Debates of Sept. 21st, 2018

Natural Resources

[Paul Lefebvre, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, our government remains committed to finding the best path forward following the decision of the Federal Court of Appeal and in consultation with indigenous groups.

I am disappointed with the question from the member opposite. At the end of the day, those members expect us to continue in the same fashion that has been done forever. We want to proceed in a different way. We are asking first nations how we can make sure that we work together to be sure that we are on the right path going forward.

Public Safety

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, imagine picking up the phone only to hear the government say. "You owe us money.” That would certainly give me a scare. In fact, 60,000 Canadians have received scam calls from India masquerading as the CRA. These calls especially put new Canadians and vulnerable seniors in danger. We would think this would prompt the Liberals to act. Well, we would be wrong. The Indian police commissioner said, “Nobody contacted us from Canada. It doesn't seem right.” Well, we agree.

Can the public safety minister explain why Canadians have to depend on the CBC to unearth this scam and protect Canadians?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the issue with respect to telephone fraud and scams has been in the public domain for quite some time. It did not just burst on the scene last evening.

The government has made it very clear that Revenue Canada does not approach its clients by telephone. It deals in the appropriate manner with collection issues. It does not conduct its business over the telephone.

As the RCMP noted last night, the best way to head off this problem is by education and prevention rather than trying to enforce the provisions after the fact.

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that answer is even more preposterous. If they knew about the problem, why did they do nothing about it?

Sixty thousand Canadians across the country have reported a telephone scam run by fraudsters posing as CRA employees. Newcomers are especially vulnerable to this kind of scam, and in total, over $10 million has been stolen so far.

Why did it take a CBC investigation to get to the source of this scam?

If the Minister of Public Safety knew about the scam, what did he do to protect Canadians?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our government sympathizes with Canadians who have lost money or personal information to fraudsters targeting taxpayers.

The Canada Revenue Agency has provided detailed information to help Canadians recognize scam emails and calls and protect themselves against fraud. Every time we hold a prevention or information session, we let Canadians know that the CRA never demands payment over the phone.

I urge all victims of fraud to file a report with the Department of Public Safety.

Veterans Affairs

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, there is a new VETS Canada drop-in and support centre just blocks from Parliament. Veterans have access to immediate support, food and gas cards, bus tickets, support from social services, veteran volunteers and much more.

In its first two months, this charitable organization received 65 emergency veteran referrals from VAC case managers.

Why does a convicted, incarcerated criminal who murdered a police woman receive VAC funding, while VETS Canada is fearful of losing its funding in the next few months?

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, for privacy reasons, we cannot comment on this specific case.

Our hearts go out to Constable Campbell's family.

We completely understand this case, and we are in the process of reviewing it with the department to find out how this decision was made.

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Veterans Affairs said that veterans just needed to raise their hands and they would receive treatment.

Veterans suffering from mefloquine poisoning have had their hands up for years, while doing everything they can to care for their wounded and comfort those who have lost their sons and daughters to dismay, because the Liberal government refuses to do the right thing.

The murder of Officer Campbell got the ear of Veterans Affairs. Why can those veterans not?

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, we sympathize with Ms. Campbell's family, and we utterly condemn this horrific attack. We also take our responsibility to protect the privacy and rights of veterans and their families very seriously.

However, we all know that the department has ordered an investigation to better understand this particular case.

[Alupa Clarke, Conservative, Beauport—Limoilou, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I was a member of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs for a year. Every day, I worked with veterans who were fed up with dealing with the department's arrogant administration, fed up with waiting months to receive an answer, and fed up with always having their requests denied for foolish reasons.

The minister is no ordinary citizen. He is a government minister who is given discretionary power under the act. When will he do something and reverse this ridiculous decision?

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are in mourning because of this tragedy. I can confirm that the Prime Minister has realized it. We opened a centre of excellence on PTSD, launched a joint suicide prevention strategy, and reopened nine offices across the country that were closed by the Conservatives. There are also 11 clinics for people with PTSD.

[Sylvie Boucher, Conservative, Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans—Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable. Christopher Garnier was found guilty of murder and interfering with a dead body in the death of Constable Catherine Campbell. He is getting benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs to treat his PTSD, when he never served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

In their answers yesterday, none of the Liberals mentioned the police officer who was the victim of this barbaric act.

Will the Liberal government reverse this appalling decision and side with victims instead of criminals for once?

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, every member of the House is in mourning and sympathizes with the Campbell family. I believe I mentioned the Campbell family a number of times today.

However, we have to respect confidentiality, and that is what we on this side of the House will do.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a sad situation in our country when the Prime Minister and the Liberals are saying that Canada's veterans need to stand behind a convicted murderer in order to get benefits.

I am asking the parliamentary secretary to put down the talking points, do what is right, what is right for Constable Campbell's family, what is right for Canada's veterans, and cancel these benefits today.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, I do not need any talking points to say that we sympathize with the Campbell family today. It is a terrible situation. What I can say today is that we respect this family and know that when a veteran serves in the army, so does their family. We will continue to support everyone under the department's responsibility.

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's veterans are, quite frankly, outraged by this. So is the family of Constable Campbell. In fact, her Aunt Mandy Reekie wrote on Facebook that Garnier had twisted the system, and she was sickened by this.

The Liberal leader in Nova Scotia, the premier of the province, Stephen McNeil, said that he was initially stunned and shocked by Garnier receiving these benefits.

If a veteran, who murders someone, who is serving in Canada's military, commits that murder, he or she loses all his or her benefits and so do the families. Garnier should do the same. The government should stand up and do what is right.

[Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the Campbell family. I know that my colleague across the way would like me to say more on this particular case, but for reasons of confidentiality, we simply cannot provide more information on such a specific case. We will respect the confidentiality of the victim, the family, and their friends and loved ones.

The Environment

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last week yet another boat was wrecked off the Sunshine Coast. Storm season has hit, but coastal communities are being asked to wait again, despite dangerous abandoned vessels polluting our oceans.

The Liberals' program will remove just 23 abandoned vessels this year across the entire country. We have learned that the promised inventory of wrecked vessels has not even started and will not be ready before July.

How can the Liberals justify to coastal communities that at this rate it will take more than 40 years to deal with the pollution backlog?

[Terry Beech, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, our government is implementing a comprehensive plan that is addressing abandoned, derelict and wrecked vessels. It includes new legislation that puts this responsibility and liability on vessel owners to properly remove and dispose of these vessels. This also includes funding for the removal and disposal of high priority abandoned and wrecked small boats, including in the riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

We are moving significantly beyond the complacency of the Harper Conservatives on this issue, because we realize it makes a difference in the lives of Canadians.

Infrastructure

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago, a huge rock fall destroyed the South Okanagan irrigation canal, which is essential to the orchards and vineyards that are the backbone of the local economy.

The B.C. government has stepped up with a pledge of $5 million to help fix this, but we need the federal government to match that amount. Unfortunately, it does not fit in with the domestic waterworks that are funded by infrastructure or the innovations that are funded by agriculture.

Therefore, will the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Agriculture pledge today to meet with me to find a way to get this project out of the bureaucratic crack that it has fallen into?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the member for South Okanagan—West Kootenay. Absolutely, I will meet with him in my office.

It allows me the chance to talk about our historic investment in infrastructure in the country, more than $187 billion over 12 years, which will see our government invest across our country in green infrastructure, in public transit and social infrastructure in rural and northern communities. We are going to be the cities of tomorrow and improve the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

Marijuana

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with cannabis legalization only 26 days away, police forces across the country are holding off on ordering the THC saliva tester, the Draeger 5000, which the Liberals have endorsed. They are stalling because there is no science linking THC in saliva to impairment, and there are reported problems with the functioning of the device in cold weather like Canadian winter.

The police have said that they are not ready, so what is the Liberals' plan to actually protect Canadians from drug-impaired drivers?

[Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, let us again talk facts for a few minutes.

First, approval of this device was based on the advice we received from the scientific community of the Canadian Society of Forensic Science's drugs and driving committee. The device that was approved was thoroughly tested by that committee and was subjected to significant testing by the National Research Council. The RCMP, the OPP, the Sûreté de Québec, large municipal police services and small municipal services across the country have begun to use this test. It has been field tested in Canadian circumstances.

This is precisely what Canadian police chiefs asked us to provide. They were met with indifference by the opposition when they asked, but we listened.

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, sadly, in less than a month, recreational marijuana will be legal across Canada. While the Liberals rush ahead with this irresponsible plan, police services across Canada are saying that they are not ready. I have personally spoken with a number of police officers who have very serious concerns about this reckless plan.

Why is the government willing to rush ahead to risk the safety of Canadians just to fulfill a campaign promise?

[Bill Blair, Minister of Border Security and Organized Crime Reduction, Lib.]

Mr. Speaker, I actually prefer to allow the police leaders of the country to speak for themselves, and so I went to the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. I asked them about their state of readiness. Yes, there are some individual chiefs who expressed anxiety because they were absolutely dedicated to keeping their communities safe.

However, we have provided them with the resources, the authorities, the technology and the training they said that they needed to be ready. I have every confidence in their continued ability to keep our communities safe.