House of Commons Hansard #126 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was money.
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Oakville North—Burlington Ontario
Liberal
Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, Canada has a robust and fair refugee system, and immigration detention is a measure of last resort. While we have made significant progress, there is more work to do.
We thank the Hon. Lloyd Axworthy and Hon. Allan Rock, as well as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, for their efforts on this issue. I look forward to continuing to work with them on this important issue.
Yvan Baker Liberal Etobicoke Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Ukrainian people have been fighting bravely against Russia's brutal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine. They have been making incredible progress, retaking territory while defending the values that we all share of peace, democracy and human rights.
Canada's military aid has been integral to Ukraine's counteroffensive. As the NATO Secretary General has said on many occasions, Canada is a leader in supporting Ukraine.
Today, the Prime Minister of Canada made an announcement of additional military support for the people of Ukraine. Could the Minister of National Defence please share with the House and with Canadians that announcement?
Anita Anand LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, this morning, the Prime Minister announced an additional $500 million of military aid for Ukraine, bringing the total committed by the Government of Canada to over $1 billion. In addition, Canada is transporting military aid on behalf of our allies and ourselves. We have transported over five million pounds of aid. We stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in the short and long term.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Beijing interfered in last year's 2021 election. Beijing’s ambassador to Canada commented critically and publicly during that election campaign and Beijing spread disinformation through proxies on Chinese-language social media platforms.
Last week we found out that Beijing also interfered in the 2019 election. We found out that the Prime Minister was told months ago, in January, about hundreds of thousands of dollars that were illegally funnelled to at least 11 election candidates.
My question is simple. Who are these 11 election candidates?
Jennifer O'Connell LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is good to see the Conservatives actually taking foreign interference seriously for once. We saw in the last Parliament that Conservative members did not care about protecting national security. They removed their members from NSICOP, which provides the information the member opposite is looking for.
The member for Durham, when he was leader, took his toys and went home. He took Conservative members off of that committee, which actually provides the very information the member opposite is looking for.
We have taken our democratic institutions seriously and implemented many measures to ensure that foreign—
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is an appalling answer. It is the government that allowed People's Liberation Army scientists of the People's Republic of China into a top-level lab in this country against the government's own security protocols and in threat to the Five Eyes alliance.
We are talking about payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars to election candidates. We are talking about Beijing putting agents in MPs' offices. We are talking about an increasingly aggressive campaign to silence Canadian MPs.
My question for the government is very simple: Who are these 11 candidates?
Jennifer O'Connell LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the risk of foreign interference is something we have taken seriously since forming government. That is precisely why we put in place a non-partisan panel to assess any sort of foreign actors' interference to determine if it is a credible threat that the public should be aware of.
All parties were briefed and provided information about foreign interference, which is something the Conservatives never bothered to do previously. Putting in place a non-partisan panel during elections will ensure that our democratic institutions are protected—
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service informed the Prime Minister that the Chinese communist regime had interfered in the 2019 and 2021 Canadian federal elections. This illegal interference included the clandestine financing of a network of at least 11 candidates, and no one was deported or criminally charged. The Prime Minister boasted to the media that his government had taken significant action to combat this threat. That significant action must have been very stealthy, since no one knows what it was.
Which 11 candidates benefited from the illegal money from the Chinese Communist Party?
Pam Damoff LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, any foreign interference poses a threat to the very fabric of our democracy and we will never tolerate it. The RCMP and intelligence agencies are aware of these threats and are investigating. In addition, all actions are on the table, including legislation.
I hope the members across the way will support the cybersecurity legislation before the House. Canadians demand that we take action and we always will.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the threat is very real. For the first time in Canadian history, criminal charges were laid today against a Hydro-Québec employee who was sending industrial intelligence to the Chinese communist regime. However, Canadian intelligence officials have also said that the peril Canada faces if it chooses not to act on allegations of Chinese foreign interference is significant. Even Canada's former ambassador to China, David Mulroney, said he did not think the government understands this or is inclined to act.
My question is simple. Will someone tell us who were the 11 candidates who benefited from money from the Chinese communist regime?
François-Philippe Champagne LiberalMinister of Innovation
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for raising such an important question. Nothing matters more to all parliamentarians than national security.
My colleague wants to know what action we took. I can tell him that we recently strengthened the rules governing critical minerals across the country. In addition, I recently blocked three transactions to protect Canada's national security. I think all parliamentarians can stand up and say to Canadians that members on this side of the House take national security very seriously. We will always act in Canadians' best interest.
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not part of Canada's delegation attending COP27 on climate change in Egypt. Who is there instead? Believe it or not, representatives of the oil sands industry. I am not making this up. Canada sent six oil companies, one pipeline manufacturer and the bank most supportive of the oil industry to a meeting on climate change instead of the Prime Minister. It was no surprise that all environmental groups asked that they be expelled from Canada's pavilion.
Can the government confirm that it has already put them on a plane? If it has not, what is it waiting for?
Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, we must work with everyone to have a fair transition towards a clean economy. The fact remains that every sector has a role to play in reducing pollution and achieving net zero, oil and gas in particular. Our government has not hesitated to say that the oil sector must do more.
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, Canada's strategy at COP27 is exactly the same as Saudi Arabia's.
They both showed up saying that they will continue to increase oil production. They both invited the oil industry to discuss how their oil is “greener than green” thanks to carbon capture and storage. Both used COP27 to promote sales of oil and gas while boasting about their environmental record.
Was it the government's intention all along to tell the whole world that Canada, like Saudi Arabia, is an oil monarchy?
Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member would agree we need to work with everyone to achieve a just transition to a clean economy. Every sector has a role to play in cutting pollution, especially the oil and gas sector. We know the oil and gas sector must do more. That is why we are eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. That is why we are capping emissions. In these times of record profits, the oil and gas sector needs to put its shoulder to the wheel, invest in pollution prevention and build the clean economy of tomorrow.
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
Mr. Speaker, with our new leader, Conservatives have a plan to curtail the 40-year-high inflation that is crippling Canadians. It is very simple really: Curb reckless spending and stop tax increases. As long as the government is in power, the reckless spending continues. After all, the Liberal motto is “don't just stand there; spend something.” Tax increases, however, can be stopped.
Why will the Liberals not give Canadians a break and finally stop their plan to triple the tax increases on groceries, gas and home heating?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader did have a very specific plan, which he recommended to Canadians, on how to opt out of inflation. It was to invest in crypto. If Canadians had followed that advice, at a minimum they would have lost 65% of what they invested. Many of them, had they chosen to invest in crypto platforms, would be totally wiped out. That is the Conservative inflation fighting plan. I have to say I prefer our compassionate response.
Ryan Williams Conservative Bay of Quinte, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would bet 15 Disney+ that Canadians are more concerned about tax increases on their bills right now. That just shows the new motto Liberals have of “just don't stand there; tax something.” This spend-and-tax Liberal government is taxing Canadians at a time when they need relief the most. Conservatives say to stop the spending and stop the tax increases.
Why will the government not do the bare minimum and cancel the triple tax increases on groceries, gas and home heating?
Chrystia Freeland LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know our approach is compassionate. It is about doubling the GST credit. It is about giving kids under 12 dental care. It is about helping people struggling to pay their rent. What else? It is fiscally responsible. The day we tabled the fall economic statement, Moody's reaffirmed Canada's AAA rating with a stable outlook. The day afterward, Canada had a blockbusting jobs report with 108,000 jobs created in October alone. We have recovered 117% of the jobs lost to COVID, just—
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
The hon. member for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley has the floor.
Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are struggling with the cost of everything, the Prime Minister is busy spending $6,000 a night on hotel rooms. He would rather leave Canadians to freeze in the dead of winter than help them keep the heat on by removing the carbon tax from their heating bills. One can bet Conservatives will keep the heat on these Liberals until they do just that.
Why will the Liberals not finally give Canadians a break and cancel their plan to triple taxes on gas, groceries and home heating?
Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, if that member is concerned about the government standing by Canadians in their time of need, I am curious why he stood by the hon. Leader of the Opposition at the beginning of the pandemic. When we rolled out supports to keep food on the table and a roof over people's heads, he said that Conservatives do not believe in “big, fat government programs”. Now he is concerned about making sure we are properly funding the Canada pension plan and EI. That money is there so that people can have dignity in retirement and make sure that when they fall on tough times they are supported. People have earned those benefits through their own earnings over the course of their careers, where they have busted joints and broken limbs working day after day after day. The least they deserve is to be supported, and we are going to be there for them.
Brenda Shanahan Liberal Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC
Mr. Speaker, on November 3, the Government of Canada announced its 2022 fall economic statement. This update outlines the government's plan to continue to help Canadians with the cost of living and to build a Canada where nobody gets left behind.
At a time when people are asking for help, can the Minister for Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec explain how the new measures will have a political impact on the lives of Canadians?