House today to celebrate the beginning of pride season.

Whether we live in Steinbach, Gaspé, Kelowna, St. John's, Jasper, Kincardine, Regina, Moncton, or Yellowknife, we are all called to be true to ourselves and to love whomever we want to love. While celebrating, we must remain vigilant, continue to make progress, and fight homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia.

For trans persons, homeless queer youth, re-closeted seniors, queer people of colour, and for two-spirit Canadians, LGBTQ2 rights are human rights. Human rights have no borders and they apply to all people.

This summer, the pride flag calls upon us to not rest until we have served all the peoples. Let us all, in this place, work together so that everyone in Canada and around the world can say, “I am free to be me; je suis libre d'être moi -même.”

Thomas “Dubby” Duvall

[Scott Duvall, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on May 5th, I had the honour of taking part in a ceremony marking the induction of an incredible man into the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame, Thomas J. “Dubby” Duvall. Not only was Dubby a well-known athlete, coach, and league organizer, he was also my great uncle.

The stories of Dubby's contribution to sports in Cambridge are legendary. He was a hockey player, a baseball player, and a professional wrestler. He was a respected hockey coach, with one of his teams capturing the Ontario Hockey Association championship.

Dubby also contributed endless hours helping to organize sports in Cambridge and across Ontario. From 1954 to 1956, he served as president of the Ontario Rural Softball Association and the Ontario rural hockey association, the only person in Ontario to hold both offices at the same time.

One of 18 children born in Thorold, Ontario, Dubby died in 1973, much too young, at the age of 67. It was a great privilege to join Dubby's son and my cousin George, and his wife Susan, to pay tribute to a man who was truly one of a kind and a great Canadian.

Justice

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, with their criminal justice reforms, the Liberals are making a bad situation worse. Under Bill C-75, the Liberals have created the option to proceed with a large number of violent offences by way of summary conviction rather than indictable offence. This means that violent criminals may receive no more than six months in jail or a fine for their crimes. These are six months for terrorist activities, obstructing justice, assault with a weapon, forced marriage, abduction, advocating genocide, participation in a criminal organization, or trafficking, just to name a few. These are serious offences. Putting these criminals back on the streets makes things even worse, and makes less sense.

This is another hurdle that the police have to protecting our streets, another barrier for parents protecting their children, another barrier to removing criminals and organized crime from our communities, and another example of the Liberals being soft on criminals and ignoring victims. I call on the government to admit its error and withdraw this bill.

National Canada Survivors Day

[Richard Hébert, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, National Cancer Survivors Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of June each year. The day is meant to demonstrate that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality.

Our government understands the impact that a cancer diagnosis can have on families and their loved ones. That is why we invest nearly $50 million a year so that we can continue to support organizations such as the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. The partnership has had a significant impact on the lives of Canadians through its work on prevention, early detection, treatment, and support for cancer patients.

Through the new historic investments set out in budget 2018, our government is ensuring that our researchers are well equipped to pursue their innovative work. I know that our government's measures are helping to ensure that more people are surviving cancer every day.

Natural Resources

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, last week, because of another failure of the Prime Minister, Canadians involuntarily became shareholders in the Trans Mountain pipeline.

As if the initial expenditure of $4.5 billion was not enough, we now know that some of that money was used to give very generous bonuses of over $1 billion to Kinder Morgan executives.

Can the Prime Minister tell us whether he knew that Canadians' money was going to be used like that? Why does he think that is acceptable?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are making investments to protect thousands of jobs in Alberta and across the country.

When I went to Fort McMurray to meet with energy sector workers, I told them that the government has their backs. From the beginning, this government has supported the thousands of energy sector workers across the country, and we will continue to work to protect Canadian jobs. We cannot comment on internal decisions that are part of private negotiations.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has killed thousands of jobs in the energy sector by killing northern gateway and cancelling energy east. Last week, he announced that he is forcing Canadians to pay $4.5 billion for his failure to get Trans Mountain built. It is bad enough that the Prime Minister is sending taxpayers' money to Texas to be invested in American projects, but now we learn that he is paying two executives over $3 million in bonuses. Why is it that every time the Prime Minister bails out a big company, executives get paid off?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Conservatives tried and failed to get our oil resources to markets other than the United States. They could not get it done. We have actually moved forward in securing a pipeline to new markets across the Pacific, something they were unable to do. Yes, I know it is a shock to the Conservatives, but public investment has often been part of developing our natural resources, going back decades. They, however, are trapped in their ideology and continue to play politics with thousands of good jobs for Alberta.

International Trade

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, last week, Conservatives supported the government in opposition to unacceptable tariffs levied against Canadian steel and aluminum workers. We supported the government's efforts to retaliate against this unilateral decision by the United States. However, while the U.S. tariffs came into force immediately, last Thursday, Canadian tariffs will not come into effect until July 1. Why?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said from the very beginning, it is one of Canada's strengths that on an issue as important as dealing with the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canadians have been broadly united, and I know that has made a difference in our ability to engage firmly and strongly with the United States.

On the question of the tariffs, we think it is important that before we bring in tariffs, we consult with Canadians to make sure that we are doing the right things for Canadians. We know these American motions are going to hurt workers in the United States. We would not want our decisions to hurt workers in Canada.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the workers in Canada are being affected right away. The effect on jobs and the Canadian economy is happening in real time. The American tariffs went into effect immediately, and Canadian shipments of steel are already being turned back from the border. Why is the Prime Minister waiting three weeks to impose these counter-measures, specifically on steel and aluminum, when the U.S. tariffs came into effect right away?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, one of the fundamental realities is that nobody wins in trade wars. We are continuing to impress upon our American partners and American citizens to understand that we do not want to harm jobs in the United States. We do not want to see job losses in Canada. We continue to believe that by working thoughtfully and firmly with the American administration, we are going to be able to move forward in a positive direction. That is what we are continuing to do. In the meantime, we will consult with Canadians on this important retaliatory measure.

Foreign Affairs

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, tweeted that Israel “is a malignant cancerous tumor in the West Asian region that has to be removed and eradicated”. This is nothing less than an incitement to genocide, and Conservatives condemn it in the strongest possible language. The Iranian regime is a state sponsor of terror that supports Hamas. This is another reason why it is important for Canada to stand with Israel when it comes under attack, but this also highlights the fact that Canada cannot tolerate this hatred. Will the Prime Minister commit now to ending all efforts to normalize relations with Iran?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the position of Iran is unacceptable, and our position on Iran is clear: We oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the Assad regime.

Canada is a steadfast friend of Israel and a friend to the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. We continue to support the building of conditions necessary for both parties to find a solution.

Natural Resources

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

Mr. Speaker, a couple of Kinder Morgan executives must be laughing today.

The two top executives responsible for the Trans Mountain expansion each pocketed $1.5 million in bonuses. That adds up to $3 million in bonuses alone. That is absolutely ridiculous.

Even now, the Prime Minister is breaking his promise to end oil industry subsidies and helping the rich get richer. Great job.

Does the Prime Minister think it is okay—