Debates of June 6th, 2019

Foreign Affairs

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I remind colleagues, as the hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil said earlier, to be kind to each other and listen to each other.

The hon. member for Durham.

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

Mr. Speaker, let us summarize six months of Liberal failures on China. Our citizens are suffering; our exporters are suffering and the situation is deteriorating each week.

After six months of no plan, today the Prime Minister said he is considering getting involved. He should consider getting serious about China. This diplomatic dispute will not be solved by tweets or by photo ops.

Rather than posting tweets like “Canada is back”, how about Liberals get our Canadians back?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, there are Canadian lives at risk in these cases. The cases of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor are a priority for this government. This is not about grandstanding. It is not about scoring points. It is about keeping Canadians safe.

We have rallied an unprecedented number of partners from around the world in support of Canada's position. Liberal members were in China two weeks ago to raise these cases. I was there, but the Conservatives and the NDP were not.

We have a plan. We are always ready to talk, and we are open. We are working for Canada and for Canadians' interests.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Brigitte Sansoucy, NDP, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister asked us to show some compassion and generosity and welcome Syrian families. We would like him to show the same compassion for Nour Mohammad, a 22-year-old Syrian woman who is stranded alone in Libya, far away from her eight brothers and sisters, who live here in Saint-Hyacinthe with their parents. They are here today. I asked the Minister of Immigration to help Nour, but he refused.

How can the Liberals ask us to show compassion when they have none?

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising this request in the House of Commons. She knows that she can speak to me or the minister about such cases, but that we cannot discuss this or any other case on the floor of the House of Commons.

Family reunification is a priority for this government. We have implemented extraordinary measures to reunite refugees with their families. That is essential to provide families in this country with psychological, social and economic support, and it will continue to be a priority in the years to come.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 27 migrant workers spent up to $5,000 to come to Canada for a job that never materialized. They signed an employment contract with Golden Eagle Farms, which is part of the Aquilini empire. They have valid employer-specific permits. It has been over six months, and they have yet to get work.

If there was no work at Golden Eagle Farms for these migrant workers, how on earth did the Aquilini group get a positive labour market impact assessment for 280 workers?

Will the minister stop this abuse and immediately issue open work permits for these women?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for her passion for the equal treatment of all workers in Canada, no matter where they come from. Temporary foreign workers are entitled to the exact same protections and rights as every Canadian, and I am aware of the recent reports regarding the treatment of temporary foreign workers at the Aquilini group. We take these allegations very seriously.

The department is aware of these allegations and will be conducting an investigation into these claims. Whether someone is a Canadian, a permanent resident or a temporary foreign worker, that person's health and safety matters to this country, to all of us, and we will continue to work with provinces and territories, employers and workers to make sure every worker in Canada is protected.

Status of Women

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the fight for women's rights is not over. The residents of Outremont have shared with me their concerns about women's access to abortion being threatened.

Women's rights are human rights, and Canada has always led on this issue. That is why Canadians are so concerned about the increasing rhetoric we are hearing both at home and abroad.

Could the House please get an update on the work our government is doing to support the rights of women and girls around the world?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, we know that when women and girls are healthy and empowered, everyone benefits. That is why we made our historic investment of $1.4 billion a year for women's and girls' health at the Women Deliver Conference; $700 million will go specifically toward sexual and reproductive health rights to fill the gap that was left by the previous Conservative government, and it will empower 18 million women and girls by 2030. With this, we will be at the forefront of international efforts to improve the health of women and girls. We also stand firmly in support of women's right to choose, here at home and abroad.

Democratic Institutions

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we learned today that Elections Canada will spend $650,000 to hire social media influencers. Canadians are growing weary of hearing the linked words of “influence” and “elections”.

No one can claim to be free of opinions on the issues contained within each party's electoral platform, so how can Elections Canada ensure that these social media influencers have never had political opinions and do not have political opinions today?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservative Party, we will not muzzle scientists; we will not muzzle public servants, and we will certainly not muzzle Elections Canada. In fact, in Bill C-76, we empowered Elections Canada to talk to Canadians about the importance of voting. Unlike Conservatives, we are not afraid of more Canadians voting. I hope they will join us in supporting Elections Canada's good work in reaching out to vulnerable populations, reaching out to groups that do not vote and making sure that in this election more Canadians than ever vote.

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Elections Canada is keeping secret the names of its social media influencers: musicians, celebrities, athletes and YouTube producers. These folk become influencers because they have strong opinions. How can Elections Canada ensure that these influencers have never expressed political opinions?

The Chief Electoral Officer concedes that this unprecedented campaign is politically sensitive. Should Elections Canada not simply focus on administering a fair election?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite, we have full confidence in our officers of Parliament. We have full confidence in Elections Canada and the professional men and women who administer elections. In fact, unlike the party opposite and its so-called fair elections act, we will not make it harder for Canadians to vote. We will not make it harder for Canadians to get information on how to vote. In fact, in Bill C-76 we empowered Elections Canada to do such a thing.

We hope Conservatives also think it is a good thing that Canadians have the right information on where and how to vote, because that matters for Canadian democracy.

The Environment

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was World Environment Day, and I thought the minister was going to tell us the truth by confirming that the Liberals' environment plan is not working.

It is urgent that we take action, and we, the Conservatives, know and acknowledge this. The Liberals must take action and propose a real plan to meet the Paris targets. Why are they so intent on hiding the truth from Canadians?

I would like the minister to listen to the question, which is very simple: when will her government tell the truth and clearly state that Canada will not meet the Paris targets?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to hitting our targets, because we know failure is not an option.

I would invite the hon. member to take a look at our climate plan, the pan-Canadian framework on clean growth and climate change. It has over 50 measures. We are putting a price on pollution. By 2030, 90% of Canada's electricity will be generated from non-emitting resources. We have made the largest investments in the history of our country in public transit and in protecting nature.

These are just a few examples of how we are taking it seriously. We can reduce our emissions, grow our economy and make life more affordable at the same time.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal environment plan is in shambles. We see raw sewage in the St. Lawrence, million-dollar handouts to Loblaws and punishing carbon taxes.

Now it is clear that the Liberals will not even meet their own Paris targets, because they do not have a climate plan. They have a tax plan.

However, the minister refuses to admit that her plan has failed. She even told us her strategy: “If you repeat it, if you say it louder....people will totally believe it.”

When will the minister admit her plan is totally not believable and will not meet the Paris targets?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would take the criticism seriously if it came from a member of a party that actually had a plan of their own to talk about.

Do members want to see what Conservative climate action looks like? We can look at Doug Ford in Ontario, dismantling flood protection, showing up at a flood zone and saying, “Oh, gee, I wonder what this is all about.” Jason Kenney in Alberta had to shut the vents of the provincial legislature while they were debating the repeal of the carbon pricing legislation. What is next? Is Saskatchewan going to sue the floods and fires themselves?

It is time the Conservatives pulled their heads out of the sand and joined us in the 21st century.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order. I would encourage the hon. parliamentary secretary to be judicious in his comments.

The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a new Australian study warns of the dramatic impact of climate change. We are on track to see the earth's temperature increase by 3°C, which will devastate ecosystems and force the migration of a billion people, but here at home the Liberals are missing the Conservatives' targets and buying a pipeline to triple the production of the oil sands. ENvironnement JEUnesse is in court today to sue the government.

What is it that the Liberals fail to understand? Why are they not listening to the science and our young people? Are their heads buried in the oil sands?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all the young people who are advocating for climate action.

I agree with the NDP's intention. The New Democrats have their heart in the right place, but they have not thought their plan through. In commentary on it, the Ecofiscal Commission indicated that the NDP's plan for big emitters is going to hurt the Canadian economy and will not do anything to reduce emissions. It will just inspire polluters to cross the border and pollute elsewhere.

We have actually been working on a plan for several years now. The NDP seems committed to implementing some of the things we have been doing. It is time for them to actually look at what has been going on and realize we are taking action.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Cypress Hills—Grasslands seems to be having trouble sitting quietly when others are speaking and not speaking out when he does not have the floor. Perhaps he would like to not do that and wait until he has the floor. We have been over that before. He could talk to his colleague from Barrie—Innisfil about us all being kind to each other and listening.

The hon. member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert.

[Pierre Nantel, NDP, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what a circus we have around here. Exactly six months ago, the NDP invited all parties of the House of Commons to work together on the climate crisis because the failure to meet our targets is the failure of this entire Parliament. The Liberals and the Conservatives continue refuse this offer.

I have a message for the young people marching in the streets: get involved in the upcoming election and kick out all those who do not want to save the planet or find solutions. It is appalling.

I want to ask the Minister of Environment and Climate Change a question, but, honestly, I feel like there is no point. I do not even want to hear what you have to say. Keep thinking that you are the best and figure it out yourselves. Goodbye.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

That is not acceptable. It is not acceptable for comments to be directed to other members and not to the Chair.

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.