House of Commons Hansard #120 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was crime.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, in August, Germany's leaders came to Canada, begging us to help offset their dependence on Russian gas. Our Prime Minister replied that there is no business case for Canadian LNG. “Au contraire,” refuted Canada's actual business leaders. The opportunity for tens of thousands of Canadian jobs is quite clear.
With the world demanding Canadian energy, why is the Prime Minister berating Canada's clear opportunity?
Anita Vandenbeld LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to tackling the concurrent crises of global energy security and climate change, but we will do so in a manner that accounts for and works to minimize domestic emissions. We will also do so in a manner that ensures that any resulting emissions fit within Canada's climate plan. LNG is one of the tools in our tool box, and our government is committed to supporting the development of the LNG sector.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, that is not quite true. Coal exports from Russia have reached peak levels. China has also reached peak levels and gone up 300 million tonnes of coal production this year. Europe is cranking up coal plants.
Why is this? It is because the LNG that Canada could have supplied has been held up by the government's policies. Canadian LNG has a carbon footprint that is half that of the coal that is ramping up around the world. When will the government get out of the way of providing the planet with the carbon emission fuel we need to decarbonize?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I find it a bit rich to hear the member opposite talk about foreign oil imports. There were twice as many foreign oil imports under their leadership than there are today. When they say they have the back of energy workers, the question is which energy workers. Is it Saudi Arabian energy workers, Russian energy workers or Canadian energy workers?
Under our leadership, oil imports have gone down by 50%, and investment in renewable energy and clean technologies have doubled since 2015. I do not think we have any lessons to receive from the member opposite on energy.
Damien Kurek Conservative Battle River—Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is disgusting. The NDP-Liberals have not learned their lesson. They continue on this dangerous crusade to shut down Canada's oil and gas sector, something that is not only economically disastrous but is dangerous for our world and bad for the environment. It puts my constituents, as well as oil and gas workers from every province in the country, out of work.
Will this minister put an end to his activism and let Canada's oil and gas workers deliver the energy this world needs?
Anita Vandenbeld LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development
Mr. Speaker, when we are talking about transition, we are not only talking about the future of the industry and sustainable jobs, we are talking about economic opportunities for communities across our country. Those enormous economic opportunities will be enabled through the transition to a low-carbon future. Those opportunities will vary by region, with a presence particularly in Alberta, and they will be based on local economies and geography.
Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC
Mr. Speaker, this ideologically driven minister wants to leave our natural resources in the ground and, instead, mine Canadian workers' paycheques. I can tell members that the last thing Canadian workers need is more inflationary taxation.
Will these Liberals get out of the way of our hard-working oil and gas workers and do the right thing? Will they supply the world with clean and ethical Canadian energy?
Steven Guilbeault LiberalMinister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I would like to read an extract from an article that the new director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada said. He said, “Instead of scoring cheap political points on Trudeau's carbon tax, Conservatives need to get serious and offer their own alternative”.
I agree with the new director of communications for the Conservative Party of Canada.
Natural ResourcesOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
I would like to remind members that, even when quoting, we cannot use member's names. It is a rule that has been around for a while.
The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government is projecting that 40,000 people will enter Canada through Roxham Road this year and that is not about to change, according to the words of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. When questioned yesterday, Mr. Blinken did not talk about fixing the situation at Roxham, but rather lectured Canada about having a greater sense of shared responsibility in receiving asylum seekers.
Did anyone in the government explain to him that being responsible means making sure people are received at border crossings, not on a path through the woods by the police?
Marie-France Lalonde LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to protect Canadians and Quebeckers, to ensure that our borders are secure. At the same time, asylum seekers must be treated with compassion and be afforded due process. The safe third country agreement is an important bilateral tool for managing claims. We are in constant communication with the U.S. government on issues related to our shared border, including the safe third country agreement.
Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's collaboration with the Americans sure is working well.
For example, the government is once again taking no for an answer from the Americans: no to suspending the safe third country agreement and no to modernizing the agreement. The government has been taking no for an answer since 2017. It might be time to escalate things. Article 10 of the safe third country agreement says the government can suspend it unilaterally.
Since it is now clear to everyone, except perhaps to the government, that the Americans will do nothing to fix the problem at Roxham Road, when will the government tell them that it is suspending the agreement?
Marie-France Lalonde LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Closing the road or suspending the agreement will not solve the main problem. As the member opposite knows, Canada shares the longest demilitarized border in the world.
Roxham Road enables public servants to collect ID from asylum seekers and prevent dangerous crossings.
What we need to do is modernize the agreement. That is what we are doing.
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Mr. Speaker, according to reports in the National Post, the Canadian Armed Forces were warned that the recent inoculation mandate may have been illegal.
Will the Prime Minister commit to stop playing divisive politics with our troops and ensure that orders given to our military personnel are legal under Canadian law?
Yasir Naqvi LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I think we all recognize that the world has just gone through a global pandemic that has threatened so many lives, including the lives of Canadians. We as a government had to take every step necessary to ensure that Canadians were safe and protected. That is why we made sure that we invested in vaccinations and got Canadians vaccinated as quickly as possible. That included our Canadian Armed Forces members, who took that responsibility very seriously and made sure they were inoculated so they could continue to protect our great country.
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Mr. Speaker, text messages released to the Public Order Emergency Commission confirmed that RCMP Commissioner Lucki sought to use a messaging app that would prevent deleted messages from being retrieved by investigators. I guess she learned a lesson from former Liberal operative Dan Brien, who recorded explosive audio evidence that exposed the minister's attempt to interfere in a police investigation.
The Liberals know they can hide their wrongdoing by using covert apps and deleting evidence, but Canadians are catching on to them. When will the minister and the RCMP commissioner come clean with Canadians and stop the cover-up?
Bill Blair LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, in this House, speculation, conjecture and innuendoes are not facts. Only facts are fact. That is perhaps why the member opposite has omitted the fact that, for example, when the commissioner asked Commissioner Carrique if I had been in contact with him, he answered no. That is a fact. Here is another one for the benefit of all members: I never did.
Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB
Mr. Speaker, I guess we will never know because they stopped taking recordings of their messages.
Text messages released to the Public Order Emergency Commission are confirming a disturbing trend. The Minister of Emergency Preparedness repeatedly politicized Canada's independent police forces with the complete co-operation of RCMP Commissioner Lucki. Politicizing the deaths of Nova Scotians was just the beginning. Now we have learned that the Liberals sought to use independent police forces to provide political cover for their invocation of the Emergencies Act after they had already invoked it.
The minister has crossed the line yet again. When will he resign?
Bill Blair LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I think the weakness of the member opposite's argument is solely based on the fact that virtually everything he said is based on conjecture and innuendoes. There are no facts that contradict the statements I have made to this House. I have confirmed this—
Public SafetyOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
Order. Members ask questions and they should listen to the answers as well.
The hon. Minister of Emergency Preparedness.
Bill Blair Liberal Scarborough Southwest, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is quite apparent that the members opposite are afraid of the truth, because it contradicts both their speculation and innuendoes.
I have been clear in this House that at no time did I ever interfere with the conduct and operations of the RCMP. This has been confirmed by sworn testimony from the RCMP commissioner. The truth is that this interference never took place. It is a principle that we have always respected and always guarded. It is a—
Public SafetyOral Questions
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the visit we had this week from Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Our trade relationship with Africa is vital, and there are many opportunities on the continent for Canadian companies.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development update the House on the dialogue that took place and how Canada plans to strengthen its ties with Africa?
Arif Virani LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Lac‑Saint‑Louis for his hard work.
This is the first time a high-level dialogue has taken place between Canada and the African Union Commission, allowing for numerous discussions. The relationship between Canada and the African Union is based on the shared priorities of peace, democracy, sustainable development, health and economic understanding.
More than ever, we need to work closely together to ensure economic resiliency and shared prosperity for all of our citizens.