Debates of Dec. 1st, 2021

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we continue to work with our American partners on matters pertaining to immigration and asylum seekers. We will be there to continue to manage the situation properly. Our government has maintained close contact with our provincial counterparts to prepare for this recent change at the border. We have procedures in place to ensure that asylum seekers are subject to strict public health measures, including quarantine and testing.

Canada is committed to continuing to work with our counterparts to move forward.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have the solution and we are handing it to them.

It is quite simple. Article 10.3 of the Safe Third Country Agreement states that the Prime Minister may unilaterally suspend the agreement for up to three months and renew this suspension for as long as necessary without asking for anyone's permission. It is safe for the asylum seekers, reassuring for Canadians, and it takes the pressure off Quebec, which, by the way, manages 97% of irregular asylum claims in Canada.

Will the Prime Minister suspend the agreement instead of reopening Roxham Road and winding up with the same old problem?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are doing what is necessary to ensure the safety of all Canadians with respect to COVID-19 and to fulfill our international obligations with respect to asylum seekers.

We are ensuring that we have the resources required to properly screen irregular asylum seekers and follow up. We will continue to work with the Government of Quebec and the U.S. government to ensure that the situation remains under control.

Canada-U.S. Relations

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian companies are losing contracts around the world because the Liberals have failed to address the shipping container crisis, which worsens every single day.

Agricultural products and manufactured goods are bottlenecked at ports in Vancouver and Montreal. The United States has taken action, and shipping routes are being rerouted from Canada to the United States.

The Liberals are continuing to erode Canada's reputation as a reliable and trusted trading partner. Why has the Prime Minister refused to open an investigation under the Canada Transportation Act to resolve this crisis?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, COVID has disrupted supply chains. The recent extreme weather events in B.C. have further disrupted supply chains. It is why we have stepped up, including with an investment of our $4 million directly to the Port of Vancouver to help ease the backlog.

We know there is more work to do in the short term and we are doing it with partners, including the Government of B.C., but there is also work to do in the long term.

I know the members of the Conservative Party of Canada are beginning to understand we need to act with determination and solidity on the fight against climate change. I am glad to see them beginning to recognize that.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this has nothing to do with climate change or global shipping lanes. The United States have resolved this crisis, and shipping lanes are now moving to the United States from Canada.

I suppose the Prime Minister also thinks the ban on P.E.I. potatoes is a result of supply chains around the world. Hundreds of islanders have lost their jobs, and the livelihoods of farm families hang in the balance. Now they are told there is no guarantee this issue will be resolved before Christmas. This is unacceptable.

When will the Prime Minister understand this is not a little potato problem but a big potato problem, and that our entire industry is at risk? When will he do something to address this export ban?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, islanders are suffering right now and are worried, and the Conservatives are making jokes. This is a very serious situation.

We will continue to step up to defend Prince Edward Islanders and the potatoes they produce. It is why we have taken initiatives with the United States to put a hold on it, so that we remain in control of the situation. We have islanders' backs. We will continue to be there to fight for them, despite all the silly jokes made by the Conservatives.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, “a little bit concerned”. Those were the words of the Prime Minister when he was asked about President Biden's proposed tax rebate for electric cars that excludes the ones made right here in Canada.

Is he “a little bit concerned” about the tens of thousands of Canadian jobs in jeopardy? Is he “a little bit concerned” about our second-largest export?

The Americans are walking all over the Prime Minister. What is it going to take for him to show a lot of concern for the Canadians who are out of work because of his lack of courage?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as we did for steel and aluminum workers with measures the Leader of the Opposition called dumb, we are continuing to stand up for Canada's electric vehicle industry and its workers.

I raised the issue directly with President Biden and congressional leaders in Washington just a couple of weeks ago. I made it clear to them that this policy would have significant negative consequences, not just on Canada but on the U.S. auto industry. Canada and the U.S. have a shared priority of protecting our cross-border supply chains. We will keep pressing the United States on this important issue.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this has nothing to do with supply chains. President Biden has enhanced the buy America measures, strengthened his protectionist agenda and raised tariffs on Canada.

Under the Prime Minister, our relationship with our strongest ally has become our biggest failure. The Prime Minister went to Washington, lost the fight on lumber, lost the fight on farmers, is about to lose the fight on auto workers and did not even bother to put up a fight for the workers in the energy sector.

Is the Prime Minister even trying anymore?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know that our auto sector is all about supply chains. That is exactly what we have been working on with the United States, to demonstrate to them that the integration between the Canadian and American economy and the Canadian and American supply chains is something that is important, not just for Canadian jobs but for American jobs as well.

We stood up for steelworkers and we stood up for aluminum workers despite the capitulation proposed by the Conservative Party of Canada. We have continued to stand up for Canadians. We will continue to stand up for Canadian workers.

Climate Change

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we are in the midst of a climate crisis and we have seen the devastating impacts of this crisis in B.C. We know we need to act immediately. The environment commissioner has pointed out that the Liberal government's subsidies are actually not working to reduce emissions as they have claimed. In fact, they are not working at all.

Why will the Prime Minister not end the fossil fuel subsidies once and for all and invest that money into renewable energy, into workers and into reducing our emissions and protecting our environment?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are doing. We have committed to ending fossil fuel subsidies. At the same time, we have made historic investments in energy sector transformation, in support for workers across the country, in renewables and in the kind of future that we know leads not just to cleaner air and clean water, but also to better jobs and careers for Canadians going forward. We have put forward in the last election the most ambitious plan to fight climate change that any party has ever put forward. It is recognized by experts as being significantly stronger even than the NDP plan.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, those are more fine words without meaningful action.

We are in a climate crisis that is hitting hard. We saw the disastrous consequences in British Columbia, and we must take action. The environment commissioner made it clear that oil subsidies do not help reduce emissions.

Will the Prime Minister immediately stop subsidizing the oil companies?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago in Glasgow, we announced our intention to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies by 2023, or two years before our G20 partners, whose target is 2025.

We also announced that Canada will stop funding international fossil fuel projects. On this side of the House, we know that climate action is essential and that the fight against climate change requires an effort from each and every one of us.

Justice

[Julie Dzerowicz, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since the recent election just over two months ago, community leaders, residents and groups such as Pride Toronto in my riding of Davenport have been writing to me and encouraging our federal government to rapidly reintroduce a bill that would implement a ban on the harmful practice of conversion therapy.

Can the Prime Minister update this House on Bill C-4 and the importance of banning conversion therapy for all Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Davenport for her advocacy on this issue. Just like her, I have heard from conversion therapy survivors, and anyone who has knows this horrid practice must end.

This week, we introduced even stronger legislation to ban conversion therapy. Last Parliament, more than half of the Conservative caucus voted against a ban. Unfortunately, the Leader of the Opposition has already signalled he will let them do so again. Today, I call on all members to stand in support of LGBTQ2 Canadians by supporting this bill.

Natural Resources

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period, the Conservative leader asked the Prime Minister when he would stand up for workers in Canada's energy sector. The Prime Minister responded by implying that energy jobs in Canada are not good careers. I will give him the opportunity to clarify.

Does the Prime Minister believe that those who work in Canada's rapidly decarbonizing, fair-trade energy sector, people who work hard to power Canada as we move toward a low-carbon economy, have “good jobs”?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for giving me the opportunity to repeat here in this House something I have said many, many times. We do not reach net zero by 2050 unless the extraordinarily hard workers of Alberta's energy sector are part of it. We do not get there unless we can lean on the innovation, the hard work, the imagination, the creativity and the drive of Albertans, Saskatchewanians, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in the energy sector to make sure we are going in the right direction. I look forward to continuing to work with them to build a better future and better jobs for all of our kids.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is interesting, because the Prime Minister is actually encouraging Canadians to use energy from high-carbon, unethical sources like Saudi Arabia.

Canadian energy is rapidly decarbonizing its production. Until there are readily available, low-cost alternatives to high-carbon products, Canadian energy should be filling that gap.

Why has the Prime Minister, if he cares about Canadian energy workers so much, not put caps on the importation of unethical, high-carbon, foreign carbon products from Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, when Alberta is already providing decarbonized, carbon emission-capped, fair trade energy?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, throughout this crisis and indeed the years leading up to it, we have been working with the energy sector in Alberta to move forward on decarbonization initiatives, to do things like addressing orphan wells and investing in methane reductions. Indeed, at Glasgow we made one of the world-leading commitments, not just to reduce our methane emissions by 30% but to cut methane emissions from the oil and gas sector by 75%.

This is the kind of leadership we can do only in partnership with the extraordinary workers in Canada's energy sector, who are looking for a better future for their kids as well.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, greenhouse gas emissions in Canada have actually grown each and every year the Liberal government has been in power, and the number of jobs in Canada, particularly in our natural resources sector, has decreased, being offshore to other countries that do not have ethical standards like we do.

We are going to need a lot of rare earth minerals in order to build things like batteries for electric-powered cars, but we know that in certain countries, child labour is what supports the mining of those particular minerals.

Will the Prime Minister commit to sourcing rare earth minerals for the batteries that power Canadian electric cars from fair trade Canadian mines, as opposed to offshoring our jobs to child foreign labour?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, for a number of years now we have been working on our critical minerals partnerships around the world to demonstrate that yes, there is an alternative to minerals from China right here in Canada, whether it is cobalt or nickel or lithium or copper or other metals that are essential in the production of the technologies we use every day and will lean on even more into the future. Canada can be a strong, safe, reliable supplier of these minerals to ourselves and to our allies around the world. That is exactly what we are moving forward on.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the world is not investing in Canada, because the Prime Minister chases away investment in our ethical sources of energy. Frankly, I think that his record on this is abysmal.

I want to remind the Prime Minister of something. Good jobs are ethical, regulated jobs in Canada's natural resource sector. Bad jobs are those that are done by children in cobalt mines in other parts of the world. Bad jobs are those given to countries where gay men are murdered and women are not seen as people. Those are bad jobs. Bad jobs there; good jobs here.

When will the Prime Minister commit to supporting the workers in Alberta's energy sector?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, through this pandemic, we stepped up, with $9 out of $10 going to Albertans from the federal government during the pandemic. In the years leading up to it, we continued to invest in infrastructure and in supports for Albertans. We have continued to be there for workers in the energy sector.

What is not being there for workers in the energy sector is pretending that climate change is not real and pretending that we should not look at it as both a challenge and an opportunity. That is what the Conservative Party of Canada has been stuck with for the past decade.