Debates of Dec. 13th, 2019

Vaudreuil—Soulanges

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this being the first time I have the floor in the 43rd Parliament, I would like to express my gratitude to the people of Vaudreuil—Soulanges for placing their trust in me once again.

I would also like to thank all the volunteers who give their time to help our community all year long and especially during the holidays.

Volunteers deliver food baskets through Meals on Wheels and Le Pont Bridging, work with the dedicated team at L'Actuel to collect and distribute donations, make sure people get home safe with the amazing team at Operation Red Nose, and collect money for families in need at various fundraisers. Volunteers are pillars of generosity in my community.

Because of them, thousands of people and their families in my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges will have a healthier and more joyful holiday. On behalf of this entire House, I thank them.

The Environment

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the holiday season is here, a time of giving and sharing with those around us. However, every year during this season Canadians throw away 540,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags that are not recyclable.

This was brought to my attention by the elementary school students at the Woodroffe Avenue Public School craft fair.

By creating homemade ornaments, reusing gift bags and creating compost bags made out of old newspaper, these students are demonstrating how to celebrate this holiday season in an ecofriendly manner. I was delighted to see the drive and dedication of these young entrepreneurs from my riding.

I want to congratulate these students for showing leadership in the fight against climate change.

I encourage Canadians to follow the lead of these students and to reduce their waste this holiday season.

Merry Christmas.

Hong Kong Election

[Kenny Chiu, Conservative, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, November 24 may be a normal day for Canada, but it was a good day for democracy in Hong Kong. Participation in the district councils election was peaceful and orderly. Voters turned out in record numbers and made a clear statement in support of democracy.

It was an honour to serve as an independent observer, and from what I saw, execution of the election was open, fair and transparent.

This is a tremendous achievement for a city that has for so long been gripped by turmoil. Here in Canada, democracy, freedom and the rule of law are essential to our way of life and must be nurtured and protected.

As a Canadian immigrant born in Hong Kong, I am truly blessed to be a member of Parliament here in my home country of Canada.

I would like to thank the people of Steveston—Richmond East for giving me this opportunity to serve them and I wish them and all members of the House and their families a merry Christmas.

Nepean

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the residents of Nepean for electing me again to represent them in this Parliament. I promise to continue to work hard for them.

In particular, I will focus on the transit, community and cultural infrastructure requirements of Nepean, in addition to working on creating high-quality jobs for my constituents' benefit.

I will also continue to work on affordable housing, securing retirement income benefits and safeguarding Canada's position in the global knowledge-based economy.

I will continue to recognize and celebrate cultures and heritage of all ethnicities, as in the recent Hindu Heritage Day on Parliament Hill. I will also work to encourage new Canadians all across Canada to take active interest in our great democratic process.

Carleton

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this moment, my first time commanding the floor for a full statement, to thank the constituents of Carleton for re-electing me back to this place for a second time. This last campaign was an opportunity to reach out to countless residents. We knocked on 160,000 doors. In fact, we even had three visits from the Prime Minister to my riding. We were thinking about setting aside a nice condo so that he could have a place to stay every time he came.

I encourage all members of all parties to come and visit the historic riding of Carleton, once represented by the great John A. Macdonald, a great symbol of eastern Ontario's thriving mill towns back in the Victorian Age, but today among the most modern places in the world. The people there work hard. They build their communities and have a strong sense of neighbourliness and community effort. It is an honour to represent them. I thank them all and I wish everybody a very merry Christmas.

United Kingdom Election Results

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the people of the United Kingdom went to the ballot box, and it was a great success for the Conservative and Unionist Party, the world's oldest and most successful political party. Our sister party was re-elected for a fourth mandate, putting Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the helm of a majority government.

Despite a history of success, the party of Disraeli, Churchill and Thatcher notched another new record last night. The Tories are the first government in British history to be re-elected three times while scoring an increasing share of the vote every time. This result also reminds us that when elites try to substitute their own judgment for the will of the people, the people will have the final say.

When Conservatives are united and when they focus on the people, Conservatives will win. We extend congratulations to Prime Minister Johnson.

North American Free Trade Agreement

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, what we have heard from the government since the beginning of negotiations of the new NAFTA is that at every stage we had, in Voltaire's words, the best of all possible worlds. Canadians were not included in the negotiations. Today, we have an agreement that ignores producers under the supply management system and the aluminum industry, among others. The agreement should be transparent.

In the United States, the Democrats made progress. What we have today is better than what we saw last year. It happened after the government told us that it had negotiated the best possible deal. The NDP are going over the agreement with a fine-tooth comb.

In future, the government will have to guarantee from the outset that Canadians are included in the agreement in a transparent manner. We must ensure that we can truly negotiate the best possible agreement rather than rushing to sign just any agreement no matter the provisions.

Denis Villeneuve

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Hollywood Critics Association named Denis Villeneuve filmmaker of the decade. This is just the latest achievement in a career full of accolades.

Denis Villeneuve was chosen to represent Canada in the best foreign film category at the Oscars for his first feature film August 32nd on Earth.

He brought our darkest day to the screen in Polytechnique and directed a tragic story in Incendies. He made a name for himself with his first Hollywood feature film Prisoners. He brought Hollywood to us to film the unsettling film Arrival in Montreal and Saint-Fabien. He showed courage in tackling Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to the classic film. I am being courageous in saying that it was better than the original.

Denis Villeneuve manages to immerse us in his universe and keep us there. I am a die-hard fan, and I can say that he has left his mark on Quebec and international cinema.

Christmas

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the ghost of Cuzner past haunts us still on both sides of the aisle.

'Twas just before Christmas and the six-week long break,
Which after six days of hard work, all we members must take.
The PM could not nestle all snug in his bed
Any time the election replayed in his head.
In votes he'd come second but of seats he'd won most
He had new-found love for first-past-the post.
Far more voters had liked the Conservative pitch
But we got fewer seats, which is just such a—let down.
The Bloc had 32 members including our Dean,
Who seems like he's been here since 1915.
New Dems really miss Layton's vote-winning flair.
They may even miss Thomas Mulcair.
We're glad to be joined by our dear friends the Greens,
Three MPs from two coasts. Sadly, no in-betweens.
An independent MP is now here from B.C.,
Who's got plenty to say about SNC.
In a minority perhaps the best give we can give,
Is if we all learn to live and let live.

Poland

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in the House of Commons for my first remarks, and I would like to thank the residents of Windsor—Tecumseh for putting their trust in me to be their voice in Ottawa.

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the declaration of martial law in Poland by the communist dictatorship. Thousands of members of Solidarity, the first independent trade union in the Soviet bloc, were rounded up and imprisoned. In the middle of the night, the secret police came to our door and arrested my father.

After the crackdown, Canada opened its doors to over 6,000 Polish immigrants and political refugees like my family, who contributed their skills and energy to building communities across Canada while supporting the struggle for freedom in their homeland.

Today we honour the brave spirit of the workers and members of the Solidarity movement and recognize Canada's role in providing safe harbour to those who fled communist persecution. We thank Canada. How can we ever thank Canada enough?

The Economy

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while the holidays should be a time to get warm by the fire, thanks to the Prime Minister many Canadians are being left out in the cold: 13% more people cannot pay their credit cards, half of Canadians are within $200 of not being able to make ends meet and 27% more working Canadians are having to turn to food banks. All that Canadians want for Christmas is a government that is going to take this seriously.

When will the Prime Minister change course on the economy?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we know that many Canadians have seen their household debt levels rise in recent years, in large part due to strength in the housing market. That is why we took prudent actions to address pockets of risk and support long-term affordability. We are also putting more money back into the pockets of middle-class Canadians by cutting taxes and increasing the Canada child benefit.

Our government will remain focused on making life more affordable for Canadians, especially the middle class and people working hard to join it.

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the ghosts of Christmas past are not going to help Canadians today and in the future. What kind of holidays are the 71,000 Canadians who lost their jobs last month going to have, or the workers at the GM plant that is closing, or the thousands in the aerospace industry or at CN Rail who have lost their jobs or the over 200,000 in the oil and gas sector who are out of work?

The finance minister says he is not worried about the economy. If this is not enough to worry him, then just what is?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that despite a strong and growing economy, many Canadians are still having trouble making ends meet. We are firmly focused on creating more good, well-paying jobs for Canadians across the country. We know there is much more work to do and we will continue to make life more affordable and create more opportunities for middle-class Canadians.

I am looking forward to working with the hon. member and making sure we find ways to grow our economy.

[Leona Alleslev, Conservative, Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's economy is falling behind and it is the government's fault. Foreign direct investment has dropped by 56%, chased to our competitors by the Prime Minister. Canada's unemployment rate is significantly higher than that of the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Japan. Our economic growth is flat while the U.S.'s is up by 4%. Canada lost 71,000 jobs while the U.S. created 266,000.

Canada is on the brink of a made-in-Canada recession. When will the Prime Minister take it seriously and just change course?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.

Despite growing uncertainty around the world, Canada's economy continues to remain strong. We are focused on building an economy that works for everyone. As a result, Canadians created more than one million jobs and unemployment is at its lowest rate in 40 years. What is more, 900,000 Canadians have been lifted out of poverty, including 300,000 children. We know that there is still a lot of work to do and we will continue to work to make life more affordable and create better-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member on her cabinet appointment, but she cannot tell us that the Canadian economy is doing well. Last month, 71,000 Canadians who support their families lost their jobs, including 45,000 Quebeckers. Foreign investment is in a free fall. It is at 56% of what it was this time last year. That is why we asked for an economic update two weeks ago. The House is adjourning in a matter of hours.

Will the government do the right thing and issue the economic update today?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. We know that despite Canada's growing economy, far too many families still have a hard time making ends meet. We are focused on building an economy that works for everyone. As a result, Canadians created more than one million jobs and unemployment is at an all-time low. We know that there is still a lot of work to do and we will continue to work to make life more affordable and create better-paying jobs for Canadians. We will update our fiscal plan by Christmas.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, unemployment in Canada is on the rise. Seventy-one thousand breadwinners have lost their jobs. Unemployment has gone up to 5.6%. We are no longer leading the G7 in a good way. Now we are at the back of the pack, and that is troubling.

It is sad to see the government shirking its parliamentary responsibilities yet again. The economic update should be delivered here, before Parliament, so that the ministers can answer questions.

Why is the government hiding the economic update? Why not deliver it honourably and enthusiastically by tabling it here in the House of Commons, in front of parliamentarians?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.

We will update our economic plan before the holidays. We know that, despite Canada's growing economy, many families are struggling to make ends meet. We are going to keep working together on measures that will help Canadians make a living in a country that is a great place to call home.

International Trade

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, unlike Canada, the United States knows how to negotiate. The U.S. government, which is also a minority government, took the opportunity to increase its negotiating power, include the Democrats' priorities and get concessions on drug prices and labour rights.

Here, it is just the opposite. The government went off alone and weak and ended up abandoning aluminum workers. Now it is telling us that it will do nothing more and that is it.

Why is the government refusing to leverage the outstanding public engagement we see in our ridings to get protections for aluminum workers?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all those who were involved in the NAFTA negotiations, particularly the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and aluminum workers, who worked hard with our government.

The president of the Aluminium Association of Canada, Jean Simard, said that CUSMA will help strengthen Canada's relationship with its main trading partner, the United States. It has just been said that he did not hesitate to talk about the exceptional work done by the Trudeau government. He is encouraging everyone in the country to put pressure on the Bloc Québécois in particular so that it votes in favour of the ratification of NAFTA.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would like to remind members to refer to their colleagues using their titles and not their names. We sometimes let it slide in the heat of debate, but this is a good opportunity for a reminder.

The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Aluminium Association of Canada is not the workers. It is mostly Rio Tinto.

It does not matter to foreign multinationals like Rio Tinto whether they make aluminum in India or China instead of Quebec. As long as they can make money and supply the U.S. market via Mexico, they are happy. That does not help Quebec. That does help my region. That does not help employ our workers.

Why is the government refusing to provide the same protection to aluminum workers as it does to steel workers?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister (Public Service Renewal) and to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, our government has always supported our steel and aluminum workers in Quebec and around Canada.

Our government fought hard to lift the U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum, and today the new NAFTA offers extra guarantees for the steel and aluminum industry. Today, with this NAFTA, 70% of the aluminum contained in a NAFTA car must come from North America. At the moment, the current NAFTA guarantees nothing.

This agreement is better for Quebec and better for all of Canada.