Debates of June 5th, 2019

International Trade

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are all talk and no action when it comes to the China crisis, which keeps getting worse. The Chinese government is now targeting the pork industry. Two factories had their permits suspended, and each container of Canadian pork is now being heavily scrutinized by the Chinese government.

What are the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture doing to protect our market access? They are doing absolutely nothing.

When will the Prime Minister finally stand up for our ranchers and farmers?

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

Our team is working non-stop across the country to fix this situation. Our priority is reopening the Chinese markets for agricultural products.

We have increased our support for farmers through the advance payments program. Farmers will be able to submit their application as of June 10. They already had access to $400,000 loan advances and will now be eligible for $1 million. As for canola producers, they are entitled to $500,000 interest free.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I want to remind my hon. friend from Prince Albert that I can hear him from way down there, but I would prefer to hear him only when he has the floor, of course, as he would understand.

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

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

Mr. Speaker, the canola crisis is not about quality. There is no issue with the quality of Canadian pork and yet the Liberal government stubbornly refuses to deal with this crisis politically. As the director of the China Institute of the University of Alberta clearly said, “I think it is veiled political retaliation”.

Why is the Minister of Agriculture hiding behind a delegation of experts that is incapable of going to China, and so-called administrative errors?

Why is the Prime Minister refusing to appoint an ambassador and file a complaint with the WTO?

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

Mr. Speaker, this is cause for celebration because I rarely agree with my colleague. The quality of our Canadian products is absolutely not at issue. We offer agricultural products of the highest quality and our inspection system is very reliable and internationally renowned.

Our representative raised this issue at the last general council of the World Trade Organization.

Taxation

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has created the most unequal tax system in the industrialized world. The Liberal system of tax havens and tax loopholes lets millionaires and Canada's most profitable companies get off the hook from paying their fair share.

Canadians have just found out that the revenue minister has let yet another millionaire tax evader off the hook through the KPMG offshore tax scam. The Liberals have created one set of rules for millionaires and another for everyone else.

Why do the Liberals always reward wealthy tax dodgers? Why do they not make them pay their fair share?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to fighting tax evaders. Out-of-court settlements are reached through a fully independent process within the Canada Revenue Agency, in collaboration with the Department of Justice, to ensure the integrity of the tax system.

While we understand that settlements can be used appropriately in certain circumstances, we are concerned about the lack of transparency associated with them. That is why the minister has directed the CRA to review its processes to allow for greater transparency on the reasons why a settlement is reached.

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

Mr. Speaker, wealthy KPMG clients accused of using a fraudulent scheme to avoid paying their fair share of taxes were granted amnesty by none other than the revenue minister.

This is not the first time KPMG clients have obtained a lenient settlement from the federal government. This settlement is proof of the federal government's total lack of transparency.

When will the government take action, stop giving the wealthiest Canadians special treatment, and force them to pay their fair share of taxes?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, our government is fully committed to fighting tax evaders. Out-of-court settlements are reached through a fully independent process within the Canada Revenue Agency in collaboration with the Department of Justice to ensure the integrity of the tax system.

While we understand that the rules can be used appropriately in certain circumstances, we are concerned about the lack of transparency associated with them. That is why the minister has directed the CRA to review its processes to allow for greater transparency on the reasons why—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. The hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé.

Canadian Heritage

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

Mr. Speaker, this government supports big business to the detriment of SMEs, workers and particularly taxpayers.

Today, TVA announced 68 layoffs. It is saying loud and clear that the unfair competition from web giants is the main reason for these job losses. The NPD has been calling on the government for a long time to force web giants to pay their fair share of taxes.

Why does the Liberal government not take action to force web giants to pay their fair share of taxes?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are with the employees and their families. The loss of even just one job is a tragedy, particularly when it affects the culture and communications sector.

The NDP should be asking the Conservatives that question. They sat on their hands for 10 years while they were in office. They did absolutely nothing, but we are addressing the problem. There is a committee that is looking into this. We are going to legislate and ensure that, in the end, all those who participate in the system contribute to the system, with no exceptions.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been in power for four years. It is about time they took some responsibility for that. In the past, people and large companies paid equal amounts of income tax. Since then, Liberal and Conservative governments have shifted the balance in favour of the richest companies, and people have been forced to make up the difference. The Liberals and the Conservatives seem to always put the profits of the wealthiest ahead of people trying to get ahead.

Why do the Liberals not have the courage to make sure the richest in Canada, including the web giants, pay their fair share?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the question should be asked of the Conservatives. For 10 full years, they did nothing. On our side, we work. We put in place a panel that will give recommendations, and we will change the law, a law that predates the Internet. While they did nothing, we will make sure that anybody who participates in this system contributes to the system, without any exception.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, all parties at the National Assembly of Quebec spoke out against the paternalistic and centralist approach of this Liberal government. All parties of the Government of Quebec condemned the fact that this government wants to try to bypass the government to allocate funding to the municipalities. That is unacceptable. This law has been on the books since 1867.

Why are the Prime Minister and the Liberal government so disrespectful—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague opposite that respecting the provinces means investing in the provinces. That is why we are proud to have announced an investment of over $500 million in the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel. We are proud of our investment in users' safety. We are proud of our investment to modernize Montreal's critical transportation infrastructure, to bring it out of the 20th century and into the 21st century.

We will continue to invest with the provinces and across the country to improve the quality of life of Canadians.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am not making this up. His Prime Minister told the Federation of Canadian Municipalities last Friday that he was prepared to bypass the provinces to get his way.

Act M-30 makes it clear that any agreement regarding municipal infrastructure must go through the Government of Quebec. This Prime Minister has no respect for provincial jurisdiction. He is a centralizing and paternalistic Prime Minister.

Does the minister agree with his Prime Minister about bypassing the Government of Quebec? Yes or no?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing I know for sure, it is that we heard the Leader of the Opposition say yesterday that “Ottawa knows best”. Those are the leader of the official opposition's own words.

However, we think Canadians know best. We think users know best. That is why we are going to keep investing in public transit and green, modern, resilient infrastructure across the country. We are going to keep investing for Canadians.

Interprovincial Trade

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are sick and tired of the protectionism within their own country and the Liberal government's failure to do anything about it. We are one country from sea to sea to sea, and Canadians should be able to buy and sell goods between provinces.

In the Prime Minister's free trade plan, half the agreement is 130 pages of exceptions. It is time for action, not more Liberal failures.

Premiers are stepping up for genuine interprovincial trade. When will the Prime Minister do the same?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, I hope there are many Canadians watching TV today, because only the Conservatives can pretend that Ottawa knows best. In 10 years, Mr. Harper's government failed to move interprovincial trade forward.

The Leader of the Opposition's promise is more empty words and more big promises, with no plan to deliver. Canadians have seen that movie when it comes to the environment: all talk, no plan.

We will continue to make sure that we have free trade between Canadian provinces.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has failed miserably when it comes to free trade between provinces. In fact, he has fought against it in court. Half the Liberals' Canada free trade agreement is a list of exemptions for things that cannot be traded. This is not free trade. In fact, much like the Prime Minister, his no-trade agreement is not as advertised.

Interprovincial trade barriers are costing the Canadian economy $130 billion. When will the Prime Minister get out of the way and allow free trade between provinces?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, again, for viewers at home, that is the “Ottawa knows best” side of the House. Let me remind Canadians who are watching that beyond failed promises, the Leader of the Opposition remains consistent on one thing alone, and Canadians know that. Be it on the environment, the economy or the unity of our country, he has no real plan for Canada and for Canadians.

We have a plan to move goods across Canada. We have a plan to grow the economy. We have one million jobs to show.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, order. There might be more viewers tonight for the Raptors game. I do not know. I think we need to listen to each other. This show needs to improve its decorum a little.