House of Commons Hansard #26 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was debate.

Topics

Automotive IndustryOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

London West Ontario

Liberal

Kate Young LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (FedDev Ontario)

Madam Speaker, we are very concerned about jobs and understand the anxiety in the Windsor area. Our government understands the path to economic prosperity varies from region to region. As a member from southwestern Ontario, I know how important the auto industry is to the region.

I was with the minister just two weeks ago when we met with local businesses and the mayor of Windsor. We are hearing their concerns.

Fisheries and OceansOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

NDP

Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC

Madam Speaker, the Liberals promised they were going to move to on land, closed containment salmon farms on the B.C. coast by 2025. It was even in the minister's mandate letter. Now they are saying they will not even have a plan until 2025.

B.C. wild salmon workers cannot wait five years. The transition needs to get started now to save Pacific wild salmon. The Liberals already know that open-net salmon farming is impacting wild salmon stocks, so why are they delaying?

Fisheries and OceansOral Questions

11:25 a.m.

Burnaby North—Seymour B.C.

Liberal

Terry Beech LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries

Madam Speaker, on this issue I think it is important that we are incredibly clear. When it comes to finfish open-net pen aquaculture specific to the B.C. coast, we are moving forward on our commitment to transition away, completely independent, from anything happening on the east coast. This is a tricky issue. It is going to mean working with the province. It is going to mean working with indigenous people. It is going to mean making sure we take care of the economic opportunities that coastal communities are depending on. We are going to do that work.

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Tim Uppal Conservative Edmonton Mill Woods, AB

Madam Speaker, yesterday the Auditor General appeared before the public accounts committee and said that his office does not have the financial resources required to fulfill his mandate to properly audit the government. He is forced to conduct fewer audits, and his IT system is completely out of date. He is still running on the old DOS system. He has made several unsuccessful requests for more funding.

Why is the Prime Minister hampering the Auditor General's office and restricting him from conducting more audits into his government?

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, taking a question from the Conservatives on officers of Parliament is like taking a question about the well-being of chickens from Colonel Sanders. When it comes to the Office of the Auditor General, I will point out to the hon. member that the Conservatives cut $6.5 million from its budget and removed 60 employees.

As part of budget 2018, during the past Parliament we committed to investing more than $41 million in additional funding for the Office of the Auditor General.

I will start taking these questions seriously when the Conservatives step up with actions, not just words.

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

NDP

The Assistant Deputy Speaker NDP Carol Hughes

I want to remind members that we were doing really well. I would again ask members to not heckle when we get the answers.

The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable.

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Madam Speaker, the Auditor General has launched an investigation into the Liberals' $186-billion infrastructure plan. He has said again and again that he does not have the resources to do his job.

Yesterday, I asked the Minister of Infrastructure if cabinet is going to support this request, to ensure that the Auditor General has the money he needs to conduct his investigation. She answered that they want to be held accountable for what they are doing.

Will the Minister of Finance also act responsibly and give the Auditor General the funds he has requested to conduct his audits?

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, again I find it rich to take questions on the adequacy of funding to officers of Parliament given the Conservatives' track record of cutting those resources in order to avoid scrutiny of the government when they were in power.

In budget 2018, our government beefed up the funding for the Office of the Auditor General by $41 million, which represents a 16% increase relative to the 2015-16 fiscal year. When it comes to ensuring that officers of Parliament have the resources they need, we are going to work with them to ensure they benefit not only our government but all Canadians.

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB

Madam Speaker, the answers we have received to those two questions are ridiculous.

In 2011, the Auditor General voluntarily participated in a deficit reduction action plan. He told the NDP committee chair he had enough money then to do his job, but now he is saying he does not. The main estimates reveal the Liberals have cut $300,000 from the budget. When will the minister do the right thing and fully fund the Auditor General, like the former Liberal co-chair advised in the letter that went to him in June?

Auditor General of CanadaOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Sean Fraser LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance

Madam Speaker, I have already given a detailed answer on both Conservative cuts to officers of Parliament by the Conservatives and the investments we made in budget 2018.

The fact of the matter is we remain committed to supporting the work of the Auditor General and other officers of Parliament. We are going to ensure they are able to have the tools they need to do their job to ensure Canadians benefit from their advice and Parliament can work to its greatest capacity.

The EconomyOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

Jacques Gourde Conservative Lévis—Lotbinière, QC

Madam Speaker, our country's economy is chugging along at the same speed as freight trains. After more than 23 days, the rail blockades are causing huge losses for our economy. These losses will be felt for a very long time.

Unlike the Prime Minister, Canadians are running out of patience and tolerance. There are limits. Enough is enough.

Will the Prime Minister show some backbone and get Canada's locomotive back on track?

The EconomyOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Chris Bittle LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Madam Speaker, we understand the impacts that these blockades are having across the country, but it is important we proceed with a negotiated settlement of these disputes because we want a lasting settlement. We do not want to see these blockades happening again.

The government is engaged in those negotiations and we are doing what we can to ensure a lasting settlement going forward.

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:30 a.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Madam Speaker, all week the Liberals have been spinning Teck's decision to cancel their project as the company's decision. It is the same spin they used when TransCanada cancelled energy east.

The systematic destruction of Canada's energy sector is what the Prime Minister and the Liberals have always wanted. Here is the truth: Liberals have politicized the process to the point where these companies and others have decided not to invest further in Canada while the Liberals are in power.

Why will Liberals not stop the spin and acknowledge that billions of dollars in lost opportunity and the jobs that go with them lie directly at their feet?

Natural ResourcesOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

University—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Madam Speaker, let me just state very clearly for members of this House and for all Canadians that our government absolutely understands the importance of natural resources to the Canadian economy, and in particular, of the oil and gas sectors.

Canada is one of the world's leading oil and gas producers, one of the world's leading oil and gas exporters, and that sector provides hundreds of thousands of high-paying jobs, including blue-collar jobs across the country. That is of great value and that is something our government supports.

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Madam Speaker, also this week, we found who is really in charge of Canada. As Global News showed us, the Prime Minister is taking his cues from the granola-crunching, Castro-loving, VW bus-driving, anti-resource, anti-government, anti-everything professional protesters with absolutely no connections to first nations groups.

Across the country this week, including in Union Station in Toronto, illegal blockades affected not just commuters, but also communities.

Why are the Liberals supporting wealth-funded eco-radicals more than hard-working Canadians and the businesses that employ them?

Public SafetyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

St. Catharines Ontario

Liberal

Chris Bittle LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Madam Speaker, I understand, representing residents who use GO rail to get to work in Toronto, the impacts this is having and that rail blockades in the past have had across the country over the last few weeks.

We are working hard toward a negotiated peace and settlement. The tone by the Conservatives to exaggerate the impact is not appropriate. The tone to call in the army and to order the police is inappropriate and is not helping anything. He is only exacerbating the situation.

PrivacyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Madam Speaker, businesses' use of facial recognition technology is worrisome. Canadians have the right to go about their business, enter stores and work without being constantly spied on. This brings up some serious questions about how these companies can use our biometric data.

The Quebec government and the federal government do not yet have a legal framework to regulate the use of facial recognition technology or to protect the data obtained through this technology.

Will the government temporarily ban the sale of facial recognition software to businesses?

PrivacyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Louis-Hébert Québec

Liberal

Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for her question. I agree that this is a worrisome issue.

We must always strive to balance privacy against, in the case of the RCMP, which was also involved with Clearview, the duty to protect Canadians. That is why the RCMP will be working with the Privacy Commissioner to make sure it finds that balance.

As for my colleague's broader question, I will note that the privacy commissioners of Quebec, British Columbia and Canada will be examining this issue.

PrivacyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Bloc

Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC

Madam Speaker, Clearview AI, a leader in facial recognition technology whose services are used by police, has revealed that it suffered a data breach. That is our personal biometric data.

Companies today are hoping to sell this kind of technology to private corporations so they can target the right clients, spy on their behaviour and profile them. In addition to raising major ethical concerns, this is simply not safe. We cannot just wait until a problem crops up. We need a ban.

Is the government prepared to introduce one?

PrivacyOral Questions

11:35 a.m.

Willowdale Ontario

Liberal

Ali Ehsassi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation

Madam Speaker, Canadians are understandably anxious about how their data is being used in an increasingly digital world. Allow me to assure my colleague that the privacy commissioners of Canada, B.C., Quebec and Alberta are jointly investigating whether the organization's practices are in full compliance with Canadian privacy law. As this is an active investigation, no additional details are available at this time.

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

February 28th, 2020 / 11:35 a.m.

Conservative

Martin Shields Conservative Bow River, AB

Madam Speaker, the new CRTC guidelines in the Yale report that the minister is reviewing are deeply flawed. I have strong concerns about the journalists being licensed and registered.

I am also very frustrated about Yale report recommendation number four that would have nine board members live or move to Ottawa for seven years. That is discriminatory to western Canada and just plain wrong.

Will the government commit to rejecting recommendation number four of the Yale report or will the government continue to alienate western Canada?

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Toronto—Danforth Ontario

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Madam Speaker, our government thanks the members of the Yale report for the work they did. The panel has undertaken a wonderful final report, and we are looking at the recommendations in the report and plan to take action as swiftly as possible.

The report recommendations that are proposed are all being considered, and we support a strong, competitive broadcasting media sector. We intend to move swiftly to ensure all players, including web giants, support Canadian culture. We are reviewing them and are looking at them right now.

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Nelly Shin Conservative Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC

Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister announced a $600-billion media bailout before the last election, and then he directed his minister to create new regulations that control social media platforms. January's Yale report states, “accurate, reliable, and trusted news content is in peril”, and “The CRTC must be able to monitor and address issues concerning news content...regardless of format.”

The Prime Minister has been priming his way to control what Canadians have to say. When will the Prime Minister stop attacking freedom of speech and expression?

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Toronto—Danforth Ontario

Liberal

Julie Dabrusin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage

Madam Speaker, our government believes in a strong, free and independent press. The report we received from an independent panel proposes to exempt news media from licensing requirements. I want to be clear on our intentions. Our government will not impose licensing requirements on news organizations, nor will we regulate news content. Our focus is to ensure Canadians have strong access to diverse, high-quality and credible news.

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

11:40 a.m.

Conservative

Steven Blaney Conservative Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC

Madam Speaker, we already knew that the Liberals have been ignoring our community radio stations and regional newspapers, but now we have learned that they are giving web giants five times more money than they are giving our Canadian media. What? The government is giving $52 million to foreign companies that do not pay taxes in Canada. Why not invest in Ricardo's site, which has 3.8 million online viewers, or in VÉRO magazine, which has a readership of 800,000? They pay taxes here in Canada.