Debates of Dec. 12th, 2019

International Trade

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the international rules-based order is more than just a slogan. This modernization of NAFTA, particularly as it comes to aluminum, should ensure that the three partners in NAFTA adhere to the highest rules, ensure that there is no transshipment allowing foreign aluminum into our country and make sure that the rules of origin for steel can be applied to aluminum to make sure that our world-class sector is successful.

Was the minister successful in all the aluminum rule-of-origin objectives in the negotiation?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to aluminum, let me tell members what our government has been successful in doing.

First of all, we have been successful in getting the section 232 tariffs on aluminum lifted. This is no small thing. Let us be clear: Canada is today the only major aluminum producer with tariff-free access to the U.S. market.

Second, in the new NAFTA, which will come into force with support from my friends across the aisle very soon I trust, the aluminum sector will benefit from an additional 70% content requirement.

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

Mr. Speaker, Sylvain Maltais of the United Steelworkers is here today to express workers' concerns about the fact that the North American aluminum market is not getting adequate protection.

The government acted too fast and proved it has no respect for the greenest aluminum on the planet. When the Prime Minister visited our area, I clearly remember him saying that he would fight for our aluminum industry.

How is he going to protect our market and increase exports of aluminum from the Saguenay?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I met with the United Steelworkers today too. The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons was with me.

I visited the plant twice. We discussed Quebec aluminum. It was a constructive conversation, like all my conversations with unions from our excellent aluminum sector. Workers know that our government is committed to fighting for the aluminum sector and its workers.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is pain in Canada's auto industry. The loss of 1,500 jobs at Chrysler and 450 jobs at Ford, and the closing of our GM assembly plant in Oshawa are evidence of a crisis ignored by the Prime Minister. Now, at a time when he should be focusing on keeping jobs in Canada, the Prime Minister has agreed to new rules that hurt the Canadian aluminum industry and has spent his time focusing on the best way to draw the ire of the U.S. President.

When will the Prime Minister start focusing on the crisis in Canada's auto sector?

[Navdeep Bains, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, we have always supported the auto workers and the auto sector. Investments by this government of $440 million have leveraged over $6 billion of investments in the automotive sector since 2015. In the first three years of our mandate, we have seen the creation of 10,000 new jobs in the automotive sector because we turned the corner, as opposed to the Conservative government. In its first three years, it lost 20,000 jobs before the recession even hit.

With respect to the new NAFTA, the rules of origin will provide more opportunities for the Canadian supply chain, because more of those parts will be sourced locally.

Natural Resources

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, House Leader of the Official Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, while our neighbours to the south added more than 250,000 jobs last month, here in Canada 71,000 Canadians lost their jobs. That is not even bad compared to what is happening in the natural resources and energy sector. Over the past two years, employment in Canadian mining, oil and gas has shrunk by over 3%, while in the U.S. in those same sectors it has grown by over 15%. This is what happens when the Prime Minister does not support our oil, gas and mining sectors.

When will the Prime Minister finally get to work doing something to get jobs back in these industries?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to report that the last couple of weeks have been somewhat good for getting our resources to market. I will tell members why.

Not only is construction on TMX under way, but I am also happy to report—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to have to interrupt the hon. minister for a second. I am having a hard time hearing the answer, which I am sure we are all looking forward to.

I know some of the members are whispering, but some of them have wonderful voices that carry very well. I am sure they do not mean to shout. It is just that they are talking to someone nearby, and I want them to be conscious that there is an question being answered.

The hon. Minister of Natural Resources.

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House understand that the sector is going through some trying times, but we know that it is getting better with the construction of the TMX pipeline. We know that it is getting better with Line 3, which is coming into service now on the Canadian side of the border. This not only provides opportunities for the industry per se, but it also provides opportunities for indigenous workers along those pipeline routes.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, House Leader of the Official Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, “somewhat good” is probably about a D+ where we are from, so that is not good enough. It is clear that this is happening because of government policies. The Prime Minister has really set the stage for a made-in-Canada recession. What is disturbing is that the Liberals do not seem to recognize this, and their “somewhat good” attitude is not good enough.

When will the government recognize that there is a part of this country that is literally in a crisis? Families are being destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of jobs are being lost. “Somewhat good” is not good enough.

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

Mr. Speaker, I acknowledge that “somewhat good” is not good enough, but I would ask, if a government was not able to get TMX built, and if a government was not able to get Line 3 completed on the Canadian side of the border, what grade would we give that? I would give it an F.

International Trade

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let me clarify the reality for the Deputy Prime Minister. The reality is that the new NAFTA is a betrayal of Quebec's aluminum workers. We are talking about Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, but also the 900 workers at Alouette in Sept-Îles. We are also talking about the 700 workers at Alcoa in Baie-Comeau, as well as families in Bécancour and Deschambault.

All those people are just as important as steel workers. All those people and their jobs deserve to be given their due. Can the government explain why steel workers' jobs are worth more than those of our aluminum workers back home?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the new NAFTA is excellent for all of Canada's workers, including aluminum workers. Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminium Association of Canada, said that the new NAFTA was the path to take. Aluminum workers themselves are saying that.

To jeopardize ratification of the new NAFTA is to put partisan politics ahead of our national interest. We are not doing that in our government.

The Environment

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government claims to prioritize the interests of Quebec and climate change.

However, when the Bloc Québécois wanted to include compliance with Quebec's environmental laws in the throne speech, which is something the Government of Quebec expressly requested during the election campaign, both the Conservatives and the Liberals voted against it. We absolutely need to enforce the strictest environmental laws to combat climate change.

Why does the government refuse to commit both to Quebec and to the environment?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we are working constructively with all Canadian provinces. Transportation issues connected to the environment may have both federal and provincial components. This is the case, for example, with the Lac-Mégantic bypass. BAPE conducted a study and made recommendations, and we respect these recommendations from the province of Quebec.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Christine Normandin, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government told us that it has understood the message sent by Quebec in the election. For their part, the Conservatives assure us that they want to defend Quebec's jurisdictions. However, both have voted against adding Quebec's priorities to the throne speech. They voted against respect for Quebec's environmental laws, against protection for supply management and against an increase in health transfers.

How can the government justify voting once more, as did the Conservatives, against Quebec?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there are 35 proud Quebeckers sitting on this side of the House who work every day with the Government of Quebec and the different municipalities.

Infrastructure projects, environmental issues or very specific files such as the new toll-free Champlain Bridge in Montreal, the Highway 19 extension or all the investments we have made in culture are all projects we have worked on because we have the interests of Quebeckers at heart.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we already know that Canada lost 71,000 jobs in November. As we also know, the rate of insolvency increased by 13%, and half of all Canadians are $200 away from insolvency. Now we are learning that the default rate for non-mortgage debt over recent months is the highest it has been in the last seven years.

Is the government creating the conditions for a made-in-Canada recession?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, four years ago, economic growth was very low and unemployment was too high. We decided to invest in families and in infrastructure, and now we have a growing economy.

We obviously still face some challenges, but we will continue to invest to make life easier for people who are struggling. In doing so, we will have an economy that is good for all Canadians.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we already know that we lost 71,000 jobs last month and that there has been a 13% increase to a 10-year high in the number of people who have become insolvent. Now we know as well that the rate of Canadians defaulting on non-mortgage credit reached its highest third-quarter pace in seven years.

Is the government not creating the conditions for a made-in-Canada recession?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is always important to recognize that there are challenges. Canadians are going through challenges in parts of the country. We need to be focused on how we can deal with those challenges.

At the same time, we need to recognize that investing in our collective future is the way that we can actually experience success. We have seen over a million new jobs created by Canadians over the last four years and more. We are going to continue to invest to deal with these challenges so that people can have confidence in their future, for themselves and their families.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, confidence is not what Equifax is expressing. Its vice-president said that there has been a “significant increase in consumer bankruptcies.” Therefore, now we have a seven-year high in third-quarter defaults on non-mortgage debt. We have a 10-year high in the number of people who have gone insolvent. Seventy-one thousand people are losing their jobs. The minister continues saying, “Don't worry, be happy”, while Canadians are falling behind and losing their jobs. Why are he and his government continuing to create the conditions for a made-in-Canada recession?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, actually we just came through an election campaign where we said that in fact we need to pay very close attention to the challenges that Canadians are facing. That is the reason that we need to continue to invest. That is the reason that we need to recognize that things like what we put forward this week, a reduction in taxes for 20 million Canadians, are a greater way for them to feel a greater sense of confidence and that they have enough money to spend for themselves and their families. We are going to continue with our approach to invest. It has seen success. Of course, as we face challenges, it is important to stay on that track.