House of Commons Hansard #121 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was s-5.

Topics

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Mr. Speaker, it is going to be awkward next week when Canada walks into COP27. The UN has just released another report proving that the climate change plans being put forward by various countries will lead to disaster. At the same time, Canada announced in Washington that it will fast-track its oil and gas projects in order to export more to Europe.

Does the government realize that the UN is asking us to fast-track the fight against climate change, not climate change itself?

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her commitment to climate action. I just want to remind her we have the most ambitious climate change plan in the history of Canada: $100 billion invested since 2015; $9.1 billion in the emissions reduction plan.

It is an ambitious sector-by-sector pathway to get to our 2030 targets on our way to net zero by 2050. It has broad support from environmental groups, industry and farmers in Quebec and across the country.

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister could have said that he acknowledges the UN report and that he will not approve any more oil and gas projects. At the very least, he could have said that he would not fast-track them. Instead, he went on television last week to explain how he, as environment minister, could advise oil and gas companies to help them get through the assessment process faster.

In the midst of the climate crisis, is it the role of an environment minister to help the oil and gas industry get projects approved?

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:35 p.m.

North Vancouver B.C.

Liberal

Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, the world does indeed have to deal with the challenge of climate change; we have to deal with it for our children and our grandchildren. Canada has implemented a plan to fight climate change, a plan that may well be the most detailed one in the world. Yes, we need a very strong economy, but we also have to deal with climate change, and that is what we are doing.

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

Mr. Speaker, all the countries at COP27 are going to talk about what they have done to fight climate change since the last conference. When Canada stands up to talk, our allies are going to remember that, since the last COP, Canada has approved Bay du Nord and its billion barrels of oil. They will remember Canada's announcement in Washington that it is planning not only to approve other projects like Bay du Nord, but also to fast-track them.

Does the minister realize that showing up at COP empty-handed is bad, but showing up with filthy hands is worse?

Climate ChangeOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

North Vancouver B.C.

Liberal

Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, we know that we need to address the issue of climate change. We need to be a leader in these circumstances. I want to say that there are not very many countries in the world that have a plan that is as detailed as Canada's. We also need a plan for a prosperous economy for the future of our children, and we will work to accomplish both of those goals at the same time.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB

Mr. Speaker, the minister has repeatedly claimed that neither he nor his staff ever requested the RCMP commissioner to reveal confidential evidence. He claims that he never asked for letters of support from independent police to provide political cover for the use of the Emergencies Act, yet the RCMP commissioner clearly knew that the minister was seeking these letters.

Evidence shows that she was working with him to reveal confidential evidence about the Nova Scotia mass shooting. Does the minister expect us to believe that the RCMP commissioner acted alone?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Scarborough Southwest Ontario

Liberal

Bill Blair LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, there is a very significant problem with the member's theory, which is based entirely on speculation, innuendo and conjecture.

He ignores the facts, and here are the facts. At no time did I or the government attempt to interfere in police operations. I did not direct, ask or even suggest to the commissioner that she release that information and the commissioner herself has testified under oath, “I did not receive direction and I was not influenced by government officials regarding the public release of information”. Those are simply the facts.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Dane Lloyd Conservative Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB

Mr. Speaker, we have received email evidence from his office that suggests otherwise. Audio recordings and text messages from the RCMP commissioner confirm this disturbing pattern. The Minister of Emergency Preparedness has repeatedly crossed the line, interfering in a police investigation and politicizing our independent police forces, all to provide political cover for the Liberal government.

The evidence against the minister is piling up. It is no wonder that the commissioner is looking for a new messenger app to permanently delete messages. The minister keeps denying, but the facts say otherwise. When will the minister finally come clean?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Scarborough Southwest Ontario

Liberal

Bill Blair LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times in the House, the independence of police operations is a key principle in our democracy. It is one that our government respects.

I would like to remind the House that, in May of 2020, the member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes rose in the House and demanded to know why the government was not releasing information on search warrants, production orders and closed warrants related to the Nova Scotia massacre. At that time, I was forced to rise in the House to explain to that Conservative member, as I did to all members, that our government does not interfere with ongoing criminal investigations, and the RCMP is responsible for the information that he sought.

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, here are the indisputable facts.

Just 10 days after the tragic events, here is what the commissioner said to her assembled colleagues when confirming that there had been political interference in the ongoing investigation into the weapons used.

First, she said, “I shared with the Minister that...it was going to be in the...news release and it wasn’t.” Second, she said, “Does anybody realize...they're in the middle of trying to get a legislation going”? Third, she said, “I’m waiting for the Prime Minister to call me so I can apologize.”

Why is the minister continuing with his cover up?

Public SafetyOral Questions

2:40 p.m.

Scarborough Southwest Ontario

Liberal

Bill Blair LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness

On the contrary, Mr. Speaker, I have risen in the House a number of times and simply repeated the truth to the members. I am not going to speculate on a conversation of which I was not a party.

I can simply advise the House that at no time did I direct, ask or even suggest to the commissioner of the RCMP that she should release any information pertaining to this investigation. Under oath before the Mass Casualty Commission, the commissioner has confirmed that she was not directed by me or any government official on the release of information or in the conduct of the investigation. Those are simply the facts.

Oil and Gas IndustryOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Laurel Collins NDP Victoria, BC

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, the environment minister criticized oil and gas companies for paying out huge profits to their shareholders instead of taking climate action, but it is hard to believe the minister's fake outrage when the Liberals are still handing out billions of dollars to big oil, all while these corporations rake in record profits.

The minister will not put a windfall tax on these excess profits to invest in climate action and make life more affordable. Will the minister finally stand up to big oil by making them pay what they owe?

Oil and Gas IndustryOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Mr. Speaker, we know two things for certain: oil and gas emissions must come down, and energy companies are making record profits. Like us, energy companies must put their shoulder to the wheel and begin investing in pollution reduction.

We need to work together to create the clean economy and the good jobs of today and tomorrow. We will be with them every step of the way as we meet our 2030 targets on our way to net zero by 2050.

Oil and Gas IndustryOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON

Mr. Speaker, big oil has racked up their highest profits ever, and that is no surprise to Canadians who are getting gouged at the pumps.

How is big oil spending their loot? They are spending it on stock buy-backs, payouts to investors and automation, as they layoff thousands of energy workers. As for climate action, there is not a chance. They want taxpayers to pick up the bill.

When is the environment minister going to stop acting as an ATM for the oil lobby and hold them to account? When is he going to make the investments necessary in a clean energy transformation that does not leave Canadian workers behind?

Oil and Gas IndustryOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

North Vancouver B.C.

Liberal

Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, I would advise the hon. member to actually read the emissions reduction plan.

The government has invested over $110 billion in reducing emissions around this country and in making investments to actually grow a clean economy going forward. It is something we have to think about on both sides of the equation. We must reduce emissions, but we also have to think about creating jobs and economic opportunity for the future, and that is exactly what we are doing.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau stood—

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Order. I would like to remind hon. members that, when we refer to someone in the chamber, it is by their title or by their riding.

The hon. member for Willowdale can begin from the top, please.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Ali Ehsassi Liberal Willowdale, ON

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister stood shoulder to shoulder with protesters who participated in the freedom rally against the Iranian regime in Ottawa.

As the Prime Minister made clear, our government will not stand idly by as the Iranian government terrorizes its own citizens. The message from our government is also consistent that Iranians have been suffocated for far too long, and we will echo their sentiments.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs apprise members of the House of the latest measures adopted—

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Ahuntsic-Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Willowdale for his solidarity with the Iranian people.

Today we announced a new round of sanctions against the Iranian regime. Those sanctions target senior officials and Iranian regime supporters who participated in human rights violations. We will continue to do everything we can to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its oppression and brutality, because impunity is not an option.

The EconomyOral Questions

October 31st, 2022 / 2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

Mr. Speaker, the verdict is in. The evidence is clear. The cost of government is driving up the cost of living. The Prime Minister's own Parliamentary Budget Officer said that, of the new spending, 40% was not related to COVID.

Liberal leadership members seem to agree. Mark Carney recently said that inflation is now primarily a Canadian event. Even the deputy leader, with her new religion of fiscal restraint, seems to agree. Does the Prime Minister agree?

The EconomyOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Edmonton Centre Alberta

Liberal

Randy Boissonnault LiberalMinister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear about what the Conservatives are saying.

They are saying that they would not have put in place the CERB, which kept millions of Canadians in their homes. They would not have had the wage subsidy, which kept 60,000 businesses operating just in the energy sector alone in Alberta. They would not have had the rent subsidy, which helped—

The EconomyOral Questions

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!