Debates of Nov. 18th, 2022

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, there are at least 500,000 non-status migrants doing essential work in Canada. They are caregivers. They work in health care and agriculture. They work for poverty wages for long hours and often in abusive conditions.

Without status, they face the stress of deportation and lack access to basic health care and services. The government must provide them with permanent status so that they can live and work in Canada without exploitation and the risk of deportation.

When will the Liberals act to grant undocumented migrants with permanent residency?

[Greg Fergus, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the President of the Treasury Board]

Madam Speaker, international students provide significant contributions to Canada. We heard loud and clear their strong desire to continue staying here in the country and to work here. We have launched extensions of expired and nearly expired post-graduation work permits, which will benefit nearly 100,000 people.

We have also lifted the 20-hour-work-week rule so that the almost 500,000 international students already here in Canada can continue to work while doing their studies. We are making sure that we are carving out a place for international students to better integrate into Canada.

Small Business

[Tim Louis, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Madam Speaker, Global Entrepreneurship Week celebrates the millions of people worldwide who turn their business ideas into reality. The international event encourages entrepreneurs through a variety of activities and connects them with potential investors, support organizations, mentors and partners to help them achieve their goals.

As Global Entrepreneurship Week is coming to an end, can the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development tell the House how Canada celebrates and supports entrepreneurs?

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his advocacy. This week, we celebrate Canadian entrepreneurs from across the country who are driving economic growth and creating good-paying jobs.

We will continue to support entrepreneurs through the $4-billion Canada digital adoption program, the $6-billion women's entrepreneurship strategy and the Black entrepreneurship program, which is breaking down barriers and supporting Black entrepreneurs to succeed.

We are home to some of the brightest entrepreneurs in the world, in Kitchener—Conestoga, and across the country. We are committed to growing these entrepreneurs and their innovations.

Indigenous Affairs

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

Madam Speaker, this week, the Auditor General released a scathing report on the complete failure of Indigenous Services Canada to provide support for first nations disaster management. After three years and $790,000, the auditor found that not one emergency management agreement was completed.

More and more parents are now waking up, trying to figure out how to heat their homes, pay their bills and even feed their families. When will the government actually start getting results for indigenous people and stop their wasteful inflationary spending?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Madam Speaker, first of all, the extraordinary expense of responding to the climate change crisis is growing. In fact, the Auditor General's report noted that, while Indigenous Services Canada is doing a great job helping emergency management of those crises, we need to invest more in protection and in adaptation.

It is really exciting to hear a member from the opposition talk about climate change and talk about the need to invest in adaptation to reduce the emissions and to protect our climate, because, in fact, all of us are suffering from the extraordinary expense of responding to climate crises.

We will continue—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock.

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

Madam Speaker, the Auditor General and the Parliamentary Budget Office did not say that the Indigenous Services department is doing a great job. In fact, they called it a money pit.

If the minister was truly going to fund projects, why not fund the 112 infrastructure projects that would build dikes, culverts and ditches to help mitigate the effects of climate change instead of spending three and a half times more relocating people, housing them and rebuilding the communities after the disaster hits? The minister needs to mitigate this.

When will the government start getting results for indigenous people and stop wasting money?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Madam Speaker, I do not consider it a waste of money to help a community that is under threat from flood, fire or torrential winds. I do not consider that a waste of money at all.

What I am hearing the member opposite call for is increased investment in making our communities resilient to the effects of climate change. I am really pleased to hear this question because it is an indication that the opposition understands that communities are under intense threat from the kinds of incredible climate activity that we are seeing.

We will continue to work with communities to make those important investments.

Taxation

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Madam Speaker, fuel costs are up nearly 56% from last year. For those in northern Ontario, that means they are struggling to afford to fill their gas tanks. It means that rising grocery bills are causing many people to cut back on their diets. The rising cost of home heating has many people concerned about the upcoming winter months and how they will pay the bills to heat their homes. This is a crisis of the government's making.

When will the Liberals finally show some compassion, stop their inflationary spending and cancel their plan to triple the taxes on gas?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Madam Speaker, we absolutely recognize that times are really challenging for a lot of Canadian families. We do believe that a compassionate approach is the right one.

That is why I was really glad to share with the House today the good news that Bill C-31 received royal assent. That means cheques for $500 are going to go to nearly two million Canadian families to help them pay the rent. It means that no family in Canada with a kid under 12 is going to have to choose—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis.

[Dominique Vien, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Madam Speaker, Liberal inflation is having a disturbing impact on vulnerable pregnant women who are food insecure.

According to Fondation Olo, which provides food specifically to those pregnant women, they choose to go without themselves so they can feed their other children. Why is this happening? Because food has become unaffordable. Ultimately, they are being asked to choose between their unborn baby and the child at the table.

Will the government commit to helping these mothers and cancelling the tax hikes?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Madam Speaker, our government understands how important mothers, children and families are. That is why, since day one in 2015, we have focused on helping mothers, children and families. That is why I want to point out that the Canada child benefit has helped 450,000 children so far—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

Order. The hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

Foreign Affairs

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, the World Cup soccer tournament starts Sunday in Qatar, a dictatorship that violates human rights. Players have the right to compete, but Canada must not send a diplomatic delegation to boost Qatar's image, which has been tarnished by the loss of thousands of workers' lives.

The tournament is two days away, and the government is still unable to decide if it will send a delegation. It says it will decide at the appropriate time and place. The time is now, as the event begins in two days; the place is here, in the House.

Will it send a diplomatic delegation to Qatar, yes or no?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, we are very proud of the Canada national soccer team qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which has many members from our community in Brampton. We are also very concerned about reports of dangerous working conditions in building the World Cup's stadiums and infrastructure, especially those resulting in death.

We join international partners in calling for transparency and robust measures to protect the health, safety, dignity and human rights of all workers to ensure the tournament is a success.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Madam Speaker, that is unbelievable. That was no answer.

The government has known for 12 years that the World Cup would be taking place in Qatar. It has been 12 years, and now the event starts in two days.

The Bloc Québécois sincerely hopes that the government has not abandoned its values in the interests of diplomacy yet again. Qatar jails members of the LGBTQ+ community. It violates the rights of women. It sacrificed the lives of thousands of workers to build its luxury hotels.

Canada has no business being there. We want an answer. Will it send diplomats to Qatar, yes or no?

[Maninder Sidhu, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, as I said, we join international partners in calling for transparency and robust measures to protect the health, safety, dignity and human rights of all workers to ensure the tournament is a success.

Details on the Government of Canada's representation at the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be released in due course.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Madam Speaker, lobster fishing areas 33 and 34 are about to open in Nova Scotia waters. This coming season is going to be extremely challenging for fish harvesters. They have seen diesel, bait and financing costs skyrocket while lobster prices have fallen drastically. Certainly, the minister is aware of these challenges.

Will the Liberal government commit to opening the mackerel fishery to cut bait costs and allow stacking to let the fishermen save on fuel?

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, as the member knows, Canada has a world-class lobster fishery with lobster that is sought across the globe. It is an industry that is important for Canada's economy, and that is thanks to our amazing harvesters and coastal communities. I will say this about mackerel. All of our decisions are based on a couple of factors. One is science. Another is the ability to work with our harvesters hand in glove. That is what we are going to continue to do. We are going to listen to the harvesters. On this side, we listen to science.

Taxation

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Madam Speaker, a month ago I asked the current government to give Canadian families a break and cancel the tripling of the carbon tax, which is applied to every step in the transportation of food production, processing and manufacturing. The response from the Minister of Environment was that a carbon tax stops hurricanes. The reality is that, with the storms we now face, there are many things outside of our control, but one option we do have control over is crippling taxation.

Will the minister support Canada's food security by immediately cancelling the tripling of the carbon tax?

[Irek Kusmierczyk, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, families are at the very heart of what we are doing here as a government. Between 2015 and 2019, around 1.3 million Canadians were lifted out of poverty.

We know there is more work to be done. That is why we are investing in dental. It is why we are investing in rental. It is why we invested in the Canada child benefit. It is why we are investing in child care. On every single one of those items, the party opposite has voted against. We are standing on the side of families.

Public Services and Procurement

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Madam Speaker, whatever the Liberals touch, they break, and it is déjà vu all over again. The Auditor General has reported that the Liberal government keeps wasting tax dollars. According to the Auditor General, the Liberals are about to lose the legal authority to collect half a billion dollars in wage overpayments from the Phoenix pay system. This is on top of the $2 billion the Liberals have already spent on overpayments to civil servants.

What is the minister's plan to collect these overpayments to public servants and to finally protect taxpayers?

[Helena Jaczek, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, I think most of us in the House know that the Phoenix system has been very frustrating for our employees, and we are working very hard so that those employees are paid accurately and on time. We recognize the stress and hardship it has had on employees and their families, and we are committed to making it right. We prioritize cases that can have a large impact on the employee's pay. We have made significant steps to help stabilize the Phoenix pay system, and we continue to work with all stakeholders, including unions and employment—