Debates of Nov. 27th, 2020

International Trade

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business]

Madam Speaker, I would like to assure the member opposite that our government understands the tremendous value the wine industry brings to Canada and the contribution the sector brings to our reputation as a world-class agricultural producer. Our government will continue to stand up for Canadian workers and defend the interests of our Canadian wine industry. We are working closely with the provinces on this issue and will continue to stand up for Canadian workers and our wine industry.

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Madam Speaker, last week, the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade's lack of response to my question on our important grape and wine sector spoke volumes about her government's commitment to this vital sector. It is our understanding that stakeholders in the Canadian wine industry have been meeting with senior government officials to discuss trade-compliant solutions to support the grape and wine industry after the excise tax exemption ends in 2022.

Is the government any closer to determining a solution to the problem that it created in the first place?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business]

Madam Speaker, as the member opposite has pointed out, we are working hand in hand with our wine industry and hard-working Canadian wine producers to find a solution to this issue. We are absolutely intent on continuing to defend our Canadian wine industry.

We will continue to work with all members across the aisle who are interested in this issue in order to find a solution.

Small Business

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, the government must support small businesses that are falling through the cracks.

The owners of Bear and Joey, a new restaurant in my riding, are facing the exact same challenges as other small business owners, but they had the bad luck of opening during a global pandemic. After years of planning and pouring their life-savings into developing their business, they do not qualify for wage or rent subsidies.

When will the government give start-ups and all small businesses the help they need to survive, and stop leaving businesses like Bear and Joey to face this pandemic on their own.

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business]

Madam Speaker, as the member opposite has raised, our new rent subsidy and wage subsidy has passed. Now we are able to supply a subsidy of up to 90% on commercial rent.

With respect to new businesses and start-ups, such as the one in her riding, I would direct the member to the regional relief and recovery fund, which is there to ensure that no business and no entrepreneur in the country are left behind.

Families, Children and Social Development

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, according to the Comox Valley Chamber of Commerce, 30% of small businesses are in desperate need of child care. Having universal, affordable and accessible child care has never been so important to Canadian families, particularly to women struggling with the second wave of the pandemic.

With the economic update on Monday, the Liberals must step up and partner with B.C. and other provinces to make historic investments in child care that will allow Canadian parents to rejoin the workforce.

After decades of broken promises, will the Liberals finally commit to making universal affordable child care a—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. minister.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Madam Speaker, this is a priority for us. We are on track to continue to invest over $7.5 billion. We have created over 40,000 affordable child care spaces since coming into office. We are also committed to creating a quarter of a million before and after school spaces.

In the Speech from the Throne, the hon. member has noted that we are committed to creating a national system of early learning and child care that is affordable and accessible to all parents in Canada.

The Environment

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Madam Speaker, my constituents know that if we implement ambitious measures to fight climate change, we must also position our economy to meet the demands of the future. From the manufacturing sector to natural resources, Canada is well positioned to be a leader in the economy of tomorrow.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change explain how the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act will make it possible not only to guarantee—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Order. The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency)]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Vimy for her important work on climate action.

Committing to transparency and accountability helps people and business owners plan and know that they can count on Canada to be a great place to invest. The net-zero emissions accountability will build on the leadership of countless businesses and help position Canada to meet the future demands of global markets.

Canadians, industry, international markets and oil and gas companies know that net zero is good for both our economy and our environment.

Public Safety

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Speaker, billions of dollars have been laundered into the country, leaving in its wake thousands of devastated families, killing so many sons, daughters, brothers and sisters from spiking opioid deaths.

Now the B.C. Attorney General has pointed the finger at the Liberal government for its lack of care and resources. He said, “There has been no change or an increase in police officers dedicated to anti-money laundering criminal investigations in the province.”

Will the minister admit that by doing nothing, he is effectively letting criminals off the hook or is he going to continue to point the finger at others for his government's failures?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Madam Speaker, after, quite frankly, the scorched earth approach of the Harper Conservatives closing down money laundering, let me advise the member what we in fact have done.

Over the last two years alone, we have invested over $300 million in the RCMP, FINTRAC and the CRA. We have announced the establishment of a Public Safety action coordination and enforcement team. This month alone, the RCMP was further approved for $98 million to replace the offices closed by Conservatives with new integrated money laundering investigative teams—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon.

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

Madam Speaker, report after official report continue to show that B.C. and Canada have a serious money laundering problem. A year and a half ago the Liberals announced more RCMP support to combat this crime. However, B.C.’s Attorney General just stated, “ I find this profoundly unfortunate, there has been no change or an increase in police officers dedicated to anti-money-laundering criminal investigations in the province.”

This is unacceptable. How many new officers will B.C. receive and when? British Columbians want answers.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Madam Speaker, it is unacceptable. Unfortunately, what the member just said is also incorrect.

As I have said, we have invested $300 million in the RCMP, FINTRAC and the CRA. We have announced the establishment and work is under way of the Public Safety action coordination and enforcement team. The CBSA's centre of expertise as well as amendments to the Criminal Code have taken place.

This month, the RCMP has approved the spending of $98 million toward the creation of new integrated money laundering investigative teams, adding additional officers in Alberta, Ontario, B.C. and Quebec. The RCMP has launched the—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Madam Speaker, rural crime is a huge issue in my riding. There was a bank robbery in Czar, police impersonators on Highway 41 and even a store in Amisk, owned by the mayor, was driven into and burglarized. These are just a few examples.

Things were bad before COVID-19 and it has only gotten worse since. The Liberals only response to date is to dismiss.

When will the minister and the government stop targeting law-abiding firearm owners, stop blaming Stephen Harper and actually take rural crime seriously?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Madam Speaker, let me assure the member opposite that we in fact do take this very seriously. We have made substantial amounts of money, $327 million, available to the provinces and territories right across the country, including in the member's province. I spoke recently to the provincial minister responsible and I asked her very clearly to tell the people of her province how they had spent and invested that money.

As an example, in Saskatchewan, the Attorney General has said that they are on the right track in dealing with rural crime and they have seen a 10% reduction. Similar data out of Alberta also shows that significant progress—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Fundy Royal.

Justice

[Rob Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Madam Speaker, with it being Victims and Survivors of Crime Week, Canadians were outraged to read a decision yesterday that a provincial court struck down the law that would allow judges to hand out consecutive life sentences to the country's cruelest murderers.

If the government does not defend the law, it will have significant consequences across Canada. The minister failed to defend his government's previous Criminal Code amendments. Will he stand up for victims and their families by defending the law now?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Madam Speaker, as I said earlier on in question period, this decision is going to rekindle a great deal of hurt and anger among those who are affected by this terrible crime, including the Muslim Canadian community of which I count myself a member, the victims, their families, their friends, people in Quebec and across the country. There are important questions raised by the judgment and we will take the necessary time to fully examine it.

Our thoughts are focused with the families and the survivors. We have stood with them and with the Muslim Canadian community throughout this awful tragedy, and we will continue to do so.

Tourism Industry

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Madam Speaker, tourism has been one of the industries to be hit the hardest by COVID-19. We can all agree that the tourism, restaurant, event and hotel industries for the most part do not even have the right to open their doors according to public health guidance. Eight months into the pandemic, they are still waiting for federal assistance.

The Minister of Economic Development has been telling us for eight months that tourism is important. She should prove it. On Monday, the government will provide its economic update.

Will it finally come up with a specific program for the tourism industry?

[Terry Sheehan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedNor)]

Madam Speaker, the minister has put in place the regional relief and recovery fund, a $1.5-billion fund that is enabling many businesses, including those working in the hospitality industry, to get the help they need. In particular, in Quebec it has been very effective.

I would invite the member, if he has any particular cases, to contact me or the other parliamentary secretaries so we can work on a solution together.

[Maxime Blanchette-Joncas, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is really something that federal assistance does not meet the needs of the industries hit the hardest by COVID-19. We are talking about an industry that was paralyzed in the spring, that is paralyzed today and that is hearing that next summer will also be difficult because Ottawa is unable to get the vaccine on time. There will be an economic update on Monday. It is the last chance for many industries in Quebec.

Will the government finally announce a specific strategy for the tourism industry?