House of Commons Hansard #328 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was guidelines.
Stephanie Kusie Conservative Calgary Midnapore, AB
Mr. Speaker, we ended pizza parties for criminals, and the government cannot even keep a child killer behind bars.
The prison system reports to the Minister of Public Safety. Terri-Lynne McClintic needs to be behind bars and surrounded by razor wire, not by trees and children. The minister has the power to reverse this decision. When will he?
JusticeOral Questions
Karen McCrimmon Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, as media reports today confirm, the decision on which institution to place an inmate in cannot be made by the Minister of Public Safety. It must be made by Correctional Service Canada.
Bob Benzen Conservative Calgary Heritage, AB
Mr. Speaker, this summer the Prime Minister failed to get construction started on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. He could use legislation to deliver this pipeline, but instead he is content to claim helplessness in face of the forces lined up against it and content to allow the project to sit idle.
Since the Prime Minister has no plan, will he commit today to adopting the step-by-step path presented by the leader of Canada's Conservatives and finally get this project built?
Natural ResourcesOral Questions
Amarjeet Sohi Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, we are working and will continue to work hard to make sure that projects such as the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion move forward in the right way. What the hon. member is proposing are the failed policies of the Harper government, which did not get a single pipeline built to expand our global, non-U.S. markets.
We are going to do things differently. We are going to engage with indigenous peoples to make sure we are respecting their constitutional right to be consulted in a meaningful way, and we will take action on the environment.
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Mr. Speaker, Alberta oil and gas supports more than 1,000 Ontario businesses. More than 69,000 Ontarians have Alberta oil and gas to thank for their jobs. Ontario construction companies and manufacturing and technology firms, hospitals and schools all benefit from Alberta oil and gas. It is estimated that a healthy domestic energy sector will provide $50 billion in revenue to Ontario over the next 20 years. Ontario wants a plan to build this pipeline. When will the government stop the delays and build the Trans Mountain pipeline?
Natural ResourcesOral Questions
Amarjeet Sohi Minister of Natural Resources, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada's energy sector has been a source of well-paying middle-class jobs and will remain a source of well-paying middle class jobs for decades to come. That is why we we are working really hard to expand our global, non-U.S. markets, so we can get a better price for our natural resources and create thousands and thousands of jobs that have been lacking because of the failed policies of the Harper government, which failed to build a single pipeline to non-U.S. markets. We will do it the right way.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, Sean Bruyea is a decorated veteran and a strong advocate for veterans in Canada. For their contributions and sacrifices, all veterans and their families deserve to be supported and treated with respect by their government, yet when Mr. Bruyea presented estimates to the government, the minister attacked his character and called them mistruths. The minister's own staff told him that Mr. Bruyea's comments were accurate, and his estimates were confirmed by departmental documents.
My question is simple. Will the minister stand in the House right now and apologize to Mr. Bruyea?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Stéphane Lauzon Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, we have made sure to inform veterans and their families of the benefits and programs available to them. It is important to explain what the pension for life is all about. That is why our minister held more than 40 public consultations in order to tell people about the pension for life. I can say that we have had excellent results.
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister himself has acknowledged, it is unacceptable that female veterans, especially those who are francophone, are not receiving the same level of service as male veterans. Since the government is running massive recruitment campaigns to encourage women to join the army and asking female veterans to go through the difficult experience of talking about attacks and harassment they may have been subjected to during their service, could the government try to understand that immediate steps need to be taken to ensure that services are delivered in both official languages?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Stéphane Lauzon Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising the subject. Gender equality is very important to us. The provision of our benefits is based on demand. Regardless of whether 10 veterans or 10,000 submit claims, they are all eligible and all subject to the same provisions.
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Mr. Speaker, our economy is booming and a key factor in this economic strength is our immigration program. Our government understands that a strong and smart immigration system supports our economy, creates Canadian jobs and fills labour market needs. In my riding of Oakville North—Burlington, we see workers and entrepreneurs like Ancilla Ho-Young who have immigrated to our country and are making positive contributions to our society. Can the minister expand on why immigration matters to Canada's economy?
Ahmed Hussen LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Oakville North—Burlington for her question.
This year I travelled from Halifax to Coquitlam and from Drummondville, Quebec to Whitehorse, Yukon. With an aging population and labour shortages, which I was able to witness all across our country, we have responded as a government by introducing a responsible immigration program that will ensure a measured, responsible rate of growth. Our programs are simply attracting the best and the brightest talent from around the world. As a government, we will continue to ensure that we create good middle-class jobs for Canadians and a good economy.
Cathay Wagantall Conservative Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, for outraged veterans and the victim's family, there has been no explanation by the Minister of Veterans Affairs that in any way justifies providing Christopher Garnier with veterans funding to treat his PTSD that resulted from his brutal, deliberate killing of officer Catherine Campbell. Catherine's family are looking for this part of their nightmare to end, and the only way for that to happen is to stop paying veterans benefits to Christopher Garnier. On behalf of the victim's family, will the minister do the right thing?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
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 family of Constable Campbell. We have reviewed the funding and directed the department to ensure that the services received by family members of veterans are related to the veteran's service and, when they are not, that the case be reviewed by a senior official, and that the policy of providing treatment to family members under extenuating circumstances, such as convictions for serious crime, be addressed. This will ensure that we continue to support veterans and their families when they need help.
Robert Gordon Kitchen Conservative Souris—Moose Mountain, SK
Mr. Speaker, I have a constituent who has been waiting over a year for his disability claim to be processed by Veterans Affairs. Dylan, a veteran, honourably and faithfully served our country, yet Christopher Garnier, a convicted murderer who never served a day in his life, continues to get his private PTSD therapy covered by Veterans Affairs, PTSD that was caused by his murdering of Constable Catherine Campbell. When will the minister stop disrespecting Canadian veterans and end this murderer's taxpayer-funded treatment?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Stéphane Lauzon Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about respect.
We on this side of the House fully understand what families go through every time the Conservatives rake up a situation like this. Imagine what these families must be going through. Imagine how painful it is to recall each of these cases.
For privacy reasons, we cannot comment directly on a specific case, as my colleague opposite is well aware.
We will always stand with our veterans, but with respect.
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
Richard Martel Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, CPC
Mr. Speaker, it took a very long time for the Minister of Veterans Affairs to issue a directive ensuring that a civilian would no longer be able to receive benefits from a program for veterans and their families if he or she is in prison. If not for the pressure applied by Conservatives, who forced the minister to take a stand, nothing would have been done.
What will now happen to Christopher Garnier's benefits? When will the minister take responsibility and show leadership by cancelling the benefits?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
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.
Once again, I want to take this opportunity to say that this petty politics is insensitive. It shows a lack of compassion for the families. We answered the question. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, we understand that when a veteran serves, their whole family serves with them. We will always stand by our veterans.
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs refuses to apologize to a veteran whom he personally attacked. The minister's own department confirms that Sean Bruyea is right about the Liberals' broken promise on pensions. The War Amps has confirmed there is a Liberal broken promise to veterans, and today we learned that the Library of Parliament has confirmed that Mr. Bruyea's assessment was correct. We do not care about how many meetings the minister has had, because he has been misleading veterans. Will he stand today in the House and apologize to Sean Bruyea for the personal attack?
Veterans AffairsOral Questions
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. For privacy reasons, we cannot discuss ths particular case.
All I am asking our colleagues opposite is to show some compassion and to think of what families must go through every day. They are putting back on the table a very sensitive and delicate file. I am asking them to show a bit of compassion for our veterans.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. I have heard a lot from the hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil, and he has not had the floor. I ask him to restrain himself, not to interrupt and to wait until it is his turn, which will come eventually, I am sure.
The hon. member for Kootenay—Columbia.
Wayne Stetski NDP Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, a Narwhal investigation recently revealed that the Liberals have broken their promise to stop muzzling Canada's scientists.
A Parks Canada biologist said he was “painfully aware” of the agency's restrictive treatment of the media. Reporters are finding that their interviews with employees are “highly scripted and can take a long time to organize”.
Canadians need to know that scientists can, as the minister has said, speak freely about their work to the media and to the public. How can the government claim the high ground while following in the Conservatives' footsteps? When will the muzzling end?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear that we believe our scientists should be out there. They should be talking about the science, and we need to hear their voices. I have always been clear about that in my portfolio with Parks Canada and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
I will continue to say that scientists should speak out about science. We need to make decisions based on science, and that is what our government believes and is acting on.
Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, 42 creators and artisans of our culture signed an open letter calling on the government to defend the cultural exemption in NAFTA and to ensure that it applies to online platforms, so that we can compel these platforms to contribute to our culture.
This means that signing agreements where Netflix does not have to pay any taxes or contribute anything or produce anything in French no longer flies.
Will the Liberals guarantee that Quebec and every government in Canada will be able to keep their right to protect our culture? We are not just going to give up our cultural policies as chump change in the NAFTA negotiations, are we?
Canadian HeritageOral Questions
Andy Fillmore Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, our government has been clear. The cultural exemption must stand with a renegotiated NAFTA. The Prime Minister has stated it, and I am repeating it today.
Protecting our creative industry means protecting our culture. It means protecting a $53.8 billion industry representing over 650,000 quality jobs for middle-class Canadians. We will defend our cultural sovereignty in the cultural sector within a future deal, because it is the right thing to do for Canada.