House of Commons Hansard #8 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was iii.

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Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

January 27th, 2020 / 4:50 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his maiden speech in the House.

The member spent some time talking about firearms and the government's plan with respect to firearms. What we have been talking about is the banning of military assault weapons. The reality of the situation is that people do not need to be walking around with or have the ability to own firearms that are designed to kill people. A lot of people say these firearms are already banned, but a lot of them have not been banned; they are just restricted, and there is a difference between being banned and being restricted.

The bottom line is we are saying that people do not need to have these weapons. A lot of hunters will say the same thing. My father-in-law and my uncles are hunters. They will say the exact same thing, that they do not need a miliary-style weapon to hunt for sport.

Would the member agree that the vast majority of law-abiding citizens who use firearms in a law-abiding way for sport or recreational purposes would agree that that style of weapon is not required?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON

Madam Speaker, I wish I could answer my colleague's question. The Liberal government has refused to tell us what it means when it refers to military-style assault weapons. It is a very ambiguous term and it is creating a lot of unease in people across Canada, from sport shooters to people that rely on these firearms to provide for their families.

The Conservative Party will always stand on the side of law-abiding firearm owners. We understand that creating more laws for people that already follow the rules would do nothing to combat this important issue.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Arnold Viersen Conservative Peace River—Westlock, AB

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my hon. colleague on his great first speech in the House.

I am wondering if he could outline how the carbon tax is affecting people where he lives.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

4:50 p.m.

Conservative

Eric Melillo Conservative Kenora, ON

Madam Speaker, there is no debate that the carbon tax has hit northwestern Ontario and my riding of Kenora particularly hard. The cost of living has increased all across the region. Fort Severn is a community where the cost of everything has inflated even more drastically.

We are going to continue to fight for a more affordable life for all Canadians.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

4:50 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Speaker, I want to let you know that I am splitting my time with the hon. member for Milton.

It is an honour to rise in this chamber on behalf of the people of Whitby to speak to the government's Speech from the Throne.

In the throne speech, it was mentioned how young our country is. While in the context of world history this may be true, our predecessors have left very big shoes to fill indeed. It was on these grounds that nation-shaping events took place and decisions were made in the past: the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2005, the implementation of universal health care in 1966, declarations of war in some of the world's greatest conflicts, the Canadian Bill of Rights in 1960 and the original NAFTA in 1994.

We, as Canadians, have accomplished so much throughout our history. These decisions should guide us along the way as we make the most of our time here in this 43rd Parliament. As Pierre Trudeau once said, “The past is to be respected and acknowledged, but not worshipped; it is our future in which we will find our greatness.” Building a better future, and a sustainable future I might add, for our country is not only our job, but it is our obligation as the temporary agents of change in the seats of this chamber.

Today, the world is facing new challenges, not unlike the past, but staying focused and grounded on the people who sent us here will be key to success. Collaboration, no doubt, will be critical. The throne speech was clear. We are working hard to build a better future for our children and generations to come. We need to look far past the “short term-ism” that government is often criticized for and look to the long-term change process that will advance our collective vision for a sustainable future.

Over the last four years, our government has achieved bold progress on an ambitious agenda they were elected on in 2015. We worked hard to strengthen the middle class, grow the economy and protect our environment. That is not to mention the many other things that we have championed as a government, including reducing poverty and homelessness, and advancing women's equality. The last four years are a testament that environmental action does not come at the cost of economic growth. In fact, we have seen substantive progress on both fronts at the same time.

In the last Parliament, the Liberal government developed and delivered on one of Canada's most ambitious environmental and climate action plans in our history. Canadians spoke loud and clear about the need for climate action when we went to the polls in October. As the member for Whitby, I hear regularly from constituents about how concerned they are about climate change. Climate change is no longer an idea spoken about by scientists as some far-off event. It is a reality people face in their everyday lives. We have seen wetter, wilder and unpredictable weather become the norm. Extreme climatic events are regularly in the news, and action can no longer wait. Our historical apathy and inaction under previous governments on this issue has been our greatest challenge. I am proud to be part of a team that is serious about climate action.

Over the last few years, people in Whitby and along the shores of Lake Ontario and many of the Great Lakes have experienced unprecedented flooding. This has caused property damage and shoreline erosion. The cost of inaction is simply too great. I am happy to see that the Minister of Infrastructure will be working with other levels of government to help fund the building of climate-resilient infrastructure. The government is also committed to working toward the completion of all flood maps in Canada and introducing a new low-cost national flood insurance program. This will allow for better planning policies at the local level to help avoid significant damage from climate change-related disasters.

There are many progressive measures for addressing climate change from our platform and the Speech from the Throne that I know many Canadians will support. One such promise I am particularly excited about is the commitment to help Canadians make their homes more energy efficient through $40,000 interest-free loans. This will enable many deep retrofits to homes that could achieve significant reduction in energy consumption. This will reduce costs for Canadians, putting more money in their pockets; and alleviate stress on electricity grids, which will prevent power outages in peak season.

The throne speech also mentioned that the government will work with businesses to make Canada the best place to start a clean-tech company. A 50% reduction in taxes for businesses that create net-zero products is no mediocre incentive. The riding of Whitby, and Durham region more broadly, is a hub of innovation. I look forward to working with the world-class entrepreneurs, business owners and education facilities like Durham College in the region to promote sustainable innovation and green jobs.

Our government is also committed to preserving 25% of our land and 25% of our oceans by 2025, and then working toward 30% by 2030. This is an ambitious and necessary goal. The numbers on declining biodiversity in our country are disheartening, to say the least. Six hundred species are at risk. Fifty per cent of the species monitored by the World Wildlife Fund are in decline. Humans have altered over 40% of the natural environment to the detriment of many species. Studies show that biodiversity is in more of a decline now than at any other time in human history.

Protecting natural areas is not only needed but is necessary for the sustainability of the environment. I am proud to be part of a government that, in the last Parliament, delivered the biggest investment in nature conservation and preservation in Canadian history. Thanks to the work of the former minister of environment and climate change, we invested $1.3 billion in nature conservation in the budget of 2018. Protecting 25% of our land and oceans by 2025 will build on the work completed over the last four years. We have significantly increased the amount of protected oceans and land in our country.

Building on this, I am thrilled that the government will partner with municipalities to help them expand and diversify urban forests as well as plant two billion trees. Canada accounts for around 30% of the world's forest coverage and this is an important part of the fight against climate change.

We will also work to ban single-use plastics.

Climate change is the challenge of our generation and it is a global challenge. Canada must continue to do its part and be an international leader.

Now I want to talk about the economy. People in Whitby are concerned about building a strong, vibrant local economy. This is not unlike many of the other ridings across the country. A strong local economy is the work of all levels of government and all stakeholders working in collaboration. I look forward to working with all members, the government and other levels of government to help support the growth of our local economy in Whitby and across Durham region as a whole.

In 2019, we were elected on an ambitious agenda of continued investments in Canadians to grow our economy. Canadians created over one million jobs in four years. We continue to have one of the fastest-growing economies in the G7. This strong record of economic growth under our government has allowed Canada to have the best balance sheet among G7 countries.

As the Speech from the Throne outlined, we will cut taxes for all but the wealthiest of Canadians. We will reduce the cost of cellphone bills by 25%. We will make before and after school care more affordable and accessible for Canadian families. We will strengthen pensions for seniors and increase the federal minimum wage.

We believe that everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Housing affordability has become a major concern for families in Whitby and across the country. Housing costs continue to rise and an affordable place to call home is out of reach for many. The government made housing affordability a priority from the beginning of the last Parliament. The government brought in the first-ever national housing strategy, a 10-year plan and $55-billion investment to boost housing supply and give more Canadians a place to call home. This will set the direction of housing policy in this country for years to come, help reduce chronic homelessness by 50% and remove 530,000 families from housing need. It is clear that we are serious about ensuring that every Canadian has a place to call home.

I am proud to be part of a government that takes investing in Canadians seriously. From trade to poverty reduction, housing affordability to national pharmacare, economic growth and real climate action, this government under this Prime Minister has stepped up to the plate. This throne speech is a blueprint for where we will go in the new Parliament. I am honoured to stand in this House and I look forward to working with all members to continue the path forward.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5 p.m.

Conservative

Karen Vecchio Conservative Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON

Madam Speaker, it was very interesting. I heard the member talk about the fact that he is from Whitby in the Durham region. I know that in Durham one of the fastest-growing economies is agriculture.

Just last week, as I was sitting at a kitchen table with one of the farmers, his $7,000 gas bill for drying his corn had a $1,200 carbon tax. What are the farmers in the member's area saying about the carbon tax? The farmers in Elgin—Middlesex—London are against it.

Could the member explain how $1,200 is good for the economy when it is going to the carbon tax, out of the pockets of farmers?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Speaker, what I see in the food system is that our government actually developed the first-ever national food policy to support agriculture in this country. Never before, since the emergency war provisions of World War II, have we had a national food policy.

Farmers are a part of the food system, and are clearly benefiting from policies that are designed to increase their economic growth.

The carbon tax is actually designed to target industry players and disincentivize pollution. That is exactly what we are doing.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on a great speech addressing the Speech from the Throne.

The member hit on a very important point, and that was that we have seen unprecedented results in the last four years that the government was in power. We have the lowest unemployment rate since we started recording unemployment. We have one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, as he mentioned. The member mentioned our balance sheet. We have the best debt-to-GDP ratio amongst the G7 countries.

Would the member comment on how he sees this Speech from the Throne lining up with the previous one, and if he sees that continuing to push forward on progressive ideas and investing in Canadians is going to continue to produce the results we have been seeing over the last four years?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Speaker, I have seen nothing but economic progress since the last election in 2015. We have seen almost every sector grow, and incredible numbers of jobs being created.

For me to hear the Prime Minister's words in the Speech from the Throne read out loud was clearly inspiring. We are building a sustainable economy in this country. That is what my whole life has been about. The only reason I ran in the election was because of the significant progress that I saw the government making. Here I am in this honourable House as a result and as a true testament to the great work that was done in the last four years.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Louis Plamondon Bloc Bécancour—Nicolet—Saurel, QC

Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to the speech by the new member for a beautiful region in Ontario. He spoke about the environment, but does he not think that his government is talking out of both sides of its mouth? It is investing billions of dollars in developing pipelines, while at the same time it is talking about meeting the Paris targets. That seems a bit contradictory.

I have one last question. During the election campaign, the Bloc spoke about introducing a bill that would enshrine the government's Paris commitments in legislation. If this bill is introduced, will the member commit to supporting it?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Ryan Turnbull Liberal Whitby, ON

Madam Speaker, building the economy and fighting climate change are complex issues and no extreme position, one side or the other, will really do justice to the issue. Building a sustainable economy and transitioning off fossil fuels is going to be challenging, to say the least.

With regard to the member's question about the legislation, or bill that he is planning to propose, I believe there are important tracking and metrics that need to be tracked towards building a green economy. I would fully support that.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:05 p.m.

Milton Ontario

Liberal

Adam van Koeverden LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth and to the Minister of Canadian Heritage (Sport)

Madam Speaker, a few days ago I was on Twitter and uncharacteristically came across a story that warmed my heart. It was the story of a young third grade boy who came to Newfoundland as a refugee from Syria with his family. I learned that this young boy knew that some of his classmates played hockey and he wanted to play too, but there were a few barriers in his way. He did not know how to play, he did not have anyone to teach him and he did not have any equipment. However, he did know the most important lesson of hockey. Wayne Gretzky said it himself, “Hockey is a unique sport in the sense that you need each and every guy helping each other and pulling in the same direction to be successful.” It sounds like another sport with which I am familiar.

After some of his classmates told their parents about this young boy who wanted to play hockey, that is exactly what the town did. Residents came together working toward the same goal, to help get him on the ice. The whole community got together to make sure that nothing got in the way of him playing hockey. Before anyone knew it, there was no shortage of hockey gear, people willing to coach him and after this viral tweet, fans from across Canada and the world.

This heartwarming story is a good reminder of two very important things.

The first is that being Canadian is about the kindness that we strive for every day, our commitment to making everyone feel welcome and respected and the things we can accomplish when we come together.

The second is the reminder that issues affecting Canadians do not exist in vacuums. Nor are they unrelated. Being able to participate in sports is not a question of desire or ambition. There are barriers in front of our youth who wish to participate.

For some, it is a question of affordability. For those living in rural areas with little or no public transportation, it can be a question of access. The barrier can also be an absence of spaces that are culturally appropriate for some Canadians.

Sport is not just play. Sport is health and mental health. Sport is peace and community building, it is personally empowering and a connection to our natural environment. Sport is educational, employs thousands of Canadians, drives our economy and helps define us as a nation. Sport has a place in every kid's life and a place in every portfolio in this government.

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth as well as for Sport, this story emphasizes the intersection of my portfolios. For me, being raised by a single mother in co-op housing, I was very fortunate to have found the sport of kayaking. It quite literally changed my life. However, what if certain barriers had gotten in the way of that? What if the fees at the kayak club were just too high and made it impossible for my mother to pay? I took public transit to and from the canoe club every day. What if the town I grew up in did not have public transit? These barriers to participation are exactly the sorts of things I hope to be able to identify and dismantle in the coming years.

Given the opportunity that I have with this role, I am ready to listen, learn and find solutions so all Canadians can access sport, recreation and physical activity. This includes examining the barriers that women in leadership roles face inside and outside the sport industry, working on expanding Canada's anti-racism strategy and ensuring easier access to sports and community activities for newcomers to Canada.

One of the reasons I find the Speech from the Throne to be such an ambitious action plan for the government's vision for Canada is because it understands this very thing, that no issue exists in a vacuum. The government has put forward goals and targets that are well balanced, interconnected and complementary. No ministry is working alone, but rather, working as a team toward the same goal of a better future for all Canadians. It is incumbent on every member in the House to collaborate and work together to that end.

Next let us talk about the government's plan on climate change.

The implications of climate change are being reminded to us every day. The Australian wildfires have destroyed the natural habitats of almost 100 species. The polar ice caps are melting and sea levels are rising. Youth are looking at us and demanding action. We must not ignore them.

Climate change is hurting the economy and when the economy suffers, it is the marginalized who suffer the most. This an urgent matter of public and global safety. Health concerns that we have never anticipated before are popping up worldwide because of bad air quality and toxins in our food.

Our government understands that climate change is a multi-faceted issue and we have set ambitious goals to meet the challenge. We are committing to protecting 25% of our land and 25% of our oceans by 2025. We are also committing to reduce plastic pollution to zero to help keep our oceans and lakes clean. Our government is launching a program to plant two billion trees, a program that will support 3,500 seasonal jobs, help conserve and restore our forests, as well as help cities expand and diversify their urban forests.

We have a responsibility to tackle climate change and we have put a plan together that gets us to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The government is setting targets that are not only ambitious, but achievable as well. We need to do a better job for all Canadians, but especially for the youth and the most vulnerable. The impacts of climate change disproportionately affect the most marginalized people in our society, such as indigenous, racialized and economically disadvantaged populations.

A big part of doing better means strengthening our middle class and helping more Canadians join it. Working toward a poverty-free Canada is a priority that this government has taken on, and as a co-op kid myself, it is one I feel very strongly about.

During its last mandate, this government made historic gains in lifting families and children over the poverty line, and the Speech from the Throne only reaffirms this commitment to do more.

The government will continue its vital investments in affordable housing, exactly the sort of housing I grew up in with my family. Without access to safe and affordable housing, my mother would have had to choose between paying rent and buying healthy groceries or enrolling my brother and I in sports and after-school activities. Building affordable housing gives Canadians across the country the opportunity to succeed, and co-ops should be included in that plan. Our goal as a government is not just to help our citizens get by; our goal is to help them thrive.

With initiatives like the Canada child benefit, the government has made life easier for parents and families trying to get ahead. In my own riding of Milton, in a typical month the government gave an average of $550 to 15,000 families from 2016 to 2018. I have heard that Milton is the youngest riding in Canada with the most kids, so it is possible it will receive the most, but in the last four years that is an average of $180 million. It is historic.

This opens countless doors for so many families and their children. To a family just getting by, $500 makes a huge difference. It means that one parent might not have to give up his or her career or perhaps can stay in college because the family can now afford child care. The Canada child benefit makes this possible.

Studies show that growing up in poverty hurts children very early on and the effects of poverty will follow them into adulthood. No child should have to face food insecurity. No child should think that access to adequate and culturally appropriate health care is a privilege. In the Speech from the Throne, the government makes it clear that it is taking the steps to ensure these facts become realities in Canada.

The government is aware of the challenges that many Canadians are currently facing in accessing quality health care. All Canadians, regardless of where they live, should be able to access a primary care family doctor.

When we talk about the intersection of issues, mental health is one that is so deeply intertwined with every aspect of our lives. With Bell Let's Talk Day coming up this Wednesday, we need to celebrate all the work that has been done to decrease the stigma around mental health. However, a lot of work still remains and cannot slow down now.

We need to ensure that workplaces across Canada have mental health standards in place. People who want to access mental health services should not have to wait months on end before they get the help they need. These are exactly the sorts of problems our government will tackle, by working to introduce relevant workplace mental health standards and ensuring Canadians can access services when they need them.

We are living in an uncertain time. Many Canadians across the nation are worried about their future. We acknowledge those valid anxieties Canadians might have and we promise to work tirelessly toward a safer Canada.

This government has already taken historic action against gun crime and organized gang activity. We must not wait until the next tragedy to ban military-style assault rifles, a top priority for this government. It will also work with municipalities to empower those that want to ban handguns. We need to take actions that keep Canadians safe. We must also do what is possible to help the rest of the world become a safer place as well.

I now want to take a few moments to talk about the events of the past few weeks. Our country is still mourning the death of the people we lost on Flight PS752. This devastating national tragedy is heavy on the hearts of Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Over the past few weeks, I have seen communities come together to support the families and friends of the victims through this most difficult time. I attended a vigil in Oakville with my colleagues and neighbours to light a candle and remember, and it was a sad but important moment.

Tragedies like this one should never happen again. Our responsibility extends beyond our borders to the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. The government's commitments to providing international development aid and assistance, such as investing in education and gender equality, will create pathways to opportunities, better futures for people worldwide and a more peaceful world. Together, with the help of our allies, we will work together to champion human rights and achieve peace in areas affected by war, poverty and disease.

As we look toward the future, we must ask ourselves what our vision is for Canada. I want to go back to the story of the young boy in Newfoundland who I talked about at the beginning of this response. As a rookie MP, I often find myself asking two questions.

The first one is, “Who am I here to represent?” The answer to that question is easy; it is the people of Milton. As long as the people in the riding of Milton elect me to be their representative, I will be a fierce advocate for them in Ottawa.

The second question is, “Why am I here?” This one is a little trickier, but the story of this young boy made me realize that at the heart of it what we are here to do is work toward a Canada where every young boy and girl, and every Canadian for that matter, can succeed no matter where they come from. When I look at the vision of our government and the goals we have been set, I see us working toward this Canada together.

As I have said throughout my campaign and throughout my time here, I believe there are good ideas on the right and there are good ideas on the left, and we are much stronger when we work together as team Canada.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague from Milton on both his election and his maiden speech, which I thought was very well done.

The member talked about a lot of things that were important to him, such as the child benefit and co-op housing. However, what he did not talk about was the balanced equation of a government needing to have the revenue in order to do the things it wants to do for the citizens of the country. He left out one side of the equation.

Does the member believe that when we support the children of today, it is fair that the grandchildren of tomorrow will ultimately have to bear the burden of that debt or is it important to look at that balanced side of the equation and perhaps look at having something in the Speech from the Throne that actually supports revenue generation in the country?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON

Madam Speaker, that question came up often at the doors: What about the deficit?

I will talk about the deficit and the debt to GDP ratio, which is more important than a raw number.

We can talk about the price of gas all we want. We can talk about the price of one thing, which is just one direction. However, what we have to focus on is the relationship between the debt and the amount of money the country makes. The truth is that the debt to GDP ratio is more sound than it has ever been. It is the strongest in the G7, and it will continue to be. The debt of this nation is under control. We are gold star rated, and we will continue to be under this government.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC

Madam Speaker, there was reference in the throne speech to a national pharmacare plan, but the words that were left out were “universal”, “comprehensive” and “public”. The NDP, through our leader, the member for Burnaby South, has put forward as its first bill a framework much in the same vein as the Canada Health Act, which would allow us to implement this system and set up a road map for provinces to join it.

Will the member follow us on our plan and go beyond the Liberal promise of just a national pharmacare plan and make one that is universal, public and comprehensive, so we fully fund this very key missing link in our health care system?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON

Madam Speaker, this is an important topic in my riding as well.

I attended a forum on universal health care and universal pharmacare. Indeed, we are the only country in the world with universal health care that does not have a comprehensive universal pharmacare. We have promised to pursue just that.

We are going to sit on committees together and we are going to work together. I am excited to collaborate in the effort to make Canada a better, stronger, healthier place, but it is going to take effort, collaboration and the spirit of team work from all of us to keep working for team Canada.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

Madam Speaker, we talk about deficits and how we have to think of future generations, and of course that is important. However, when I was growing up, before I even got to school, the Quebec government was investing massively in schools and roads, which meant that when I got to be a certain age to go to school, there was a school for me to go to. Therefore, that deficit, that financing, that spending actually benefited me as a future generation.

The money that we are investing today in the labs in the universities, those labs will be there for my kids if they decide to pursue a career in science.

Could the member comment on how investments made today, even if sometimes a deficit is incurred, can actually benefit future generations?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

Liberal

Adam van Koeverden Liberal Milton, ON

Madam Speaker, indeed, there are different types of debt and different types of deficits. We know there is good debt and bad debt. When this government took over from the previous government, there was a huge structural deficit. The previous Conservative government was not building things, but now we are. The country is on the right track, and we are determined to not leave our next generation with an environmental debt. We are working extremely hard to ensure our economy and infrastructure are sound.

As I said, while there are different types of debt and deficits, it is also important to recognize who owns most of our debt. In Canada, most of our debt is owned by Canadians in the form of bonds. We certainly want to ensure that it remains low, but at the end of the day, we are truly investing in ourselves.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Dufferin—Caledon.

As this is the first time I have had the opportunity in the 43rd Parliament to stand and speak, I would like to thank the people of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo for giving me the honour of representing them again.

Everyone in the House owes so much gratitude to the people who volunteer for their campaign, the people who donate money, the people who do so much to ensure that democracy is strong and vibrant and that their goals and values are heard as we go through the election process.

A new parliamentary session is always opened with a Speech from the Throne. People watching on TV might be wondering about the purpose of the Speech from the Throne. The throne speech outlines the government's agenda for the upcoming session. In actual fact, in the 42nd Parliament, it outlined the government's agenda for the entire four years. The throne speech is a really important document in terms of the government's plans and where it is going to take this country.

On December 18, many of us in the House either went over to the Senate chamber to hear the speech or listened to it on TV, and in preparation for our comments about the Speech from the Throne, we had an opportunity to reread it.

On reading it again in the new year, I saw a number of statements that struck me as significant, not only in terms of what was said but more importantly in what was not said. We had some real concerns about what was not mentioned. If we partner that with ministers' mandate letters, which state how they are going to implement their plans, we realize that what was not said was not just a miss in a document that by nature has to be somewhat limited, but that there were really some big gaps in terms of what the government was going to do moving forward.

I want to first talk about fiscal discipline. The Liberal government is spending money that it cannot afford to spend. In many cases that money will not be spent in important areas like student loans, but rather will be wasted in many other areas.

The Liberals talk about a debt-to-GDP ratio, but they are using old figures. They have not looked at the more recent trends and the more recent numbers. They are on a very concerning path. The Liberals are talking about debt to GDP and saying Canada is in great shape, but they are also projecting significant deficits. Interest rates will not stay at historically low levels. We are spending more per capita adjusted than we ever have in the history of this country.

The Liberals not only lack fiscal discipline; they do not understand where that money comes from. They are moving forward on a position that over time will erode the revenue base that we in this country count on for paying for the important programs that my colleague from Milton talked about. We all care about having important programs such as support for students and seniors and support for health care, but we cannot do that if we destroy what drives our economy.

I want to start by talking a bit about the natural resource development sector, which is the portfolio I am delighted and honoured to focus on.

Out of the thousands of words about how the Liberals are going to support Canadians, about how they are going to spend money, about how they are going to do many things, natural resources came up in only one sentence. In the entire Speech from the Throne, there is only one sentence about natural resources, and that sentence is basically just lip service to the importance of natural resource development to this country. That sentence is not about the opportunities for our natural resource sector but rather an acknowledgement by the government of the hardships that our natural resource sector has experienced and a claim that it cares about those hardships.

It was not about opportunity. It was not about creating wealth. It was that people have had a hard time and we do need to care about that issue.

It is a huge problem if Liberals do not understand the importance of our natural resource sector to the economy of our country. I am going to be giving some more examples specifically as they relate to forestry and mining.

In 2017, the Prime Minister said that he was going to get a new softwood lumber agreement with President Obama. He did not get the job done. I do not question that we have a more challenging environment for arriving at a softwood lumber agreement, but there has been no effort to get it done. With the NAFTA agreement, the biggest trade irritant for the last 20-plus years in this country has been softwood. Did the Liberals attach this issue to the negotiations for NAFTA? The answer is no.

When the U.S. wanted to talk about having an agreement around minerals, did they say they would be willing to talk about minerals but that they also wanted to talk about the softwood lumber agreement? Did they do that? No. Are those issues in the minister's mandate letter? No.

We have 10,000-plus jobs there in British Columbia. New Brunswick is having its challenges as well, and this is adding approximately 20% to the cost of our products going over the border. Workers are hurting and suffering, but the government has not even put solving this issue in the mandate letter. Quite frankly, that is absolutely shameful.

I saw a presentation last week, and in terms of the lumber agreement, British Columbia is now the highest-cost producer in the world. It is not about labour or the cost of machinery and equipment. It is about the cost of doing business. It is about carbon taxes. It is about the eight pieces of legislation and the thousands of regulations, both federal and provincial, that are adding to the cost. B.C. is the highest-cost producer in the world in terms of its product. No wonder that its businesses are moving to the U.S. and fleeing the country.

I had another conversation with someone who wanted to add value to his products. He builds a very good product and has two factories where he does value added. When he hits the U.S. border, it is on the value added. He is not even paying 20%; he is paying significantly more in terms of the tariffs at the U.S. border. The Liberal government did not care, so what was his ultimate decision? He set up a factory in Everett, Washington, because he could not afford to do business anymore in Canada. He moved the jobs down to Everett, Washington. This softwood lumber agreement needs to be done, and it is shameful that the government has not made it a priority.

Mining is an increasingly non-competitive place to do business. We talk about the carbon tax. We talk about the clean fuel standards that will be added. We talk about all those additions.

I was at presentation where I learned Alaska exploration is going through the roof. What is happening in the Yukon and British Columbia is that they are worried about exploration. Why are they worried about exploration? The reason is the government has created a situation that makes it not competitive or appropriate for them to do business anymore.

The Liberals had a very unusual line in the Speech from the Throne about our being inextricably bound to the space-time continuum and the same planetary spaceship. I would like to suggest that maybe they have left energy workers off that spaceship. They are not on the same spaceship. Liberals have given areas like forestry and mining the lower berth and continue to support their favourite industries.

I am very worried about a blind spot of the government. I am very worried about our competitiveness and the generation of revenue, and I am certainly very worried about the Speech from the Throne and the direction it is going to take our country.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:30 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Gerretsen Liberal Kingston and the Islands, ON

Mr. Speaker, the member talked about deficit spending and debt spending. If it is such a deeply rooted principle within Conservatives not to run debt, could she explain why both Brian Mulroney and Stephen Harper ran debts? Of the 19 budgets they brought in, 16 ran deficits. Could the member explain why Doug Ford continues to run debts in Ontario, and in fact is paying more to service that debt than Kathleen Wynne was previously? Why do Conservatives run debt?

In case the member does not know, I have the answer: It is because they understand the principle that as long the economy is growing faster than debt is being taken on, it is being done in a responsible way.

Could the member at least acknowledge that every Conservative government in this House over the last 30 years has run deficits in almost every single budget?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address the issue. From 2006 to 2008, Conservatives paid down approximately $30 billion of the debt that was owed.

There was something called a global recession. At the time, the former minister of finance presented a five-year plan. He presented it and said that in the global recession, we were going to have to spend a specific amount of money. Then he brought us back to a balanced budget within five years. Conservatives did exactly what we presented to Canadians.

I would like to contrast that with the Liberals, who, when they ran for office in 2015, said they were going to have a little deficit for a short period of time and that in 2019 the budget would be balanced. What happened?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:35 p.m.

Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount Québec

Liberal

Marc Garneau LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, my colleague mentioned that between 2006 and 2008, Conservatives paid down some of the debt, and that is true. The reason they were able to do so was that massive surpluses were given to them as a result of the responsible government that preceded them under Prime Minister Martin.

Nevertheless, between 2006 and when the Conservatives finally lost in 2015, they managed to grow the debt by $150 billion in that period of time. Could my colleague please tell us how that jibes with the fact that the Conservatives say they are horrified by the idea of any debt?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Mr. Speaker, we built on the debt reduction that Prime Minister Martin took on because he was forced to as a result of things getting so out of control.

However, this is not the Liberal government of Prime Minister Martin, which actually focused on getting fiscal responsibility on the table; this is a government that committed in 2015 to returning to balanced budgets, but the Liberals are not there. The interest on the debt will pretty soon be more than what we transfer to the provinces for health care. To be frank, that is shameful.

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Ziad Aboultaif Conservative Edmonton Manning, AB

Mr. Speaker, just as a matter of correction, the Harper government had to pay $230 billion in interest for the years of the previous governments of Chrétien and Martin. Along with that, we left with a $30-billion surplus, so we were paying on the interest, more or less. We were cleaning up the mess of the previous Liberal governments. This has been our destiny in the history of running this country.

Could my hon. colleague comment on that?

Resumption of debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC

Mr. Speaker, we could sit and talk about debt and deficits, but I think we can all agree that we are at the point where it is not like paying a mortgage on a house. The government is at the point where it is going into debt for operating costs, and that is absolutely unsustainable in the long term.

What we have is a government that cannot control its spending. More importantly, the Liberal government has enjoyed significant revenues over the last couple of years because of the policies of the previous government. What is happening with its new policies is that capital is fleeing the country, and we are going to be in a really challenging situation.