Debates of Nov. 25th, 2021

Public Safety

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in light of the shooting deaths of innocent people like Thomas Trudel, age 16, and Meriem Boundaoui, age 15, Quebec City and the mayor of Montreal have asked the federal government to tighten the borders against firearms trafficking.

Instead of saying “yes, let us work together”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs blamed Valérie Plante, saying that this needs to be a priority for the City of Montreal too.

The police seized more guns in Montreal last year than the federal government did at the border across all of Canada. Instead of being condescending, why does the minister not promise action?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to congratulate my colleague on her new role. I hope that we will work well together.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Thomas Trudel, who was taken from our community far too soon. This is an unacceptable tragedy.

We are focusing on stopping the flow of firearms across our borders. During the election campaign, we promised to invest at least $1 billion to help the provinces ban handguns. We will continue to do that in co-operation with the Government of Quebec.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the Quebec minister of public security, who said, “Guns do not just magically end up in Quebec. They come across our borders, which are the federal government's responsibility.”

Every government must do its part. It is up to the federal government to tighten the borders. If it does not do so, then there is not much point in working on prevention and banning illegal guns on our streets. The federal government needs to work with the partners involved, including the first nations, to secure every inch of the border.

What is the government waiting for? When will it take action against firearms trafficking?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, our government has already taken real action. We have made investments at the border. We plan to ban military-style weapons, and we will continue to make real investments in co-operation with the Government of Quebec.

As I said yesterday, our door is open if the Quebec government wants to work with us, and I am very pleased to work with my colleague.

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, let us call a spade a spade. What is happening in Montreal is a gang war. It is a war that is causing an escalation in firearms trafficking and shootings in our neighbourhoods. It is a war that is creating innocent victims: teenagers. We saw this in Montreal before and said, “Never again”. We need a federal government that takes its responsibilities today. We must do whatever it takes to prevent firearms from circulating in our communities.

When will the government do something about this?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, our government has already taken meaningful action. Protecting the safety and security of Canadians is our government's top priority, but we know that far too many lives have been affected by gun violence.

To reduce gang violence in our streets and our communities, we must focus on combatting the social inequalities that may lead to crime.

As I have already said, we will continue to make investments and take firm action against gun violence.

Forestry Industry

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, this government has a history of making promises to Canadians and not following through. An example of this behaviour happened last week when the Prime Minister travelled to Washington. If the Prime Minister did mention softwood lumber in his meeting with President Biden, it is obvious the President does not care what the Prime Minister has to say.

Following the Prime Minister's trip to the U.S., the U.S. commerce department doubled duties on Canadian softwood lumber. This is devastating to the industry. Why did the Prime Minister not use his one-on-one time with President Biden to resolve this dispute?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, let me first begin by saying I welcome the opportunity to continue working with my hon. colleague in his critic file on trade, and I look forward to that work.

Softwood lumber, the forestry sector and its workers are extremely important to Canada. It is an issue that was raised not only by the Prime Minister with the President, but also by me with my colleague in the USTR. My colleagues have raised this with their counterparts as well.

I would like members to know that it is an issue we will continue to work on to defend the interests of the sectors and the workers. We will continue to do that, and I look forward to working with my colleague.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, these actions by the United States are a serious threat to Canadian jobs and the Canadian economic recovery after the pandemic. These unfair duties hurt Canadian businesses and workers.

The government must take a clear and strong stand with the Biden administration to defend Canadian workers and the Canadian industry. Softwood workers want to know what the Prime Minister's plan is to end this dispute. What is his plan to end this dispute?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we will remain focused on defending the sector and its workers. Within the forestry sector, I have had an opportunity to spend time with workers as well as the industry. We are working together on this and using a team Canada approach. It has proven to work well when we are able to work with those who are directly affected.

We will continue to push and work with the Americans, as well as with Canada's sectors, but know that we will always defend Canada's interests.

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

Mr. Speaker, sometimes the lessons we do not like are the best lessons learned. It was over six years ago that the hon. member for Abbotsford negotiated the last softwood lumber agreement we had in Canada.

Now, due to Liberal inaction, the Biden administration has doubled the tariffs, and the workers in my riding, where mills have been shut, are wondering when the Liberal government will give them a step-by-step process, a plan of assurance, to keep them in their homes, to give them a job, to give them a way to protect their families and provide for them. When are we going to get—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. minister.

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I absolutely share the impassioned plea that my colleague and the member opposite have shared. We, too, want to ensure that Canada's forestry sector and its workers are absolutely defended. We have said consistently that these tariffs are unfair and unwarranted, whether at the CUSMA panel or at the WTO. We have litigated this and in those litigations Canada has won. We have been deemed to be fair trading partners. We are going to keep standing up for those workers and the forestry sector.

Housing

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after six years of the Trudeau government, one in three Canadians cannot afford to buy a home. In my riding, most of the new housing is luxury condos. A home should not be a privilege accessible to only the wealthiest. We need truly affordable housing, housing that is accessible to everyone, and Canadians need it now, not in five or 10 years.

Will the government finally commit to making truly affordable homes a priority in the upcoming budget?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Before I go to the minister, I want to remind hon. members that when referring to someone in the government or to someone's government, we refer to them by his or her title or riding, but not by name.

The hon. minister.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion]

Mr. Speaker, every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Since coming to office, we have addressed the housing needs of a million Canadians. In the recent throne speech, we have introduced a $4 billion housing accelerator fund and an innovative and groundbreaking rent-to-own program. We will work to make sure that more Canadians have access to affordable housing by working with the municipalities to increase the housing supply and non-profits to acquire land and buildings.

We have worked with all our partners through the national housing strategy. We know there is more work to be done and we are determined to do it.

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, since the start of the pandemic, the unhoused population in Edmonton has doubled. In ridings like mine, which is home to one of the largest urban indigenous populations in Canada, the housing crisis hits especially hard. However, the Liberals failed to include a “for indigenous, by indigenous” housing strategy in the throne speech. They have been promising to address the issue for years, but still are not backing up their words with action.

Will the minister finally commit to delivering a strategy to help indigenous people in desperate need of affordable housing?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, as it is my first time to rise in the House, I want to thank the constituents of Thunder Bay—Superior North for electing me yet again for a third time.

It is with a profound sense of responsibility that I assume this role as Minister of Indigenous Services. So many indigenous people live in the communities I represent, and I am so proud to have this role.

Absolutely, housing is a priority, and I look forward to working with indigenous partners on an indigenous-led, specific strategy to improve housing no matter where one lives in the country.

Gender-Based Violence

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 exacerbated the realities of gender-based violence across the country. Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. It is a time to reflect and renew our commitment to ending violence against women, girls and people of all gender identities and expressions.

Would the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth please update the House on how our government is addressing the prevention of gender-based violence?

[Marci Ien, Liberal, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth]

Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to thank the member for Hamilton Mountain for her work and also for her advocacy.

Today, we take time to remember our mothers, our sisters and our daughters taken from us because of senseless, preventable violence. No one should face violence for who they are, yet for far too many women, youth and people of all gender identities and expressions, this is their terrifying reality.

GBV must not and will not be tolerated in Canada. We introduced the first-ever federal strategy to address GBV. In budget 2021, $3 billion over five years will advance initiatives to preventing it. I look forward—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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

Mr. Speaker, for three years, the Prime Minister told Canadians that it was impossible to close the Roxham Road crossing. However, during the pandemic, all of a sudden, miraculously, we stopped letting illegal migrants cross. This proves to Canadians that it can be done if there is the will to do it.

Since Sunday, the border has reopened to illegal migrants from the United States. Why?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member can appreciate the exceptional nature of a once-in-a-century pandemic that required exceptional measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to save the lives and protect the well-being of Canadians in our communities.

As the public health imperative changes, we have domestic and international legal obligations that we will meet in a way that respects the dignity with compassion of asylum seekers, and we will do it in collaboration with our provincial counterparts in the Province of Quebec.

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

Mr. Speaker, I understand very well. Throughout the history of Canada and the United States, Canada has always welcomed immigrants, people fleeing their country because of poverty or war.

In this specific case, we are talking about people leaving the United States and coming to Canada. In January 2017, in response to Donald Trump's actions, the Prime Minister told them to come to Canada. Joe Biden is the President of the United States now. Is there still some reason we are telling people in the United States to come to Canada illegally?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the origin country of an asylum seeker does not change the legal obligations that the federal government is required to meet, both domestic and international. Further, I find language is being used to spark fear and division among Canadians and to turn them against people who are showing up at the border. We will treat some of the world's most vulnerable people with compassion and respect, and put in a fair rules-based system that will provide a fair and final result as we adjudicate their claims.