Debates of Jan. 29th, 2020

International Trade

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the regions of Quebec are right to worry about the lack of protection for aluminum in the new NAFTA. With the consent of the House, a little later we could table an impact assessment that reveals that six major projects are compromised by the lack of protection for Quebec aluminum against dumping by China. Over 10 years, the agreement jeopardizes more than $6 billion in investments and 60,000 well-paid jobs in my riding and on the North Shore.

I wonder if the government knew that it was sacrificing $6 billion in economic benefits for Quebec when it signed this agreement, or if it did not do its homework.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is a good agreement for all Canadian workers, including aluminum workers.

The aluminum sector has more protection than ever before with this agreement. Auto manufacturers are required to use at least 70% of North American aluminum.

It is a progressive agreement that will benefit Canadian families. However, if the member does not want to take me at my word, he can listen to Jean Simard, president of the Aluminium Association of Canada, who says that the new NAFTA is the right way to go.

If he does not want to listen to Mr. Simard, he can listen to Premier Legault, who says that this agreement must be ratified for Quebec.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Simard also said he was disappointed on December 11, and Mr. Legault said he also thought this agreement was very disappointing for aluminum.

I am sick of hearing “70% of the aluminum”. It is 70% of parts. Enough is enough. That distinction needs to be made.

The impact study is clear. The CUSMA puts 60,000 jobs in Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean and the North Shore in jeopardy. That is 60,000 jobs, with an average annual salary of $60,000, at a time when our regions are struggling to retain young people. We are struggling to attract young families.

Today, the Bloc welcomed workers, the mayors of Alma and Saguenay, and Aluminium Valley Society to Ottawa as our guests. We would have liked to see our colleague from Chicoutimi—Le Fjord there, but he did not show up.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the aluminum workers I went to visit a year ago. I assured them that we were going to lift the punitive tariffs that the U.S. President had imposed on them under section 232.

We were in fact able to lift those tariffs to defend our aluminum sector. I am very glad to have these municipal representatives and aluminum sector leaders here. They were met by the Deputy Prime Minister.

We will always work to defend aluminum workers in Quebec and across Canada.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, the man charged with murdering Marylène Levesque had killed his previous partner by beating her with a hammer and stabbing her in 2004. Last March, even though he was a significant risk to violently reoffend against women, the national Parole Board granted his parole and allowed him to have unsupervised contact with women in order to have his “sexual needs” met.

How many other violent criminals have been advised by the Parole Board that their “sexual needs” are more important than the safety of women in our communities?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, obviously this was a terrible tragedy, and I will highlight that the decisions of the Parole Board are, of course, independent from government.

We all have questions about this case, and that is why we are pleased that Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board are launching a board of investigation inquiry into the circumstances that led to this terrible case.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Minister of Public Safety said that he had confidence in the members of the Parole Board.

However, how can we trust the decision-making process and members who gave someone who brutally murdered his wife in 2004 permission to obtain sexual services?

Parole Board members demonstrated a serious lack of judgment when they chose to address the needs of a criminal instead of considering the potential consequences.

When will the Prime Minister show them the door?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the Parole Board, we use a merit-based process to identify the most qualified candidates to represent our organizations.

This process makes it possible to hire members with a wide range of experience. Previous experience in areas such as social work, psychology, criminology, correctional services and law is often taken into account.

Members of the board are not responsible for making decisions until they have completed their training and they have the full confidence of the vice-chairperson.

We maintain very strict standards in appointing members.

Veterans Affairs

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government said that it just had to give Omar Khadr $10 million to save on legal fees. The government also said that it would not take veterans to court. However, the government is fighting Canadian veteran Sean Bruyea in court, and now we have learned that it has spent over seven times what he is seeking in damages.

Why does the Prime Minister treat captured al Qaeda bomb makers better than he treats Canadian veterans?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, over the past five years, we have reversed the shameful legacy of Conservative attacks on veterans. They cut over 1,000 jobs from veterans' services in Canada and shuttered nine Veterans Affairs offices.

Over the past years, we have invested in supports for our veterans and for their families, making sure they have the tools they need to lead fulfilled and successful lives in Canada after their military service. We thank them deeply for their service and will continue to invest in the things they need, unlike what the Conservative government did before.

Justice

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, that was a terrible answer.

The Prime Minister's personal political witch hunt against Vice-Admiral Mark Norman cost taxpayers more than $1.4 million, and that is just for his government's legal fees. The Prime Minister politically interfered in an RCMP investigation by stating twice on TV that the vice-admiral would be charged even before the investigation was complete.

Now that Mark Norman's name is cleared, does the Prime Minister believe that wasting $1.4 million to smear the vice-admiral was a good use of taxpayer money?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is important to remember where this file actually started. On the eve of the 2015 election, Conservatives decided to rush through a half-billion-dollar, sole-sourced project. We wanted to ensure that we did our own due diligence on this decision with a newly elected federal cabinet. The decision to suspend Vice-Admiral Norman was taken independently by the chief of the defence staff, and any accusations otherwise are simply absurd.

The Environment

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Volkswagen was caught lying about illegal levels of emissions. It pleaded guilty in the U.S. and paid a $20-billion fine.

Why did Canada wait years before laying charges? We do not know. What we do know is that Liberal ministers started meeting with Volkswagen lobbyists, and it looks like this corporation that was found guilty of committing environmental fraud got a backroom deal.

We are facing a climate crisis, so why are the Liberals putting corporate profits ahead of Canadians and the planet?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this investigation, all related prosecution matters and the judge's approval of the penalty were made independent of ministers' offices.

The company paid an unprecedented fine in Canada as a result of the investigation. Indeed, it was 23 times greater than the highest federal environmental fine ever imposed. The Public Prosecution Service determines what charges can be sustained, and it has sole jurisdiction to pursue any prosecution. The funds from the fine will go towards projects that protect our environment.

Northern Affairs

[Mumilaaq Qaqqaq, NDP, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, we know that seven out of 10 children in Nunavut go to school hungry. How shameful is that in a country like Canada?

Since nutrition north started, food security has actually gotten worse in Nunavut. People in need struggle to get quality food and necessities. Nunavut is the only fly-in, fly-out territory, so in my riding it is even worse.

When will the government step up to make the program transparent and accountable to those in the north and start feeding our children?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the extraordinary difficulties faced around food security in the north, particularly in Nunavut. I have visited many times and heard directly from community members who are challenged and struggling with the issue.

We have made significant improvements to nutrition north, but we know that there is much more to do. We will continue to work with all partners and everyone in the House to ensure that we are improving affordability for good quality nutrition and food in the north.

Housing

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, through the national housing strategy, our government has made a real investment in Canadian communities in order to help ensure that every Canadian has a place that they call home. This is no small thing, but the cost of rent is going up everywhere. Many Canadians believe there has never been a greater need for the federal government to play a leadership role in the housing sector.

Would the Prime Minister please update us on what the government is doing to invest in affordable housing in Canada?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating the member for Thunder Bay—Rainy River for getting elected to represent his constituents in the House of Commons.

We are proud to be introducing the Canada housing benefit as part of our national housing strategy. For the first time in Canadian history, Canadians will be provided with a direct, portable housing benefit that will help them find affordable places to call home. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians will receive an average of $2,500 a year to support their housing needs. This is good news for all Canadians.

Natural Resources

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, according to the government's Global Affairs website, economic sanctions can encompass a wide variety of measures. They include financial restrictions, export and import restrictions and shipping bans. They can even apply to specific economic sectors.

Therefore, when is the Liberal Prime Minister going to lift the sanctions he has imposed on Alberta?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that workers in the energy sector in Alberta and Saskatchewan have faced difficult years because of a rise in oil prices. We also know that we all need to work together to support those workers. This is something that Canadians are known for. When folks are facing difficult times in one corner of the country, we all step up for each other. That is what we are going to continue to do.

That is why we are pleased that the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion is being built and will be delivering our oil resources to new markets, something Conservatives were unable to do for 10 years in government.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal attack on the energy sector has had a devastating impact on the people, business owners and social agencies in my city of Red Deer. It has gotten so bad that even the CBC has reported on it. Red Deer has worked so hard to contribute to our nation's prosperity.

When will the Prime Minister take his foot off the throats of our oil and gas developers and recognize the harm that his anti-resource-development policies are having on this great Albertan city?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the difficult times families are going through who depend on the Alberta and Saskatchewan oil sector for their livelihood. Indeed, all Canadians know that we need to be there for each other in times of difficulty.

The number one ask for many years from the oil sector has been to access new markets other than the United States for our oil and gas resources. That was something that 10 years of Conservative governments were unable to do. Now, with the approval and construction of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, we are finally able to help the folks in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Employment

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Mr. Speaker, businesses in my riding, like many others across Canada, are already facing recruitment problems of all kinds, particularly in regard to seasonal employment. The problem is being exacerbated by the completely unacceptable delays in the launch of the Canada summer jobs program. Organizations are being told by our offices that it is coming, because that is what our riding offices are being told by bureaucrats.

Can the Prime Minister finally give us a date? When will the program be officially launched?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the program will be launched on January 30.

We understand how important the Canada summer jobs program is for communities, for young people in our ridings and for community organizations. We are pleased to announce that the program will continue and that we have doubled the federal investment after the Conservatives under-invested in our youth. We know how to help our ridings and the organizations that work so hard for Canadians.

Infrastructure

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is an environmental disaster in the District of Mission waiting to happen. Local engineers have confirmed that the aging sanitary sewer crossing under the Fraser River is at risk of imminent breach.

Will the Prime Minister take action now to defuse this ticking time bomb and avoid an environmental catastrophe and provide immediate funding to safeguard our wild salmon and the thousands of people who depend on this critical infrastructure?