House of Commons Hansard #11 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was deal.
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, we thank the Yale panel for the ambitious work it took on over the past 18 months and for the report it presented yesterday. We will carefully review the 97 recommendations it made on telecommunications, broadcasting and online content. Our government is committed to supporting this sector in Canada.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Government of Quebec announced its new proposal for the long-awaited third link in Quebec City. The third link is meant to connect downtown Lévis to downtown Quebec City via a tunnel, with a focus on public transit. The Conservatives have always been in favour of a third link incorporating public transit. That is exactly what we want. However, during the election campaign, the Liberals were quite dismissive of this third link.
Now that the Quebec government has made its decision, could the Liberal government tell us whether it supports the third link in Quebec City?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, I thank the opposition member for his question.
Since no project has been submitted to us as yet, there is no decision for us to make.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister may not have gotten the project, but the people of Quebec did. They support the third link, especially because it focuses on public transit, which is a key factor in the decision. There are people in this place who oppose the project, in particular the Minister of Canadian Heritage, who has always been known as a fierce opponent of the third link.
Could the hero of the federal government tell us if he supports the third link?
Catherine McKenna LiberalMinister of Infrastructure and Communities
Mr. Speaker, I hope the opposition member recognizes that it is up to the Government of Quebec to submit projects to us and that we are still waiting for this one.
However, I would like to talk abut what we have done in Quebec. We are investing in the Montreal metro blue line, the Quebec City tramway, the Champlain Bridge, affordable housing and many other projects. We are here for Quebec.
We are here to build our country, create jobs and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, last fall's harvest was incredibly challenging due to rain and snow, and now farmers are stuck paying the Liberal carbon tax to dry their grain. The Minister of Agriculture is stalling and failing to support our farmers. Even the Green Party wants to have grain drying be exempt from carbon tax for last fall's harvest.
When will the Prime Minister keep his word and stop punishing farmers who are being forced to pay the carbon tax for the grain they are drying, and when will he reimburse them for the taxes that have already been collected?
Marie-Claude Bibeau LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that 2019 was a very difficult year for our farmers because of the weather and the trade disruption as well. This is why we are working so hard with the stakeholders, with the representatives of the various sectors and with my provincial counterparts.
We are working on finding real, practical solutions for them. They already have some safety nets through business risk management programs that they can rely on, but we are working to improve them.
John Barlow Conservative Foothills, AB
Mr. Speaker, for Canadian farmers, this has been a harvest from hell, and the Liberals are only making it worse. They do not even understand it. Canadian farmers have had to dry their grain and heat their barns, and they are being crushed by a Liberal carbon tax.
Jeff Nielsen from Grain Growers of Canada says, “These costs are adding up and we cannot continue to pay the price for inaction.” The agriculture minister has already admitted she is not even keeping data on the impact of the carbon tax on farming.
When will the Liberals exempt Canadian farmers from the carbon tax, give them back the money they have already taken and end this ridiculous field of schemes?
Marie-Claude Bibeau LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we recognize that 2019 was a very difficult year for our farmers because of trade disruptions and because of weather, and we are working closely with their representatives. I am also working closely with my provincial counterparts, because we want to find practical solutions to what they are going through. It is important to make good decisions based on data, and I am working with them to work around all of this.
I am really committed to supporting them.
Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, free trade agreements have a tremendous impact on Quebec. Before ratifying the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Standing Committee on International Trade heard from no less than 400 experts. For CUSMA, the number of experts who came to testify is zero. The committee did not receive a single witness. We can all agree that there is a big difference between 400 and zero.
In the case of this hastily drafted agreement, it is not surprising that Quebec's farmers and aluminum were sacrificed. Will the government acknowledge that it was in such a hurry that it cut corners and that Quebec is paying the price?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with my hon. colleague at all. The reality is that the new NAFTA includes significant benefits for Quebec. As Premier Legault and others have said, the new NAFTA preserves $57.3 billion in exports from Quebec to the United States. It preserves the cultural exemption. I thought that was important to Quebec. We preserved supply management when the United States was calling for it to be dismantled.
Mario Simard Bloc Jonquière, QC
Mr. Speaker, in CUSMA, the government decided to protect steel but not aluminum. Let me repeat once more that 70% of steel auto parts must be North American, and the steel must be melted and poured in North America. The aluminum in these parts, however, can come from anywhere, because there are no specifics about the source of the aluminum in the agreement. It does not take a genius to understand that. Will the government have the decency to acknowledge that aluminum is not getting the same protection as steel?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the only thing needed to understand the benefits of NAFTA for Quebec is some math skills. What we have to understand is that 70% is better than 0%. Those are the facts for the aluminum sector.
One Quebec leader understands this. Premier Legault said, “The Bloc Québécois has to defend the interests of Quebeckers, and it is in the interest of Quebeckers for this agreement be ratified and adopted.” I agree.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, let's talk about math.
The truth is that Quebec aluminum gets 0% protection in CUSMA. By failing to protect aluminum, the government is enabling auto makers to take advantage of Chinese dumping at the expense of Quebec aluminum. China produces 15 times more aluminum than we do, dirty aluminum made in coal-powered plants by underpaid workers. Let me explain it again: Mexico can buy that stuff, make auto parts out of it and call it a North American product. We have been saying that for two months, and I really hope the government members over there will get it eventually.
How could the government sign an agreement that encourages Chinese dumping, which is bad for our aluminum?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I do agree with my hon. colleague about one thing: Canadian aluminum is green aluminum, Canadians should be proud of our aluminum industry, and we should work in the interest of our aluminum industry. That is what we have done. That is what our government has done. We are working closely with the industry, and, as a result, we got the U.S. tariffs fully lifted.
Matt Jeneroux Conservative Edmonton Riverbend, AB
Mr. Speaker, the government has confirmed that it now has a plane that at some point is expected to bring Canadians in China back home. However, there is very little information being shared about the plan to get these individuals home. The minister has said that they will be quarantined, but her officials confirmed at yesterday's health committee meeting that they still do not know what that means.
Can the minister tell Canadians what her quarantine plan is?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct the record. I have said that all options are on the table to make sure that we are protecting the health and safety of Canadians here in Canada and those who are abroad.
I can confirm that 196 Canadians have registered for help to get back to Canada.
I am working closely with my partners at Global Affairs and the Public Health Agency, and we will be putting together a comprehensive plan that ensures the health and safety of all Canadians, regardless of where they are residing.
Alain Rayes Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, at the Conservative Party's request, the Standing Committee on Health held an emergency meeting yesterday evening to discuss the latest measures taken to protect Canadians from the coronavirus. Unfortunately, many of the Conservatives' questions remained unanswered. Nobody wants to be alarmist, but Canadians want answers.
Can the Prime Minister tell us when those Canadians will be back in Canada and whether they will be quarantined?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we are working very closely with our Chinese counterparts to repatriate Canadians.
I will say that preliminary information that we are hearing from China is that patients who are ill will not be able to travel back to Canada, which raises important questions about how we can best support them while they are still in the region of Hubei.
As we speak, as I said, officials are working together to ensure the safe transfer of Canadians and support for Canadians who remain in a heavily quarantined area that is making movement and other services very difficult to acquire.
Leona Alleslev Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the government is working out the logistics on how and when to bring home the Canadians in China affected by the coronavirus quarantine.
What criteria will be used to determine which individuals will board the evacuating flight? Will the evacuation include permanent residents of Canada travelling abroad, unaccompanied Canadian minors, spouses, and who else? Will the minister immediately outline the specifics of the plan to bring Canadians home?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as I said, it is very important that we work with our partners, both here in Canada and also internationally, to make sure that we protect the health and safety of Canadians regardless of where they are residing.
I have provided information about what we know to date in terms of the Chinese government's perspective on ill passengers travelling. I will tell members right now that the process we put into place will place the utmost importance on the safety of Canadians who are here in Canada, but also the health and safety of the Canadians who are desperately seeking to be reunited with their families and communities.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, in 2018, this House unanimously approved my motion to address marine plastic pollution. We all agreed that plastic pollution hurts our economy, the marine environment and all Canadians. Countries all over the world are banning single-use plastics. France has banned plastic cutlery and plates. Rwanda banned plastic bags. This is not hard, but today the minister said we need to wait another 60 days for more findings.
The government needs to stop talking and start acting. When will it move to zero-waste plastic and when will it stop shipping our plastics to developing nations? What is it waiting for?
Peter Schiefke LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his work on this issue.
The Prime Minister promised last year that we would ban harmful single-use plastics by 2021. We are very proud that today we have put forward the draft science assessment. We want to do this with Canadians, so we are inviting them to give us their feedback and be a part of the process, and 60 days from now we will start the process of moving forward with that ban.
We know it is important not just for us, but for future generations of Canadians.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, the World Health Organization is meeting to determine if the coronavirus is an international public health emergency. We learned yesterday that Canada intends to send a plane to evacuate Canadians trapped in affected regions of China.
What the government has not answered yet is when this plane will land and what measures will be taken to quarantine passengers who may be infected. With an incubation period of 14 days, this virus can easily spread without proper planning.
Will the health minister reveal what her full plans are on when and how the evacuation of Canadians can safely be carried out?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is really important that we remember there is a difference between quarantine and isolation. If people are sick, they need to be in isolation to prevent the spread of illness, because the spread of illness is transmitted through droplets. Quarantine is used when there are people that are asymptomatic. Right now, what we know about the virus is that it cannot be transmitted while people are asymptomatic.
The plan that we put together we will reveal to Canadians as soon as it is complete. As I have committed before, I will be fully transparent with the House and with Canadians as I have been to date.