Debates of Dec. 10th, 2019

Indigenous Affairs

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, departmental health teams continue to work closely with our partners in Manitoba to coordinate augmented crisis response and mental wellness supports to mitigate any gaps in coverage during this time. We are in regular contact with the community of Gods Lake Narrows and departmental officials will be meeting with the community leadership in Gods Lake Narrows on December 11, 2019.

We will continue working with the leadership to support their needs as a community-led approach is the best approach, especially when it comes to mental health wellness.

Women and Gender Equality

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Markham—Stouffville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honour to rise in the House to ask a question on behalf of the constituents of my great riding of Markham—Stouffville.

Today, December 10, marks the last day of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. Over those 16 days, we reflected on the lives of the survivors of gender-based violence and the lives of those we have lost.

In York Region, we have come to know that human trafficking is posing a real threat to our young people and although women in my riding do have access to shelters like the Yellow Brick House and Sandgate and their great staff, it is clear that more needs to be done on prevention—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Minister for Women and Gender Equality.

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend a warm welcome to my hon. colleague from Markham—Stouffville and thank her for her leadership and for representing her community in the House. It is going to require strong leadership like hers and all hon. members to ensure that we eliminate gender-based violence in Canada.

To date, our government has worked to introduce a strategy to end human trafficking. We have worked to ensure that students are safer on campuses. We have created and maintained 7,000 shelter spaces so that women and children have a safe place to turn to when they need it. There is so much more work to do and we are committed to doing just that.

International Trade

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, once again the government has made major concessions in the new NAFTA.

First it was supply management, and now it is the aluminum industry's turn. This government knows full well that we produce the greenest aluminum in the world, but it just allowed Mexico to import cheaper, dirtier aluminum from China. Workers in my region have been hurt by additional tariffs.

How can the Prime Minister look workers in the eye and tell them he got a better agreement?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, we worked hard to sign a good agreement for Canadians.

Our government stood up for Canadian workers and protected jobs. We worked hard with our partners in the United States and Mexico to enhance the progressive aspects of this agreement, the very aspects that the Conservatives voted against. We are proud of the agreement we have, and it will be good for Canadians.

Natural Resources

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

Mr. Speaker, natural gas has been produced safely in British Columbia for over 60 years. B.C.'s natural gas reserves could fuel our domestic consumption and our exports for the next 150 years. The global demand for LNG is expected to grow by 45% in the next decade. There are six LNG projects in British Columbia with Canada LNG being the largest project in Canadian history.

LNG represents a billion dollar opportunity for first nations, yet the Minister of Environment wants to talk down our LNG opportunities. Why?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, LNG is well positioned to become a major player in the global LNG industry with proposed projects in the west and in the east. We have strong measures in place to attract investment while also reducing emissions. After securing the single largest private sector investment in Canadian history, it is clear that our plan is working.

We will continue to take action to ensure Canada is on track to become the world's cleanest producer of LNG and reach global markets.

[Jasraj Singh Hallan, Conservative, Calgary Forest Lawn, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the voters of Calgary Forest Lawn for electing me to this House. It is a great honour.

The Liberal attack on our energy sector has me worried for my province and my city. Canadian LNG is a world-class product that is desperately needed to help achieve global emission reductions. We need new pipelines to move that gas to the coast, but we cannot do it without changes to Bill C-69, changes that allow Alberta gas to share the opportunity.

When will the Liberals make the changes to Bill C-69 that Alberta and Canada so desperately need?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, there need to be better rules to fix the gutted process that was left behind to us. It was a broken process that made Canadians lose trust. It failed to get our resources to new markets. It made large projects, including pipelines, vulnerable to legal challenges.

Our better rules will make good projects move forward and grow our economy in a responsible way. We welcome input from our partners on how to best implement this new legislation.

[James Cumming, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Alberta sent a message to the Liberals this fall about Bill C-69. The energy industry has rejected the bill. Foreign investment is fleeing and 175,000 jobs have been lost in the energy sector. Premiers from coast to coast agree that the bill needs to be changed.

When will the Prime Minister and his government listen to Albertans, make the changes needed and get people back to work?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, I am happy to report to the House that it was just last week that I was standing with the Alberta energy minister in Acheson, Alberta and with some of the 2,200 workers who had been hired at one of many construction sites, as construction of the Trans Mountain expansion project goes ahead.

It was a good day for our energy industry, it was a good day for Alberta and it was a good day for Canada. With a continued commitment to getting it done the right way, the TMX expansion project is being built.

Housing

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as Pierre Falardeau used to say, we always go too far for those who are going nowhere.

Today, 200 people came to protest in Ottawa because the government is really going nowhere with its national housing strategy.

FRAPRU and the Réseau solidarité itinérance du Québec are in front of the Prime Minister's office at this very moment. They are calling for more new social housing and for help to renovate low-income housing. They are also asking that funds earmarked to fight homelessness be transferred to them. There are children sleeping outdoors in Montérégie.

How much longer must we wait for the government to tackle this issue?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, we will take concrete action to protect the most vulnerable Canadians. As part of the national housing strategy, we are investing $4.3 billion in the federal community housing initiative, which will help protect and build community housing for more than 330,000 families in Canada.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I may be new here, but I am not an idiot. I understand that there is nothing encouraging in that answer.

The federal strategy does not meet the needs of the people who are hoping and waiting for social housing. Quebec's National Assembly has unanimously called on the federal government to stick to its role, which is to provide Quebec with funding for social housing with no strings attached. The groups want the federal government to provide the money without imposing any directions on Quebec on how to fight homelessness. We have the expertise.

Will the government listen to Quebec and unconditionally transfer—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to fighting homelessness across Canada, including in Quebec. Over the next five years, we will invest more than $175 million in preventing and reducing homelessness in Quebec, which will help us achieve our goal of reducing chronic homelessness by at least 50%.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, asked yesterday if he was worried about Canada's weak economy, the finance minister said that it was his job to worry and that he was not worried at all. Well, he should be worried.

Insolvencies have reached a 10-year high. Half of Canadians are $200 away from going insolvent. Our unemployment rate is above the G7 average, above the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany.

On this question of worry, is the finance minister going to look the 71,000 people who lost their jobs last month in the eye and tell them, “Don't worry, be happy”?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have worked hard over the last four years to make sure that we have an opportunity for Canadians to work across the country. Left with a 7.1% unemployment rate from the previous government back in 2015, we immediately started investing, investing in Canadians, investing in families and investing in infrastructure. Our economy grew and we grew employment, more than a million jobs.

We will continue to invest as we see challenges in the economy. Right now we are happy to say that we continue to have growth. We look like we will be the second-fastest growing country among the G7, and employment continues to be strong in this country.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our unemployment rate is higher than the G7 average. The United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Germany have lower unemployment rates than Canada. Here in Canada, we lost 71,000 jobs in November, and half of Canadians are $200 away from insolvency at the end of the month.

The minister can ignore these problems, but they continue to exist.

When will he face the facts?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, over the last four years, we have invested in our economy, in families and in Canadians. We are doing well. Our rate of growth is among the highest in the G7. We continue doing well in terms of unemployment.

We will keep investing in Canadians and, as we announced yesterday, we will be reducing income taxes for 20 million Canadians.

The Environment

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Ontario is a national leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. In the throne speech, the Prime Minister committed to working with the provinces, but he has yet to accept the made-in-Ontario climate change plan that will actually reduce emissions.

When will the Liberals stop dragging their feet and give Ontario an answer?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we know that a majority of Canadians voted for serious action on climate change. That means we must co-operate with each other to bring the best ideas forward to fight climate change. We already have a credible and affordable plan, with over 50 measures that were developed by Canadians for Canadians.

While we are making real progress, there is much more to do. We will continue to work with provinces, territories and indigenous peoples across the country to do just that.

Veterans Affairs

[Patricia Lattanzio, Liberal, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the opportunity to thank the residents and constituents of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel for their support and allowing me to participate in the present legislature, which will be most productive and effective with everyone's goodwill to move the country forward.

We often hear about the incredible sacrifices Canadians made during the Second World War on D-Day, but we do not hear about those who took part in the less-known, but equally important, Italian campaign.

I know that the Minister of Veterans Affairs was recently in Italy—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. The hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.