Debates of Jan. 30th, 2019

Housing

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 2012, Habitations Nicolet, a seniors' building in Hochelaga, has been undergoing major renovations that have forced the tenants out of their homes. That is six years of construction, all because funding for low-income housing renovations comes in dribs and drabs every year. Worse still, there are thousands of social housing units in Montreal that are currently boarded up. It is the most vulnerable who are paying for this lack of long-term vision.

When will the Liberals stop with the lofty rhetoric and do something to put an end to these unacceptable delays?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we completely agree that, for far too long, the federal government failed to invest in housing. That is why we created a national housing strategy, which includes $40 billion to invest in communities from coast to coast to coast.

We have invested in seniors' housing. We have invested to combat homelessness. We know there is much more to do, but over the last two or three years, we have been investing to repair and build new housing. We will continue to invest in those who are most vulnerable.

The Environment

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this question for the Prime Minister comes from my Beaches—East York Youth Council, written by Mika Kay.

The UN reports that our planet will reach the crucial threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2030. Our planet is already two-thirds of the way there. Canadians make up roughly 0.5% of the world's population, but we contribute 2% of total greenhouse gas emissions.

What initiatives has the government taken and what initiatives will the government continue to take to reduce this?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the IPCC report is a sobering reminder that we need to tackle climate change and our government is taking action. We have a practical, affordable plan to cut pollution and create good middle-class jobs. It includes phasing out coal, supporting more than 1,000 public transit projects across the country and putting a price on pollution.

While the Conservatives want to make it free to pollute, we will continue to move forward for Canadians.

Ethics

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the former president of the Treasury Board told the House that the only document he had with respect to the Mark Norman case was a letter on which he was copied. He probably told the RCMP the exact same thing when he was interviewed by it.

It is interesting though that just days after he steps back from cabinet, he suddenly has his lawyers going into court and singing a quite different tune on this issue, which is he has many personal documents that he wishes to submit.

When did the Prime Minister know that the former president of the Treasury Board had personal documents and was withholding this—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The Right Hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said repeatedly, politicians have no involvement in decisions on this matter. The notion that any politician was involved in those decisions is completely false.

Of course, I will not comment any further as the matter is before the courts.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Vice-Admiral Norman was the second highest ranking officer in the Canadian military. So far we have heard that documents have been withheld from him and access to information requests have been deliberately sabotaged so as not to turn up any documents. We have learned today about private dinners, conversations and little meetings that happened with the Prime Minister and his inner circle, which had, surprisingly, no notes or documentation to go along with them. This is very concerning.

The fact that the Prime Minister stands here and says that there is no political interference when he himself cast Mark Norman in guilt before the charges were even laid is ridiculous.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said repeatedly, politicians have no involvement in decisions on this matter. I, of course, have regular interactions with the Chief of the Defence Staff. In this instance, the chief notified me of steps being taken regarding this individual. The notion that any politician was involved in those decisions is completely false.

I will not comment further as the matter is before the courts.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on Monday the Liberal government announced another $114 million for illegal migrants. That same day, the Liberals also closed the door on family sponsorship for parents and grandparents after only 10 minutes.

Under this Prime Minister, a person who enters the country illegally is immediately welcomed to Canada and gets a hotel room for free. If a grandmother tries to legally enter Canada, the door is slammed in her face.

Why is the Prime Minister making Canadians pay for his mistakes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Conservatives are playing politics with people's lives. When the Conservatives were in power, there was a backlog of 160,000 cases and an eight-year waiting period for family reunification.

We have cut that waiting period down to under two years. We cleared the backlog and quadrupled the number of people who can apply for family reunification. That is our track record.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not creating more actual spots for legal immigrants. He has only created a no-hope waiting list. A waiting list is not the same as getting entry into this country. Instead, he has created a gold-plated express entry. For who? It is for people illegally entering our country from upstate New York.

Canada's Conservatives will restore fairness to Canada's immigration system. Why should Canadians keep paying for the Prime Minister's mistakes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, here is what Canada's Conservatives actually did in 10 years in power. They created a backlog of over 167,000 cases for family sponsorship and an eight-year wait time for families to be reunited.

In the past three years, we have cut wait times to under two years for family reunification; we have cleared the backlog; and, yes, we have quadrupled the number of people who could apply for family sponsorship. That is what we are doing to bring families together.

Automotive Industry

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when General Motors closed its Windsor plant, it shut the door on 100 years of workers' sweat, dedication and pride. Today, that site is a parking lot. Now Oshawa faces the same future.

Canadians loaned billions to ensure GM kept good jobs in Canada and since then, the Liberals have done nothing. They even ignored their own auto czar who wanted them to act. Workers still do not know what the government's plan is to save our manufacturing industry. All talk and no action is worthless and cruel.

What specifically will the Prime Minister do for the workers of Oshawa and their families? What specific action is he willing to take for these families in that community?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we stand with GM workers and their families in Oshawa. We met with the workers and the union representatives. I even had a frank conversation with the GM CEO, Mary Barra, reminding her of the proud history of GM in Oshawa thanks to those extraordinary workers.

We continue to work with our partners to support those impacted. We will always fight for auto workers and their families. We will continue to do so.

Marine Transportation

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

Mr. Speaker, last week, ice jams in the St. Lawrence Seaway forced a shutdown of the ferry between Saint-Ignace and Sorel for three days. Just like the Conservatives, the Liberals have completely neglected the icebreaker file.

Steve Piché, the chair of the Berthier-D'Autray chamber of commerce and industry, is calling for immediate federal government assistance. Without an icebreaker and a ferry, residents have to detour to Trois-Rivières or Montreal to get to Sorel. That is ridiculous.

Will the government make the St. Lawrence Seaway a priority and invest—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The right hon. Prime Minister.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that workers at Davie do excellent work. They finished work on the Asterix on time and on budget.

The Conservatives shut Davie out of the national marine strategy, but we have awarded more than $1.5 billion in contracts to Quebec businesses, including $700 million to Davie for three icebreakers. We will continue to support workers across the country.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are not able to pay federal public servants with Phoenix and now they do not trust Revenue Québec employees.

Why do Quebeckers have to file two tax returns? They are the only Canadians to have to file two returns. We, the Conservatives, respect Quebec and Quebeckers. A single tax return would cut the amount of red tape for Quebeckers. The Prime Minister must respect Quebeckers.

Why does he continue to say no to a single tax return in Quebec?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, how interesting. The Conservatives are saying one thing in French and another in English.

We will continue to work for Quebec and to meet Quebeckers' needs. Quebec has a labour shortage. More than 1,000 positions are vacant according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

We will continue to work with Quebec on these issues.

However, it would be important to highlight, in both official languages, that the Conservative approach on a single payer for immigration is not something we think is acceptable to the rest of the country, and certainly not to us either.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's answer is completely incomprehensible. He should re-read his notes and stick to them.

The Prime Minister is resorting to falsehoods and fearmongering to oppose an idea that is universally supported in Quebec. In Saint-Hyacinthe, he resorted to fearmongering and implied that only the federal government knows how to do things properly when it comes to taxes.

Why is the Prime Minister so afraid of Quebec?

Why does he think that Quebeckers are a threat?

Why is he denying them the right to file a single tax return?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, by calling for a single tax return, the Conservatives are putting 5,500 jobs at risk in Shawinigan and Jonquière.

This comes on the heels of a decade of Conservative attacks on the public service. The Conservatives would jeopardize our efforts to fight tax evasion, in which we have invested close to $1 billion.

We will always work with the Government of Quebec to simplify the tax return process, but the Conservatives are playing political games by talking about something in one part of the country and not talking about it in English elsewhere in Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, talk about fearmongering. Did he not just try to scare 5,000 public servants? He is the real fearmonger.

Unlike the Prime Minister, the vast majority of Quebeckers cannot afford to pay someone to do their taxes for them. We have a unique opportunity to do something that will make life easier for Quebeckers. It is a simple matter of letting them file a single tax return.

Why is the Prime Minister being so stubborn? Why is he so opposed to this idea?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, there are plenty of places in this country where people file a single tax return, and if Quebec wants to discuss it with us, we are always willing to talk.

The reality is that we intend to continue fighting tax evasion, and it is the federal government that has signed all these international agreements.

We know that there are more than 5,000 people in Quebec processing tax returns from all Canadians, and we know that there are always things that can be done to improve the way Quebeckers and Canadians handle their taxes.

We are always willing to work with Quebeckers and the government—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The member for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin.