House of Commons Hansard #93 of the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was targets.
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
I want to remind all hon. members if they are not answering or asking a question to please put their microphones on mute.
After consulting with the table officers, the question was not directly asked to the Chair of the committee, but if she wants to answer I will leave it up to her to decide.
Karen McCrimmon Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
Yes, please, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to assure my colleague that the defence committee will be meeting at its normal time this coming Friday at one o'clock.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, a national action plan to implement the calls to justice in response to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls is almost two years late, and every time I try to get an update from the minister she tells me she is working on it.
Another woman goes missing or murdered: “I'm working on it.”
A girl goes missing, leaving her family searching for their loved one: “We're making progress.”
A 2SLGBTQQIA individual is beaten: “I'm working on it.”
The Liberal stalling is costing lives. When will the government release a national action plan to address this ongoing genocide?
Carolyn Bennett LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her concern, and our hearts are with all the families and survivors in this ongoing tragedy. There is no question the 100 indigenous women and two-spirited and LGBTQQIA+ people working on this plan were very, very pleased to see $2.2 billion put in last week's budget to put in place the concrete actions that will stop this tragedy.
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB
Mr. Speaker, last week at committee bureaucrats said the government would not have long-term solutions to clean drinking water on reserves before 2026, five years after they were promised. This is an unacceptable failure by the Prime Minister and his government. The minister at least acknowledged this, saying, “It's unacceptable in a country that is financially one of the most wealthy in the world”.
We are agreed, minister: it is. Can the minister outline what lessons he has learned during the last five years of failure that will allow him to deliver on a promise to end the inhumane conditions in 2021 by 2026?
Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. Our government is not abandoning, and will not abandon, our commitment to ensuring first nations on reserve have access to safe and clean drinking water. The plan is working, and together we have lifted 106 long-term advisories and have prevented 180 short-term advisories from becoming long-term.
I want to assure Canadians and first nations that in every community with a long-term drinking water advisory there is a project team and action plan in place to resolve it. Our government stands with first nations to ensure another generation does not have to grow up without clean drinking water.
Jean Yip Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Speaker, May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada. It is a time to commemorate all the achievements and contributions Asian-Canadians have made to this country. However, spurred on by pandemic fears, anti-Asian racism continues to rise in Canada, including in Scarborough, where earlier this month a man was sent to the hospital after being assaulted at a restaurant, and graffiti was found outside the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. That is why today I am asking the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth what our government is doing to combat anti-Asian racism.
Bardish Chagger LiberalMinister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth
Mr. Speaker, the work by the member for Scarborough—Agincourt to combat anti-Asian racism remains necessary and is noticed.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of May as Asian Heritage Month, yet Canadians of Asian descent continue to face violence fuelled by ignorance. Our government implemented Canada's anti-racism strategy, including the anti-racism secretariat, and launched the Digital Citizen Initiative to counter anti-Asian racism. Through budget 2021, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation will establish a national coalition of Asian-Canadian communities and create a fund for racialized communities impacted by the increased acts of racism during the pandemic.
This Asian Heritage Month, I urge all to stand together against anti-Asian racism.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the government claims it is working to ensure that Enbridge Line 5 is not shut down on May 12. We have been calling for the Prime Minister to get involved in this file for six months. Last week, the National Post reported that officials were frustrated by how much time they were spending on the matter. Canadians are frustrated by the lack of results from the government. May 12 is a mere nine days away, and so far the Prime Minister has not been engaged with the President.
With 25,000 jobs at risk, when will the Prime Minister recognize the urgency of solving this issue?
Marc Serré LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, Line 5 is non-negotiable. People will not be left out in the cold.
I would like to thank the members of the Canada-U.S. special committee for their hard work on studying Line 5. We have received the report and are reviewing it.
It is clear there is no daylight between the parties and Canadians on this issue. Line 5 is essential for Canada's energy security. Line 5 is not just vital for Canada and the United States, but also for North America. We will stop at nothing to make sure it is not shut down.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, those are nice-sounding words. The minister, and now the parliamentary secretary, keep stating that keeping Line 5 open is “non-negotiable”, yet we are still in limbo. The environmental impact of shutting down Line 5 would be devastating. It would require 15,000 trucks and 800 rail cars per day to replace the supply shortage. For a government that claims to be addressing climate change, it is simply sitting under a tree waiting for others to do its job.
Can the Prime Minister tell us what the plan is to keep this vital infrastructure open?
Marc Serré LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the House that we are looking at all the options. We will leave no stone unturned in defending Canada's energy security. We are working at the political level, the diplomatic level and the legal level. We are ready to intervene at precisely the right moment.
Line 5 is non-negotiable. We are standing up for energy workers and for Canada's energy security. People will not be left out in the cold.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, last week at committee the Minister of International Development claimed that hateful content in UNRWA-produced materials was not produced by UNRWA and was removed last year, but a February impact report demonstrates the continuing presence of hateful content in UNRWA-produced study materials, which denounce Arab states over the Abraham Accords and call for the banishment of Jews from Israel.
Could the minister confirm that she is now aware that hateful content persists in UNRWA-produced materials and tell the House what she intends to do about it?
Karina Gould LiberalMinister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, as I have said numerous times, this government stands against anti-Semitism, and we have been very clear about that.
As soon as I learned about this material I was deeply concerned and contacted my officials, as well as UNRWA itself, to get to the bottom of this. I have been in touch with counterparts around the world, and we are working with UNRWA to ensure that the materials it teaches, which are provided by the jurisdiction in which it operates, meet UN values and uphold the principles of neutrality.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, the minister says she takes anti-Semitism seriously, but her government is funding it in UNRWA-produced study materials. Again, these are UNRWA-produced study materials. The European Parliament has denounced UNRWA for hateful comments in study materials that it produces and continues to use, but the minister is still badly mis-characterizing the situation by referring to Palestinian authority textbooks. She had promised an investigation. She is failing to follow up and Canadian taxpayer dollars are still funding anti-Semitic hate.
When will the minister recognize what is happening and actually take action in response?
Karina Gould LiberalMinister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, as I have communicated to the House on several occasions, we take this issue with the utmost seriousness and became engaged as soon as we learned of it. I continue to engage with UNRWA on this, but let me remind the hon. member that UNRWA provides education to 500,000 Palestinian students. Without UNRWA, they would not have access to education.
We remain absolutely committed to upholding UN values and the principle of neutrality. We will continue to work with UNRWA to ensure that these objectives are met, but we also know that they provide a valuable service to 500,000 Palestinian children.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic cannot be used as an excuse for everything when it comes to immigration.
New refugees have been separated from their children for months, even up to two years, or more, because of delays at the federal level. Canada is abandoning children in countries where conditions are often unsafe, while their parents await a decision from Ottawa to finally bring the children here. In addition to the trauma of separation, these children are often being mistreated and abused.
I know that the minister does not condone this violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, but what is he doing to quickly reunite families and protect these vulnerable children?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of our refugee system. We have made a lot of investments in it.
Over the past three years, Canada has done more than any other country to bring parents and children together again. Canada will continue to be a leader around the world.
Christine Normandin Bloc Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, those most vulnerable are the ones who are the victims of the federal government's immigration problems.
Delays are jeopardizing an official request that the Prime Minister made to the Minister of Immigration in his mandate letter. The Prime Minister asked the minister to introduce a fast-track system for 250 humanitarian workers, human rights advocates and journalists who are at risk from oppressive regimes.
A year and a half later, this specific program still does not exist and will be threatened if an early election is called. What is the minister doing to ensure that the people in question will not be victims of his party's election agenda?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, as I already said, Canada is a leader in promoting human rights.
Over the past three years, Canada has done more work for refugees than any other country. We will continue to provide all of the necessary investments and resources to respond to needs and protect all refugees. That is the work that I am doing in partnership with my Quebec counterpart.
Alex Ruff Conservative Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON
Mr. Speaker, I was already disappointed watching the Liberal filibuster at defence committee last Friday that is preventing key testimony from the Prime Minister's chief of staff. I was shocked to see this morning the chair cancel the committee meetings for today. When I have former female Canadian Armed Forces officers reaching out to me in reaction to this lack of accountability and failure of leadership, and stating that “this is a nightmare that never ends”, this cover-up needs to stop.
From one former officer to another, will the defence chair stop the cover-up and tell Parliament why she cancelled the defence committee meeting this morning and why she will not allow a vote on calling Katie Telford to testify?
Karen McCrimmon Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the hon. member that I respect all the work being done by all colleagues in all committees. Really, this should be about improving the lives of the women and men in the Canadian Forces. It should be about supporting the survivors and those impacted by this abominable behaviour, and it should be about preventing further abuse. The committee will continue its work in coming up with recommendations for the government, and the committee will meet on Friday at its regular time.
Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, the correctional service is in crisis. Local guards in my constituency are reaching out to me, describing the situation at the Drumheller Institution as a powder keg. There has been a lack of direction related to COVID-19, inconsistent and changing rules for employees and inmates, PPE being turned into weapons and reductions to needed staff services. This has left many CSC employees working in an impossible environment where they have even been told to eat in the bathroom to stay safe.
Will the minister take action today to fix these challenges?
Bill Blair LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his concern for our corrections workers and our inmates. We share that concern.
I am very pleased to tell him that Correctional Service of Canada has done extraordinary work throughout the entire course of the pandemic to ensure that people working in our corrections facilities were provided with personal protection equipment. We did safety audits at each of our facilities. In fact, they have now all been prioritized by our government for vaccinations. We are moving ahead very quickly to ensure inmates and our corrections workers are all vaccinated. We will take every step to protect the people working in our corrections services.
Colin Carrie Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, Durham region was shaken by two shootings in Ajax last week, which appear to be gang related. According to Statistics Canada, the number of gang-related murders since the Liberals first took office has been higher ever single year than any year under the previous Conservative government. The Liberal government's soft-on-crime approach through bills like Bill C-22 and Bill C-75 has made Canada a safe haven for gang activity.
When will caring about gang violence, the true source of gun crime in Canada, become a priority for the Liberal government?