Debates of Jan. 28th, 2020

Finance

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, government documents show that the Liberal finance minister tried to fudge the government's balance sheet by reclassifying the $256-million gift to the China-controlled Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank from a provisioned expense to an investment. If a private corporation did this, it would be criminal fraud.

This same bank is building three energy pipelines in Asia and is furthering China's foreign policy interests. Will the minister come clean about the other budget trickery the Liberals are now using to hide how big the deficit really is?

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we have been very clear since day one, since the very first day in office, that we want to make investments in Canadians. We want to make investments in middle-class Canadians. We want to make investments in infrastructure. We know that this can advance our economy. It can also help Canadians.

With respect to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, what we have said is that we want to support multilateral development banks. We know that they help the global economy grow, and helping the global economy helps Canadian firms and Canadians to have a better future.

Veterans Affairs

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, CTV, Global News and the Toronto Star have all reported that 40,000 veterans are trapped in a benefit backlog boondoggle of the government's own making. Yesterday I asked the minister how many veterans are currently waiting longer than the 16-week standard for a decision on their benefits. He did not answer, so I will ask again. How many veterans are currently waiting longer than the 16-week standard for a decision on their benefits?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday, I wish my hon. colleague, when he was in government, had not fired the thousand people that we needed so badly in Veterans Affairs, but we have picked up the problem and we are going to solve the problem—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Brantford—Brant would like to hear his answer. I am sure we do not want to interrupt the hon. minister from giving him an answer.

I will let him answer.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and again I will tell my hon. colleague that yes, we understood the problem. That is why we invested $10 billion over six years in Veterans Affairs. That is why we are revamping the system. It is so that we will be able to deal with the backlog that exists in Veterans Affairs, which is not acceptable.

It is important to note too that current applications have about doubled, and we have hired 700 new people. We will solve the problem.

The Environment

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Lake Simcoe is the jewel of central Ontario. It contributes to the great quality of life for those who live nearby. On October 9, 2019, the Deputy Prime Minister visited Barrie and promised that a re-elected Liberal government would reinstate funding for the Lake Simcoe cleanup fund.

Will the Deputy Prime Minister tell us when she will make good on her commitment and reinstate the $40 million to the Lake Simcoe cleanup fund?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, this government has committed significant funds to the Great Lakes and other freshwater initiatives to address a number of the issues, not just the ones referred to by the hon. member. We committed during the campaign to put in place a new Canada water agency that will look to prioritize the issues that are of greatest regional significance and to focus resources on those. Stay tuned.

Regional Economic Development

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association with local elected officials and a number of leaders from rural communities.

I heard about the challenges they faced after 10 years of neglect by the former Conservative government. They spoke about how important it is to have a real partner in Ottawa to make life in rural communities more affordable, no matter where someone lives.

Could the Minister of Rural Economic Development tell the House how this government is making targeted investments in rural regions?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development]

Mr. Speaker, our government's unprecedented investments in rural regions are paying off. Since 2015, we have connected 400,000 rural households to high-speed Internet. We are investing in parks, roads and community centres across the country, which is creating jobs. All Canadians benefit when we invest in rural regions.

Indigenous Affairs

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been four years since the government was found guilty of systemic discrimination against first nation children. The Prime Minister has seven non-compliance orders, millions spent on lawyers, is going to Federal Court to try to quash the ruling, and now he has blown off tomorrow's deadline for negotiating while refusing to support the class action that he said he was going to support.

The Prime Minister has built his political reputation fighting the most vulnerable children in this country, and kids have died. When is he going to call off his lawyers, sit down with Cindy Blackstock and negotiate a just solution for all these children and their families? When is he going to do it?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, our commitment to compensate first nation children harmed by past child and family services policy is firm and remains firm.

Canada has named senior officials from my department and the Department of Justice to conduct discussions. Those discussions are ongoing and will be kept on a strictly confidential basis to build trust between the parties, which heretofore has not been the case. No party will be speaking publicly about this. Because we want to make progress specifically focused on children who have been harmed by past policies, the CHRT has asked our parties to sit down and determine what the compensation process might look like. That is exactly what we are going to do.

Justice

[Jody Wilson-Raybould, Independent, Vancouver Granville, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's correctional investigator recently said, “The indigenization of Canada's prison population is nothing short of a national travesty.” I agree. The TRC and “Calls for Justice” also agree.

More action is required to address the over-incarceration of indigenous, black and other marginalized Canadians. Evidence clearly shows that mandatory minimum penalties are a big part of the problem and not smart justice policy. There has been enough study and too much delay due to political expediency. Can the government confirm that it will repeal mandatary minimum penalties for all but the most serious of crimes?

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to advancing sentencing reform that will stand the test of time. This means continuing to work with our provincial and territorial partners, with leaders from indigenous communities and all actors in the criminal justice system, as well as taking advice from our courts and listening to Canadians.

We are committed to achieving a modern and efficient criminal justice system that addresses the tragic problem of overrepresentation of indigenous peoples and marginalized Canadians while holding offenders to account and protecting victims.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. There have been discussions among the parties, and I think that if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, on Wednesday, January 29, 2020, at the expiry of the time provided for Oral Questions, the House shall proceed to the consideration of ways and means motion No. 2.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

(Motion agreed to)

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I believe if you seek it, you will find consent for the following motion.

That, at the conclusion of today's debate on the opposition motion in the name of the member for Mégantic—L'Érable, all questions necessary to dispose of the motion be deemed put and a recorded division deemed requested and deferred until Wednesday, January 29, 2020, immediately after the disposal of ways and means motion No. 2.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?