House of Commons Hansard #20 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was wet'suwet'en.

Topics

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

NDP

Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC

Madam Speaker, the Conservatives are saying we should get rid of these blockades and then we will talk. The Wet'suwet'en have had a blockade on their territory for some years now. A year ago, the RCMP went in and dismantled it. They went in a couple of weeks ago and did the same. That second action by the RCMP has fuelled the discontent across the country that has created more blockades.

I am wondering why the member thinks that removing blockades fixes this situation when it is clear that what we need is some real, honest and trusting discussion that addresses the situation the Wet'suwet'en are bringing forward.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Madam Speaker, removing the blockades would help the Wet'suwet'en people recognize that the jobs are for them as well. Their chiefs already recognize that.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Madam Speaker, I would like to remind the member that under the Chrétien government in the nineties, when the member for Malpeque was solicitor general and Ralph Goodale was in government, a group of farmers protested and took a sack of wheat across the border. I remember the member for Malpeque said the law is the law is the law.

Could the member compare today to then? Those farmers went to jail. Could he explain to me why there is no action at this point?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Maguire Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Madam Speaker, having stood on the border with those farmers, I certainly know the issue very well. There is a very big contradiction between what my colleague from Prince Albert is talking about and the lack of action from the government over the last few weeks. The member has made a very good point, and it shows the contradiction in the government's actions.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:05 p.m.

Bloc

Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with my colleague fromAbitibi—Témiscamingue.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak today to the Conservative Party motion. It is unfortunate that the Conservatives are taking an approach that would only escalate tensions and does nothing to help resolve the current crisis.

The Bloc Québecois cannot support the Conservative motion's approach. Why not? The answer is obvious. This motion focuses on divisions within the Wet'suwet'en nation, in keeping with the good old colonial tactic of divide and conquer. It helps demonize the protesters. It attempts to set the first nations against each other. In no way does it help resolve the crisis.

Basically, this Conservative motion forces the House to take sides in a conflict that is none of its business. It forces us to choose between the hereditary chiefs and the band council. Adopting and enforcing this motion would only add fuel to the fire and would do nothing to resolve the crisis and lift the blockades.

I note that the Bloc Québécois seems to be the only party that has set aside partisanship in order to find potential solutions to this ongoing conflict. We have already made several proposals. For example, the Bloc Québécois asked that a war room be created with Ottawa and the provinces concerned. The Bloc Québécois called on the federal government to appoint a mediator tasked with initiating talks on the territorial issues with the independent Wet'suwet'en in exchange for an end to the railway blockades. The Bloc Québécois called for an emergency debate so that the House could discuss potential solutions to adopt. In a speech to the House, the leader of the Bloc Québécois proposed the temporary suspension of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in exchange for the removal of the barricades. The Bloc Québécois proposed that the Prime Minister apologize on behalf of the RCMP for considering the use of lethal force against the protesters. The Leader of the Bloc Québécois suggested that an indigenous police force selected by the Wet'suwet'en nation replace the RCMP on their territory.

Since the beginning of this crisis, it seems that only the Bloc Québécois has been trying to find concrete solutions to address the situation. We did not stand idly by, unlike the Prime Minister and his ministers, who did nothing for far too long, hoping that everything would fix itself. The federal government needs to step up and take action.

Quebec is taking action. This past Tuesday, the Quebec National Assembly adopted a motion that reads as follows:

THAT the National Assembly reaffirm its adherence to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

THAT, accordingly, it invite the governments of Québec [and] Canada to maintain egalitarian nation-to-nation relations with the indigenous peoples of Québec and Canada...

THAT it acknowledge that the current conflict, which stems from the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, is having an undesirable impact on railway network users and on the [Quebec] economy;

THAT the National Assembly call for a negotiated, peaceful political solution to the current crisis, in order to prevent violence.

Unlike the Conservatives, who are taking a hard-line approach, the Bloc Québécois joins with Quebec's elected officials in their unanimous will to find a peaceful solution to this crisis. We urgently need action and a peaceful solution to this crisis.

With every day that this crisis goes on, our economy suffers even more. This crisis is affecting workers and ordinary folks. Just look at the number of CN employees who have been temporarily laid off because of the rail blockade. If nothing is done right now, many more employees will join their ranks.

I would like to list other major effects of this crisis. The blockade in Belleville is currently preventing the flow of $2 billion worth of goods. It is hard for companies to find alternatives because, in addition to being 25% to 35% more expensive, the trucking industry is already facing a serious labour shortage.

The blockade is causing major problems for forestry companies, which are already struggling due to the current softwood lumber dispute, since they rely on rail transport to ship their lumber.

Forestry producers do not get paid until the shipment is received. If this situation goes on much longer, it could lead to cash-flow problems.

Thousands of containers of goods destined for western Canada are backlogged at Quebec's ports. Many perishable goods will spoil if they are not delivered. Trains full of perishable goods are sitting idle on the tracks. If the blockade goes on, Quebec could experience a propane shortage that could be extremely damaging, especially for farmers. Passenger trains will also suffer the consequences of these blockades. Many people need to take the train to get to work.

For all these reasons, the federal government must find a solution quickly to put an end to this crisis. It cannot go on.

Soon, Quebec consumers will suffer the consequences, as will those in neighbouring provinces. Quebec's food market relies on the railways running smoothly.

According to René Desmarais, a senior consultant with the Conseil québécois du commerce de détail, if the crisis continues, it is just a matter of days before Quebeckers are faced with empty shelves at supermarkets and other stores. According to him, that could happen as early as this weekend.

The rail blockades have paralyzed most freight transportation for the past two weeks. The government needs to re-establish communication with representatives of the Wet'suwet'en nation because the entire transport logistics chain is in jeopardy.

This is the 15th day of the crisis, and nothing has been done. Where is the Liberal government's leadership in a crisis situation? We are not seeing it. The government needs to break the impasse and end the crisis that is disrupting our economy, causing job losses and affecting many families. This is a crisis of confidence that further undermines the agreement with all peoples of the nation. Let us negotiate and give them the legitimacy they deserve. Let us work together to establish a society worthy of the name.

In closing, I want to reiterate that we must find a peaceful way to resolve the crisis. The approach proposed by the Conservative Party will certainly not lead to such an outcome. That is why I cannot support the motion we are debating today. We do not want to relive the Oka crisis 30 years on, so it is important to find the right approach for putting an end to this crisis. The government will then have to find a permanent way to prevent this sort of crisis. The current government has set the bar extremely high when it comes to reconciliation with indigenous peoples. This has created expectations and has led to frustration and disappointment when the government does not live up to those expectations.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, when do we say enough is enough? When do we say we have shut down enough ports, we have shut down enough jobs or we have shut down enough industries?

People cannot get contact lenses now in Ottawa. People in different parts of Canada cannot get baby formula. We cannot get grain to market. At what point does it become enough? When do we say we have to take action? The Premier of Quebec is ready to take action.

Could the member tell me when is the appropriate time?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Bloc

Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC

Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for his question.

I agree, enough is enough. This has to stop. The current Liberal government needs to make decisions and manage the crisis. We are here to work together.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Hull—Aylmer Québec

Liberal

Greg Fergus LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and to the Minister of Digital Government

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Quebec for that very interesting and balanced speech.

Based on our shared experience of what happened at Oka, can she explain why it is a bad idea to use force instead of holding talks to find a longer-term solution?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Bloc

Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Bloc Québécois wants a peaceful resolution to the crisis and negotiation with the other parties. Violence will not resolve the situation. This is like a critical wound, and we need to stop the bleeding.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Mr. Speaker, earlier I mentioned indigenous people in our country and I think of the indigenous people in my riding where they won a Supreme Court decision for the right to catch and sell fish, which reaffirmed their right, which as we know is protected in our Constitution.

I find it interesting when we see a motion like this. We keep hearing about law and order, and the Conservatives say that we have to take a law-and-order approach. We have seen over 170 court cases in this country side with indigenous people. What does the government do? It appeals or ignores the decisions made in the courts and leaves people suffering.

Indigenous children are not able to access the same services as non-indigenous children. People like the Nuu-chah-nulth are blocked from self-determination and ways that they can support their own communities. We talk about the economic impact of the Conservative and Liberal approaches to this.

Could the member speak about how, when we stand up for indigenous rights, we need to be standing up for law and order, standing up for the courts in this country and respecting the inherent rights of the indigenous people of this land?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:15 p.m.

Bloc

Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. The important thing is to respect indigenous rights. I think they are in the best position to show us the way and resolve this crisis. We need to initiate talks and negotiations.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, the member just said we need to respect indigenous peoples. Is the member aware that 20 indigenous communities are directly affected by this project and that all 20 support it? Is the member aware that, according to the National Coalition of Chiefs, the majority of the community's hereditary chiefs are in favour of the project?

Yes, some are against it, but the majority of the population is for it. According to one of the hereditary chiefs, 85% of the community is for it.

With everyone in agreement, what is the government waiting for?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Bloc

Sylvie Bérubé Bloc Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that, when we are talking about communities, about first nations, Inuit or indigenous peoples, it is up to them to come talk to us. That includes all indigenous peoples, even those who support this project. It is important to negotiate with all the indigenous nations.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:20 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to express my solidarity with the victims of the blockade. I am thinking of producers, small businesses and exporters, among others.

Practically speaking, a blockade is not a good solution. However, that is the situation we are facing right now, and we need to be in problem-solving mode.

With that in mind, the Bloc Québécois does not support the motion that the Conservatives put forward today, because it is irresponsible. From the outset, this irresponsible situation was created by the federal government, which let things get out of hand, claiming that it was not within its jurisdiction.

Although the Coastal GasLink project is under British Columbia's jurisdiction, the fact remains that the protesters' actions were directed at federal infrastructure. Unable to manage the crisis with true leadership, the federal government prefers to hide behind the provinces.

Does that mean the protesters will have to raise their voices and become radical extremists, as the Conservatives fear? Fortunately, we are not there yet.

While we support rapid resumption of rail service, we believe, as do the Mohawk chiefs who have spoken out, that this situation must be resolved peacefully. I think the word “peacefully” is key. A solution that condemns those at the barricades is dangerous, for both law enforcement and the protesters.

What would happen if this crisis resonated with other Canadians and they added their voices to those of the protesters? There have been a few examples of this in Quebec. Would the Conservatives also condemn them and call on the authorities to intervene with as much force?

Although the RCMP has withdrawn from the territory, it should still apologize for enforcing an injunction against the pipeline opponents, using force against the Wet'suwet'en community, and triggering hostilities that are currently creating more and more problems for all Canadians.

Given that this government is clearly refusing to listen, the protesters must shout even louder to be heard. Let us listen to them.

During these discussions, the government should at the very least negotiate the temporary suspension of the Coastal GasLink project in exchange for the removal of the blockades. That is the best and most reasonable solution. I would also remind members about the Bloc Québécois proposal. Perhaps calling in a mediator at this stage could be a solution. We are not there yet.

I am wondering if the Conservatives have thought about the consequences of their motion.

If we send the police in to intervene with force, we run the risk of making the situation worse and spoiling the efforts that have been made over the past few years to seek reconciliation with indigenous peoples. Again, the international reputations of Quebec and Canada could be tarnished by heavy-handed intervention and negligence in negotiations with these peoples.

I also want to mention the international context. Canada is seeking a seat on the UN Security Council. In that context, I think that it is advisable to have good relations with our indigenous peoples.

I would remind members that, a few days ago, Quebec and the Cree signed another historic economic agreement with a handshake and big smiles, in stark contrast to the Canadian government. When there is a genuine political will for a nation-to-nation relationship, we do not need barricades or law enforcement to solve problems or reach economic agreements.

While violent police action would bring a swift end to the situation, relations with indigenous people would yet again be poisoned for many years to come.

As Ghislain Picard said last month:

It is frustrating and disappointing that the Government of Canada is once again committing to the principles of free, prior and informed consent on the one hand, but on the other hand, allowing projects without seeking to work with the First Nations directly affected by them. Clearly, no project will be viable if it is imposed by force on First Nations communities.

In short, the Canadian government failed to demonstrate good statesmanship by not engaging in dialogue sooner.

During a crisis like this one, where the authorities take charge by force, I am happy to see that Quebec has its own strong, sovereign National Assembly to defend Quebeckers' choices.

I feel deeply for the first nations, who do not have the strength of a sovereign national assembly behind them. There is no excuse for not seeing them, talking to them and listening to them, nation to nation. I say again, nation to nation.

Indigenous peoples must be treated with respect and dignity. It is not for us to judge their governance model.

That is why the Quebec National Assembly unanimously adopted the following motion on February 18:

THAT the National Assembly reaffirm its adherence to the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;

THAT, accordingly, it invite the governments of Québec [and] Canada to maintain egalitarian nation-to-nation relations with the indigenous peoples of Québec and Canada, in keeping with the principle of a people's right to self-determination;

THAT it acknowledge that the current conflict, which stems from the Coastal GasLink pipeline project, is having an undesirable impact on railway network users and on the economy;

THAT the National Assembly call for a negotiated, peaceful political solution to the current crisis, in order to prevent violence.

This crisis worries me. In my riding of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, there is another pipeline project, the Gazoduq project, that is under review. This pipeline would cross through Abitibi-Témiscamingue from east to west, ending at Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean, so that liquefied natural gas could be sold around the world. These objectives are very similar.

A lot of residents are worried, especially since they oppose this pipeline project. They are desperately looking for peaceful ways to make their voices heard. Will they take inspiration from what is being done for indigenous people and do the same thing in order to be heard?

The formula is starting to sound familiar. Oil projects get split into smaller projects, so they are easier to push through. Was the same thing done with Coastal GasLink? That is the exact same approach being used for the Gazoduq project that would go through my riding.

It bothers me that the current federal government spent several billion dollars to buy a pipeline. That could mean that the federal government is in cahoots with developers and is taking advantage of the financial vulnerability of indigenous and rural areas.

If the government continues to impose pipelines across the country, how many times will we see this type of crisis? Should I be expecting this type of crisis when the Conservatives' natural gas pipeline or the hypothetical energy corridor is built in my home region?

In closing, I want to say that I believe there is a diplomatic and respectful way to resolve this crisis and to allow the first nations to decide how best to govern themselves. I am also convinced that there is way to ensure the economic development of the regions while respecting the principles of sustainable development and social licence. I do not think that it is through force that we will stimulate our economy and our vitality.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:25 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am glad that I heard what my colleague had to say because he seems to have forgotten some aspects of the situation.

It is not the big bad colonial power that imposed this pipeline project. This project has been in the works for six years and has gone through all the necessary approvals at both the federal and provincial levels. This project has the support of the provincial NDP government, which is supported by the Green Party. This project passes through 20 indigenous communities and all of them support it. The majority of the hereditary chiefs of the community in question support the project. One hereditary chief even publicly stated that 85% of the community supported it. This is a far cry from the big bad white man imposing his colonial projects.

The member said that we should not resort to violence to solve the problem. We are simply talking about enforcing the law. Right now, in Quebec, there is a blockade in Saint-Lambert. An injunction was sought and granted. Does the member agree with this legal approach? Does he agree with the fact that the Prime Minister said that the blockade would be taken down as soon as the injunction was granted?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent for his comments and his question.

In response, I would say that white people did play a role in creating the indigenous governance system we are talking about now and that it was not done in accordance with indigenous traditions. The governance system was imposed in the 19th century. I have a problem with that because it is not up to us to tell indigenous peoples how to make decisions amongst themselves. This is simply a matter of respect.

With respect to indigenous governance, an expert from Ryerson University pointed out that it is the rule of law of those who make the rules, not the actual rule of law. The Prime Minister's reference to the rule of law is contrary to the Supreme Court's 1997 ruling in Delgamuukw, which recognized the hereditary chiefs' authority within their territory.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Those people are for it.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

An hon. member

Not all of them.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, in this context, there may be solutions worth looking at, such as the pipeline route.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Hull—Aylmer Québec

Liberal

Greg Fergus LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and to the Minister of Digital Government

Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up on my colleague's very interesting speech by asking him if he thinks the authorities should use force when a blockade is put up on first nations territory.

Contrary to the hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent's question, Premier Legault clearly stated that the only reason he is not ruling out police intervention is that the blockade is not on first nations territory.

That is my question for the Bloc Québécois member.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank my colleague, the parliamentary secretary, for answering the question asked by the member for Louis-Saint-Laurent. I did not have enough time to do so, and his intervention was well done. I appreciate the collaboration.

In my view, the use of force is unacceptable. What must be done, in a civilized way, is to come up with proposals for negotiations. For instance, a mediator could be used in this case to help come up with solutions. A temporary suspension of work on the Coastal GasLink project could also be part of the solution. Another route could be proposed, even though it might cost more, as much as $600 million or $800 million more, but this is a $6.6 billion project. That would be less than 10% or 12%, less than the amount of tax.

In my view, there are other solutions that should be considered, and we must respect the fundamental rights of first nations and their hereditary chiefs.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member that this toxic motion is not helpful at all in this situation. During most of the speeches, we have heard reference to the fact that it is not just Wet'suwet'en members taking part in the rallies but people who are not from the territory, and they are getting labelled as radical activists.

I want to put this in perspective. If we look back in history, and even today at many of the rallies, protests and similar blockades, a variety of individuals join in, support and advocate for other people's rights. We can look back in history to ending slavery, removing the discriminatory practices of not allowing indigenous people or women to vote, including my late grandma; removing discriminatory practices of not allowing indigenous children to attend public schools, and the Winnipeg general strike, just to name a few.

Does the member agree that these people are not radical, but are standing in solidarity to protect the inherent rights of the landowners of this country, which are constitutionally protected?

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Sébastien Lemire Bloc Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, I completely agree.

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Hoback Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo. She is an amazing member of Parliament. I am so proud to share my time with her today.

Today is a sad day. It is sad that our country has gone to this level. It did not need to be this way. Canada is a trading nation. We are a nation that sells some $300 billion of goods around the world. Around the world, Canada is thought of as a friendly, polite and respectful nation. The rule of law is important in our nation. We tell other nations that the rule of law is what helps us to be who we are today.

We are talking about the barricades and what is going on in Canada, across western Canada, and the impact it is having on families right across the country. The inaction and the inability of the Liberal government to understand how serious things are is pretty disappointing. It shows how out of touch the Liberals are. The inability to react or know what to do shows us how weak the leadership of the Liberal government is.

Last week I was talking to a farmer friend of mine, Rick Lindsay, when this was happening. Rick had a couple of loads of wheat he wanted to get out. He has a cash advance just like every other farmer. He asked me what was going on. He said farmers have been fighting a hard harvest. They have a carbon tax. He wants to ship some grain, but he cannot get it shipped. He has contracts he wants to fulfill so he can get some cash flow and he has to start organizing and purchasing fertilizer for the spring, so he wants to know what is going on.

Let us look at the situation on the west coast with the Wet'suwet'en nation. The elected officials are in favour of this pipeline. The 20 bands along the route are in favour. How can three people, how can activists in Ontario, how can activists who have no skin in the game take a country down? That is what they want to do. They want to take this country down.

The member for Brandon—Souris talked about a group of farmers fighting for freedom. They were fighting for the freedom to sell the product they grow on their own. They did not want a Canadian wheat board. They protested, and that protest consisted of taking a sack of wheat across the border. They were arrested.

They were not being violent. They were not being smug to the RCMP. They were not being disrespectful. They were making a point. They were protesting. What did the Chrétien government do to those farmers?

People would be amazed to hear what that government did to those people. They were treated as if they were drug dealers. They were arrested and charged and thrown in jail. The minister at the time, who was from Malpeque, said the law is the law is the law. He said those farmers broke the law, so they had to go to jail. Minister Goodale at the time said he agreed that the law is the law is the law. He felt those farmers broke the law, so they have to go to jail.

It is easy to throw farmers in jail, because they are polite and respectful. They are not criminals and they are not anarchists. They are not trying to take down the country. Those farmers were fighting for something. They had skin in the game, something that was important to them. They were willing to cross that line to make a point. They were never going to put an RCMP officer's life at risk. They were never going to disrupt the country. They were never going to create a situation in which people would not be able to get contact lenses here in Ottawa or not get baby formula across the country or not get propane in eastern Canada. That was not their intent. They did not disrupt the whole Canadian economy. They wanted to make a point.

That is the difference between the type of protest we are seeing today versus a true protest. A true protest would be peaceful. A Gandhi-style protest would not include taking up arms. A Gandhi-style protest would not include protesters sitting on the ground and stating they are going to disrupt this country and take it to its knees. This protest going on is not a Gandhi-style protest. These people are anarchists. These people do not have skin in the game.

We need to ask ourselves what is going on and how it got to this point. When we do not enforce the rule of law, this is what happens. It is one of those things that just keeps growing and growing. If people get away with it once, with no slap on the wrist, they feel they can do it again.

We have a member from Vancouver who was arrested for protesting and received a slap on the wrist. There were no consequences. That makes people think they will do another one, since there were no consequences—

Opposition Motion—Coastal GasLink ProjectBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

5:30 p.m.

An. hon. member

The Green Party leader.