Debates of April 30th, 2019

Government Priorities

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, whether it is billions to oil companies or massive corporate tax cuts, Liberals and Conservatives choose the powerful over the public. Together, they slashed corporate rates an astounding 12 points. The only reason Paul Martin did not go any further was that Jack Layton stopped him. This Prime Minister promised he would be different, but he has betrayed that promise to Canadians. I believe it is time for us to do better.

Will the Prime Minister cancel the $12-million handout to Loblaws and invest that money into people instead?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we understand that building a strong economy and protecting the environment must go together. We must work with all partners across the country. The private sector has a role to play. The public sector has a role to play. Governments across the country—some of them, anyway—are leading on putting a price on pollution and ensuring a cleaner future for our children while making it affordable for Canadians.

We also need to lean on individuals and consumers as they do their part to protect our environment for future generations. We will not back down from making important investments in fighting climate change right across the board.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

If the hon. member for Windsor West and the Minister of Innovation wish to have a conversation, I am sure there is another place they could do that. It seems to be a pleasant conversation, but I invite them to do that elsewhere.

The hon. member for Burnaby South.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government's record shows that it is not acting in the people's best interest. It gave $12 million to one of the richest corporations, spent $4.5 billion on a pipeline and gave the oil industry $1.6 billion. Just like the Conservatives, the Liberals put wealthy corporations first. If we want to help people, we need to make different choices.

Why are the Liberals refusing to choose the public over their powerful friends?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am very happy to talk about our record.

The first thing we did was cut taxes for the middle class and increase taxes for the wealthiest. Next, we created the Canada child benefit, which helped nine out of 10 families and lifted 300,000 children out of poverty. Those children are among the 800,000 Canadians our investments have lifted out of poverty. We have also seen the creation of 900,000 jobs across the country in recent years and the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years. We still have work to do, but our plan is working.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of not helping people, the community of Kashechewan has once again been displaced because of annual flooding. Leaders and children from the community are in Ottawa to ask the Liberal government to keep its promise to relocate the community to higher ground. The Liberals promised to do so, but two years later, they still have done nothing to help this community.

Why are the Liberals refusing to do something to help these people?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we understand how difficult things are for the people of Kashechewan, who have had to be evacuated 17 years in a row because of flooding. The minister met with them today. Since 2016, we have been working in partnership with Kashechewan on its request to relocate the community to higher ground. The community has chosen the place where they think it would be best to relocate. Work is under way to build a new road, transfer the land and design the new community. All of this is being done in partnership with Kashechewan. We will continue to work—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Burnaby South.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there has been some support for families affected by flooding, but sadly many communities have been left behind. People from Kashechewan are on the Hill today making their voices heard. The government has broken its promise to help them relocate to higher ground, and there was nothing for them in the budget.

The Prime Minister must commit, not just in words but in writing, to a relocation plan with real dollars and real timelines. Will the Prime Minister sign this agreement today so that work can finally truly begin?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply not true. We have been working with the community of Kashechewan over the past years on relocation. We have made significant commitments, and we understand that this needs to be done in partnership.

What the community members in Kashechewan have gone through over the past 17 years of relocations is unacceptable. That is why we are committed to working forward with them. The community identified the location it believes would be best to relocate to. Work is under way right now to build a new road, to secure the land and to design the new community, in partnership every step of the way with the people of Kashechewan.

Ethics

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pick up on a question that the Leader of the Opposition had regarding illegal donations to the Liberal Party of Canada. The Prime Minister seems to want Canadians to think that this is something that happened 10 years ago.

The most crucial part of the article is this. On August 5, 2016, it was the Liberal Party of Canada, it was the Prime Minister, who was given the list of names that made the illegal donations and was alerted to the illegal donations. After that, a compliance agreement was signed between SNC-Lavalin and Elections Canada on the basis that SNC-Lavalin promised not to do it again.

I would like to know whether or not there was any communication between the PMO and Elections Canada on this matter.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as the same article references, these donations were made between 2004 and 2009. The commissioner of Canada elections conducted investigations into decade-old donations, and two recognized parties in the House actually returned those donations. These improper donations to two political parties were made over a decade ago.

We have ensured that we have even stricter rules around raising funds for political parties to ensure that we have more openness and transparency. This is leadership that the Prime Minister demonstrated well before becoming—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Milton.

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Milton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in 2016, the Prime Minister's Office became aware of investigation results showing $110,000 in illegal donations to the Liberal Party of Canada. Soon thereafter, SNC-Lavalin was offered a compliance agreement to avoid prosecution. We have seen this before.

We would like to know whether or not there were conversations between the Prime Minister's Office, SNC-Lavalin and Elections Canada in this matter.

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that Elections Canada is independent of government. Decisions are taken separate from any government.

When it comes to the member's question, it is important to note that these donations were made between 2004 and 2009. The commissioner of Canada elections did do an investigation. When both parties were informed, these donations were returned.

We will always fully comply with fundraising and donation rules. Anyone making political donations is expected to do the same.

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, two months after the canola crisis began, and after a strong statement from the Leader of the Opposition, the Prime Minister finally said yesterday that the government might do something in a few days. Our farmers do not have a few days. Many of them have already taken a major hit. The Liberals talk about standing up for farmers but all they are doing is sitting on their hands. Our farmers need action today.

Will the Prime Minister appoint an ambassador, support farmers and launch trade complaints against China?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, we have been involved in this matter for two months. It did not take us six weeks, like my colleague from Mégantic—L'Érable, to ask the question and it did not take us two months, like the Leader of the Opposition, to wake up and smell the canola.

We have been working on this file extensively with our partners, with farmers, with the industry and with the provinces. We are supporting our very high-quality canola and our very robust inspection system.

We are working on this file seriously.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are so serious about it that they rejected our nine requests for an emergency debate. That is the Liberal reality.

People have had it with the government's wait-and-see approach. The government has been waiting for two months to take action. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has been waiting for a month for China to respond to her request to send a delegation of experts. Yesterday, the Prime Minister told us to wait a few more days. Enough is enough. Waiting around is costing farmers a lot of money. It is time for action.

When will the Prime Minister stop believing that the crisis will fix itself and start listening to the urgent calls from canola farmers?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, for two months, we have been working extensively on this file with farmers, with the industry and with our provincial colleagues. There have been video conferences between officials from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and their counterparts. We are working tirelessly on this.

My colleague from Mégantic—L'Érable is requesting emergency debates, but it took him six weeks to make the first request.

I appeared before the Standing Committee on International Trade with my colleague, the Minister of International Trade Diversification, and this Thursday, I will be at the Standing Committee on Agriculture—

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

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I would ask the hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable not to shout in the House when it is not his turn to speak.

The hon. member for Durham.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, we learned that another Canadian has been sentenced to death by the Chinese state. He is the second one to receive the death penalty, after Mr. Schellenberg's 15-year sentence was converted to the death penalty a few months ago. All Canadians remain very concerned about the ongoing detention of Mr. Kovrig and Mr. Spavor.

When will the minister nominate a new ambassador to start turning around this deepening crisis with China?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, let me address the case of Fan Wei. I want to assure him and his family that Canada is extremely concerned by this sentence. Canada is firmly opposed to the death penalty everywhere in the world. It is cruel and inhumane. Obviously, we are particularly concerned where it is applied against Canadians. We are very seized with this matter.

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister's answer shows why we need an ambassador right away. Yesterday, she said she could predict my questions, so I guess she knows what I am going to say next.

The Prime Minister last week called the Canadians detained by the Chinese state hostages. Without an ambassador, we have no hostage negotiator.

I ask the minister this. Does she agree with the Prime Minister's description of the Canadians detained in China as hostages?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and I agree about pretty much everything. Let me say that when it comes to the detained Canadians, this is—