Debates of Dec. 10th, 2021

Foreign Affairs

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order. I cannot hear the answer, so I will ask the members who clearly still have questions to wait. We will let the hon. minister answer the question the member asked.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Madam Speaker, as I was saying, as a young activist, I worked for two years for the Canadian Human Rights Foundation, and I am proud to stand on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs to thank the member for Mississauga—Streetsville for her question.

I am pleased to say that Canada has imposed additional sanctions today on entities affiliated with Myanmar's military regime. Today's announcement sent a clear message to the people of Myanmar that their resilience and quest for democracy and civil rights will not be diminished.

Finance

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Madam Speaker, it is mid-December and there are still no public accounts. There are disturbing stories that the Liberal government has actually reopened the audited public accounts and changed them for political gain.

Earlier this week when we asked about this, the President of the Treasury Board refused to answer, so I will ask about it again. Did the government reopen the public accounts and alter them for political purposes?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, our government is committed to financial transparency, including for COVID-19 response spending. Monthly financial results are reported throughout the year, and the “Fiscal Monitor” and departments provide quarterly financing reporting. Our annual audited financial statements in the public accounts will be tabled this month within normal legislated timelines.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am still hearing some heckling, so I will ask members to please hold off.

The hon. member for Edmonton West.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Madam Speaker, I wonder if it is normal to reopen the public accounts and doctor them. The public accounts are audited financial statements of the government, yet the Liberals are delaying the tabling of these accounts. We have out-of-control Liberal government spending, yet no accounting of over $600 billion of taxpayers' money.

Why has the government not yet tabled the public accounts? Is it because they are too busy cooking the books?

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring financial transparency, including for COVID-19 response spending.

Monthly financial results are reported throughout the year in the “Fiscal Monitor”, and departments provide quarterly financing reporting. We are being transparent. Our annual audited financial statements in the Public Accounts of Canada will be tabled this month within normal legislated timelines.

The Environment

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Madam Speaker, today I would like to bring attention to some words shared by a Liberal minister. He said, “We have not seen a model where we can get to net-zero emissions by 2050 without nuclear. The fact of the matter is that it produces zero emissions.” These are kind words about the nuclear industry in Canada, but there is zero concrete action from the government on the nuclear industry here in Canada.

Does the Minister of Environment agree with his colleague or is he a science denier?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

Order. The longer it takes to come to order, the more questions there will be at the end of the day on other issues, and some members may not be able to weigh in.

The hon. minister.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, I am happy to see how popular I am with the opposition.

We are focused very much on ensuring that we are doing our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions around the world at a time when we are also looking to incent the development of a clean growth economy and create good jobs and economic opportunities for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. All non-emitting sources of energy are on the table and are a part of the energy mix as we go forward. The hon. member knows that in Ontario, for example, nuclear energy is already an important part of the energy mix.

Seniors

[Richard Lehoux, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Madam Speaker, more and more seniors in my riding are experiencing financial difficulties because of the pandemic.

The current government has created two classes of seniors. It is time for the government to review the indexation of benefits for seniors over 65, because $1 a month is not enough. Furthermore, the spike in prices due to inflation is getting out of control.

Our seniors deserve better. The Minister of Seniors keeps saying that she has an ambitious agenda for seniors. When will she introduce it?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Madam Speaker, from the very beginning, our government's priority has been to help the most vulnerable, especially the most vulnerable seniors. That is why we have worked hard to strengthen income security and the OAS they rely on. Our plan delivers on our promise to increase OAS by 10% for seniors who are 75 and older.

We will continue to deliver for seniors, especially those who need it the most as they age and as their needs increase.

Employment

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for Quebeckers to be able to eat local food, we need the essential contribution of temporary foreign workers. That is why agricultural producers pay thousands of dollars every year for the right to bring them here.

This year, at least 243 workers breached their contract and left their job. Some left our country for the United States, while others were illegally recruited in Canada. Our farmers woke up the next morning to find their employees gone.

What is the government doing to combat this poaching?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, we are working very hard to improve the temporary foreign worker program, especially for the agricultural sector. Frankly, there needs to be more fairness in the employer-worker relationship, and we are working hard on that.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, we agree on fairness, but that is not what we are talking about.

We know that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is swamped and that something is clearly dysfunctional. However, the government must ensure that foreign workers go through the proper channels when they get here. People who illegally recruit temporary foreign workers off our farms are hurting farmers and Quebec's food self-sufficiency and taking advantage of people who simply want to improve their conditions. These matters are connected, and this poaching is unacceptable.

What is the government doing to combat the poaching that is harming Quebec's food self-sufficiency?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Madam Speaker, there is no question that in our agricultural sector, and across different sectors in the economy, the role that immigration plays in welcoming workers to the economy is very important for our collective well-being. I can advise the hon. member that yesterday I had the pleasure of having a conversation with my Quebec counterpart, Minister Boulet, to discuss the source of international workers who can contribute to the economy.

It is essential that as we bring more workers in, we strengthen the integrity of the system. I would be pleased to work with the hon. member to ensure that we have a system that works for all, that is fast and that helps contribute to a growing economy.

Health

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Madam Speaker, Mr. Castillo and Ms. Ruel are constituents of mine in Montmagny. They were fined $10,000 on November 29 after returning from a short trip to the United States lasting less than 72 hours.

First, border officials turned them away and told them to submit their ArriveCAN info. Then it was not until November 30 that they were told they had to provide a test. Government communication was extremely unclear and inadequate.

Will the government be flexible when it comes to honest people who thought they were following the rules?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, our government will do whatever it takes to protect our borders and keep Canadians safe. Over the past year, ArriveCAN has played an important role in reducing the introduction and transmission of COVID‑19, and it is mandatory.

Last week, I instructed the Canada Border Services Agency to be a bit more flexible with Canadians returning to Canada.

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Madam Speaker, Christmas is coming and because of ArriveCAN's bureaucratic red tape, fully vaccinated Canadians who are at home for a two-week isolation have a tough choice to make ahead of the holidays: one, do not buy presents; two, turn off the heat in the middle of winter; or three, take out a payday loan. None of these options is acceptable.

Will the government do the right thing and release these fully vaccinated Canadians from quarantine?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, as I just said, we have always taken the steps that are necessary to protect the health and safety of Canadians throughout the pandemic, and especially now as we continue to study the new variant of concern omicron. It is essential that we continue to use tools, like ArriveCAN, that protect the health and safety of Canadians.

My hon. colleague is worried about the holiday season. This government will always have the backs of Canadians to protect them and provide them with the supports they need so they can provide the gifts they want to their loved ones as we head into the holiday season.

Foreign Affairs

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Speaker, in October 2020, the government stated that it does not directly or indirectly provide funds to the Union of Agricultural Work Committees, an NGO linked to the Canadian-designated terrorist organization the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. This past October, Israel declared the UAWC a terrorist organization. In November, NGO Monitor reported that the UAWC is, in fact, receiving Canadian tax dollars.

I have a very serious question. Why are the Liberals funding terrorists?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Madam Speaker, Canada is a steadfast ally of Israel and a friend of the Palestinian people. We are committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel. Our position remains that this can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties.