Debates of June 8th, 2021

Canada Revenue Agency

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have never been great advocates of combatting tax evasion. They have always preferred protecting the interests of their super-wealthy friends who take advantage of the system.

The latest budget proposes a corporate beneficial ownership registry for Canadian companies, but that is not enough. The Parliamentary Budget Officer has been pushing the government and reminding it that it is still not doing enough. We are losing out on billions of dollars, and the government needs to do something.

When will the minister stop ignoring the schemes that the KPMGs of the world are using and take action on tax havens and tax avoidance?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Revenue Agency is committed to ensuring that all taxpayers pay their fair share and meet their tax obligations.

Our government's historic investments gave the CRA the tools it needed to improve its data analysis. I want to inform the member opposite that the number of audits conducted is not directly connected to the number of cases of non-compliance identified. In other words, the CRA is conducting targeted audits, which produce better results.

The Environment

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Alberta's United Conservative government has opened up the Rocky Mountains for new coal mines. Fences, roads and drill sites are going up in areas designated as critical habitat for species at risk. Benga Mining has applied to mine the Grassy Mountain site without a plan for controlling selenium pollution, and more new mines that avoid federal oversight are being pitched to investors. This will have devastating effects on our environment, and we need immediate action.

Will the minister commit to protecting the Rockies and eastern slopes from these new coal mines that will destroy our mountains and water for generations to come?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, we certainly understand and have heard the concerns of many in Alberta with respect to the eastern slopes and other areas that are opened up for prospective mining. Certainly in the context of assessing them, that is exactly why we put into place the Impact Assessment Act to ensure that we are assessing, in a thoughtful way, all environmental impacts.

I agree with my colleague that the issues around selenium discharge are extremely important. We are working on them very actively with respect to coal mining effluent regulations.

We want to ensure that any projects are environmental sustainable on a go-forward basis.

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for many generations, the conservation efforts of indigenous guardians have been essential for protecting our environment for future generations. When it comes to protecting and respecting our lands and waters, all of us have a lot to learn from indigenous peoples' traditional knowledge and experiences.

Can the Minister of Environment and Climate Change share with the House how the indigenous guardians pilot will help us reach our land and water protection targets while working toward reconciliation?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Newmarket—Aurora for his advocacy in this important area.

The indigenous guardians pilot recognizes the many lessons that can be learned from indigenous partners across the country, and relies on indigenous experience and traditional knowledge to ensure that lands and waters are protected for generations to come. Just last week, we announced funding for 10 new initiatives under the indigenous guardians pilot. These initiatives will enable first nations to monitor ecological health, maintain cultural sites and protect sensitive areas and species, while creating jobs.

We are committed to supporting indigenous leadership and conservation to protect ecosystems, species and culture for future generations.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Conservatives sent the Prime Minister a letter seeking action for the 215 children found at the Kamloops residential school and for the many more who still need to be found. Families and residential school survivors want answers, and so far all they are getting from the Prime Minister is platitudes, rhetoric and abstentions.

Will the Prime Minister commit to developing a comprehensive plan to implement Truth and Reconciliation's calls to action 71 through 76 by July 1?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Mr. Speaker, as we know, all Canadians were heartbroken when we learned of the remains of the children at the former Kamloops residential school.

We are working with the community and our partners. I had a very important conversation with Kúkpi7 Casimir last evening, who is working to provide the resources and supports needed, as determined by the community.

We are reaching out now to indigenous communities across Canada regarding how to support them in finding their lost children, as outlined in those very important TRC calls to action, including how they can access the $27 million in funding made available on an urgent basis.

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations said that 80% of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations were met or were in the process of being met. According to the Yellowhead Institute's latest report, only a dozen of the calls to action have been completed. It has been over five years since the report was finalized and only 13% have been addressed.

When will the government finally complete the remaining 87%?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations]

Mr. Speaker, I want to correct the report card the member has given. The TRC road map for reconciliation is so important to our government, and in objective reviews, 80% of the 76 calls to action under the sole or shared responsibility of the federal government are completed or well under way. The recent passage of Bill C-5 is an example of concrete progress, as are Bill C-8 and Bill C-15, which are coming soon. This work will require sustained and consistent action to advance Canada's shared journey of healing and reconciliation.

Airline Industry

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned for the second time this week that the government gave taxpayer funds to an organization that were used for executive compensation. Nav Canada laid off 700 workers and increased airline fees by 30%, yet gave out $7 million in executive bonuses.

Will the Prime Minister do the responsible thing, ask for Canadians' money back and demand that these executives give the money back to the government?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Middle Class Prosperity and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, with sincere respect for the hon. member, she knows that when we developed the Canada emergency wage subsidy we did so to protect jobs. I am pleased to share that in excess of five million Canadians were kept on payrolls as a result of that program. Recently, we made an adaptation to that program to ensure that if a company increases executive compensation next year, compared with before the pandemic, it will need to pay the money back.

Before the member criticizes us too harshly, I would ask her to take a look in the mirror, because her entire caucus voted against the measure we put in place to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could cut them for the middle class.

Canadians know that our government has been there for them from the very beginning, and we will do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to get them through this public health emergency.

Health

[Jag Sahota, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's hotel quarantine program has been a failure from the start. It seems that even the Prime Minister knows this, as he refuses to undergo the process that his government has mandated for every other person arriving in Canada. Canadians were outraged when they heard about alleged sexual assaults taking place at a quarantine hotel. Now it seems these facilities are laying off their workers, 70% of whom are women.

When will the government admit its program is a failure and protect Canadians by scrapping it?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we have some of the strongest border measures in the world to protect Canadians from the importation of COVID and its variants. We will continue to use science and evidence to guide us on our evolving stance on the borders. It is incredibly important that we continue to make progress on the immunization of Canadians and work with the provinces and territories to ensure they have the health care capacity to test and trace. We will continued to be guided by evidence and science as we manage the border.

Forestry Industry

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the United States has announced that it plans to double softwood lumber tariffs. Quebec's forestry industry is again under threat.

We obviously expect the federal government to show some backbone. It is also urgent that we diversify markets, starting with this one. The federal government can take action to help the forestry industry. It can immediately implement a procurement policy that promotes the use of wood, support research and secondary and tertiary processing, and promote innovative forestry products.

The Bloc Québécois provided a turnkey plan to the government. Will it finally do something with it?

[Rachel Bendayan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Small Business]

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. These tariffs are absolutely unjustified and harm workers in both countries.

The Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade raised this issue directly with President Biden and Ambassador Tai. Our government continues to push for the negotiation of a voluntary agreement. We will defend our forestry industry at any costs including, if necessary, by using the dispute mechanism in our free trade agreement, CUSMA.

[Mario Simard, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government can take action by negotiating with the United States, but it can also support the forestry sector.

If the federal government did its part, the forestry sector could create 16,000 new jobs in Quebec, but as always with the feds, the oil industry is the one that gets its pump primed. This year alone, Ottawa invested $560 million to help oil companies pollute a bit less, and that is in addition to all the other subsidies and loans it gives to fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, Quebec's forestry industry gets nothing even as the Americans up the pressure on our lumber. When will the government do something to help our forestry industry?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, last week I had a conversation with the Canadian Fuels Association, whose outlook on biofuels is very positive.

We invested $1.5 billion in a biofuels fund. Biofuels and forestry workers are key to a clean energy future and will get us to net zero.

Housing

[Nelly Shin, Conservative, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, housing prices in the greater Vancouver area are among the highest in North America because of non-resident foreign buyers, money laundering, the failed Liberal first-time home buyer program and a lack of affordable housing. Middle-class families in my riding feel it every day.

A young family in Port Moody is saving up for their first down payment by living at a parent's home, but skyrocketing prices are shutting them completely out of the competition. Their children will have to grow up far away from their grandparents in another city.

When will the government stop crushing dreams and fix the housing crisis with real solutions?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the national housing strategy, we introduced the first-time home buyer incentive, which will help families achieve their dream of home ownership by lowering monthly mortgage payments without increasing down payments. We are actually expanding the first-time home buyer incentive to enhance eligibility in Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria by raising the qualifying income threshold to $150,000.

When the party opposite was in office, all it could do was provide $750 in a credit for first-time homebuyers. We are doing way more than that.

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if a young family in my riding of Langley—Aldergrove had decided a year ago to save up a little longer for a down payment on their first home purchase, today they would be $150,000 further behind. In the words of one of my constituents, “It is so hard to be hopeful anymore.”

B.C.'s Lower Mainland is ground zero for Canada's housing affordability crisis, and people want to know what the government's plan is to tackle inflation and keep the dream of home ownership alive.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, it is important to invest in programs that put home ownership within the reach of more middle-class families and young Canadians. That is exactly what we have done. Our first-time home buyer incentive is putting more home ownership opportunities within reach of more young Canadians. We are building on our historic commitment to giving more Canadians a safe and affordable place to call home.

What did Conservative Party members do when they were in office, if they care about this issue? The only policy they could come up with in nine years of government was a $750 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. That is miserly, and we have done way more than them in a very short period of time.

[Kenny Chiu, Conservative, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in my home city of Richmond, house prices have gone up 20% in the past pandemic year, averaging $1.5 million. Richmond has become the epicentre of housing challenges in the GVRD and Canada. We would benefit from well-developed policies on affordability and supply.

What will the government do to make affordable housing project approvals and make funds accessible faster and in a more transparent manner?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, for a party that claims to care about supply, all it could come up with to spend on affordable housing solutions is a mere $250 million a year across Canada. We have invested over $27 billion in the national housing strategy since we have come into office.

We know that every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Our plan is building on a strong foundation. That is why budget 2021 is the fifth consecutive budget that puts more money in affordable housing, to the tune of $2.5 billion. We are also reallocating $1.3 billion in existing funding to speed up the construction, repair or support of—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle.