House of Commons Hansard #133 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was court.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have one of the most comprehensive emissions reduction plans in the world. We have a clear plan to prevent emissions from increasing and we are going to reduce them. We are working hard to make our energy sources more sustainable than ever. We are investing in technologies that will help to reduce our emissions and create more good-paying jobs.
Climate change measures must include support for workers, and I hope to have the opposition member's support moving forward.
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, let us talk about solutions. Eleven candidates allegedly received funding from China in the 2019 election. This proves that we need to fight interference by foreign powers in our democracy. That works out well because, in this specific case, it is super easy. We simply need to go back to public funding of political parties. The parties need to be funded by Elections Canada based on the number of votes received instead of focusing everything on major donors. This can be resolved tomorrow morning.
Does the Prime Minister realize that, with foreign interference on the rise, public funding is becoming essential?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, obviously it is very important to all Canadians that our elections are run with integrity and are not compromised. That is why Canadians can take comfort in what the Chief Electoral Officer said when he confirmed yesterday that there is no reason to believe that it was not a free and fair election.
In January 2019, we formed a non-partisan committee to assess potential threats of electoral interference and the committee clearly established that the integrity of our election had not been compromised in 2019 nor in 2021. Canadians can have confidence.
Alain Therrien Bloc La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, why make things simple when they can be overly complicated?
It is impossible to wave a magic wand and eliminate all foreign interference in our democracy. Disinformation campaigns on social media, for example, are complicated, but illegal election financing can be eliminated tomorrow morning.
We already knew that political parties' dependency on private contributions made them susceptible to the influence of major donors. With the 2019 Chinese interference, we now know that we have the same problem with foreign powers. We can kill two birds with one stone.
Will the Prime Minister restore public financing of political parties?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is talking about interference in the 2019 election as though it were a fact. Canadians should not put too much stock in what he is saying because the Chief Elector Officer confirmed that that there was no reason to believe that it was not a free and fair election.
Our non-partisan committee, which is mandated to assess potential threats of electoral interference, found that the integrity of our elections in 2019 and 2021 was not compromised. We must not make Canadians fearful for nothing. We can reassure them and tell them that our institutions are strong.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, 55 Canadians were murdered when the Iranian regime's IRGC shot down flight PS752. After that, the Iranian government bulldozed the site, destroyed the evidence, and threatened and harassed family members of victims. Now we have learned that Canada's spy agency is actively investigating credible death threats from this same regime against more Canadian citizens.
When is enough going to be enough for the government? When will Liberals finally use the Criminal Code, list the IRGC as a terrorist organization and shut down its operations in Canada?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, like all Canadians, we are appalled at the actions of the Iranian regime. We stand with the women of Iran. We are listing the Iranian regime under the most powerful provision of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This measure has been used in only the most serious of circumstances, including against the Bosnian and Rwandan regimes. This punishes the top 50% of the entire regime, targeting those who are directly responsible for the heinous acts we are seeing and preventing them from ever being able to come to Canada. They are permanently barred from Canada. We will never be a safe haven for the Iranian regime's leadership or money.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills, ON
Mr. Speaker, “The allegations in the Globe story are false.” That is what the Prime Minister's response was to the Globe report that he interfered in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin.
“I do not have any information, nor have I been briefed on any federal candidates receiving any money from China.” That was the Prime Minister's response to the Global News report.
The Prime Minister sows doubt when these kinds of reports are published. The best way to protect the integrity of a democracy is transparency, so when will the Prime Minister be transparent about all the facts concerning the 2019 election funding of candidates?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, in all the extensive security briefings I have received, there has never been any information on federal candidates receiving money from China. We established a non-partisan panel to evaluate any threats of election interference in January 2019, and the panel was clear that the integrity of our elections was not compromised in either 2019 or 2021. The Chief Electoral Officer said just yesterday that there is no reason to believe that it was not a free and fair election. Canadians can be reassured that our electoral integrity held.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Mr. Speaker, after two weeks of suspicious silence, the Prime Minister now suddenly claims that he was never briefed about candidates receiving money from Beijing, yet Global News is reporting that last January the Prime Minister received intelligence memos that Beijing's Toronto consulate directed the funnelling of a large sum of money to 11 candidates in the 2019 election. Therefore, did the Prime Minister receive those intelligence memos? Yes or no.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
For the third time today, Mr. Speaker, in all the extensive security briefings I get, there was never any information given to me on candidates receiving money from China, so no. The reality is the integrity of our elections was not compromised. People do not have to take my word for it. They can look at the independent panel we appointed to look at just that, or the Elections Canada officer who said just yesterday that our elections were not compromised.
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Chief Electoral Officer also said yesterday that it was not his job to investigate and follow up on complaints.
The Liberal members for Hull—Aylmer, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, Ottawa West—Nepean, Whitby, and Pickering—Uxbridge voted in favour of the Conservative motion to shed some light on the Global News report from November 7 regarding the briefing the Prime Minister received in January.
Who is telling the truth in all this? We have been listening to the Prime Minister since day one, and we have no idea what or who to believe.
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Chief Electoral Officer has said that there is no reason to believe that it was not a free and fair election. It is true that it is not his job to investigate such matters. That would be the responsibility of the non-partisan committee we created in 2019 to assess threats of electoral interference. That committee clearly established that the integrity of our elections was not compromised in 2019 or 2021. That is why I asked experts from our security intelligence services to appear before the committee and share any information they could regarding the elections.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, we know that Canada ranks among the lowest when it comes to fighting climate change and among the highest when it comes to oil subsidies. Basically, this is bad news for the planet.
When will the government cancel oil subsidies, invest in renewable energy and do what needs to be done to protect the planet?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, at COP27 our government fought hard so the world did not backslide on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and coal. We reiterated our commitment to phase out fossil fuel subsidies within the next two years. We are taking real action to fight climate change, having already phased out eight tax breaks for the sector, and have committed over $100 billion to climate action.
While Conservative politicians want to make polluting free again, we will keep pushing forward on our ambitious and achievable plan.
Jagmeet Singh NDP Burnaby South, BC
Mr. Speaker, when a company goes bankrupt in this country, financiers are sure they are going to get paid. Big banks get paid, but who does not? Workers do not, because they see their wages, their severance, their benefits and their pensions stolen. The reason is that the laws of this land protect the super wealthy and hurt workers. Despite years and years of an opportunity to fix this, the Liberal government has refused to do so.
My question is very direct and very simple. When will the Prime Minister change the laws of this country so that if a bankruptcy happens, workers are protected?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have always been there to protect pensioners and workers, unlike Conservative politicians, who continue to push for CPP and EI cuts. We will support Bill C-228, but we will take no lessons from a Conservative Party that waged war on labour for a decade and has nothing to offer Canadians but Bitcoin and buzzwords.
Leah Taylor Roy Liberal Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Speaker, the official opposition leader's solution of investing in volatile cryptocurrency as a means to opt out of inflation is reckless. If Canadians had followed his advice, their life savings would now be decimated. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan just said it will have to write off its $95-million investment in FTX, the crypto exchange that collapsed last week.
Is the Prime Minister aware of any alternative, responsible policies to make life more affordable for Canadians?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise a viable alternative to fighting inflation. Two specific responsible measures will be implemented, thanks to the recent passage of Bill C-31: help for Canadians to pay their rents and support for their children to be able to receive proper dental care.
While the Conservatives think Bitcoin and buzzwords will solve inflation, we on this side will always stand on the side of supporting the middle class.
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, Canada has seen a 92% increase in gang-related homicides since the Liberal government took office. There were 124,000 more violent crimes last year than when the Prime Minister took office in 2015. Those are things like rape, assault and stabbings. Everything the Liberals have done for public safety has failed and made Canada a less safe place to live.
When will the Prime Minister finally step up and get tough on crime?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have frozen the market on handgun ownership. We are fighting gun smuggling and trafficking, and investing yet another $137 million for CBSA in this year's fall economic statement. Our new legislation will also help revoke licences for people who have been charged with domestic violence or stalking. These are evidence-based measures that will save lives.
While we are fighting to make our communities safer, the Conservative Party is fighting to make assault weapons legal again.
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's record speaks for itself. It is failing to keep Canadians safe.
Violent crime does not just happen; it is from failed Liberal policies. It is things like the Liberals' Bill C-5, which would end mandatory prison time for serious gun offences: things like robbery with a firearm, extortion with a firearm and firing a gun with the intent to hit someone with a bullet. No longer does a criminal have to do mandatory prison time under this Prime Minister. Now he can serve house arrest in the comfort of his home.
That is the Liberals' approach to solving violent crime in this country. It is ridiculous, and it is endangering Canadian lives. When are they going to smarten up, get tough on crime and clean up our streets?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have now passed legislation to address the overrepresentation of Black Canadians and indigenous people in the criminal justice system.
What Canadians deserve is legislation that goes after criminals while protecting our communities and that holds up in court, which is where the Conservative Party's tough-on-crime approach consistently failed to protect Canadians. If it is being struck down by the courts, it is not protecting communities.
We will not follow the Conservatives' failed approach, which does not protect Canadians and violates people's fundamental rights.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
The mayor of Laval is asking for help to fight violent crimes in his city. At the same time, Statistics Canada has confirmed that homicides in Canada and crimes related to street gangs have reached their highest levels since this Prime Minister came to power in 2015.
In the meantime, the Liberals, with the help of our Bloc Québécois and NDP friends, voted to eliminate, for example, minimum sentences for armed robbery.
Why does the Prime Minister prefer to leave criminals at large rather than protecting Canadians' safety and security?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have frozen the market for the acquisition of handguns. We are combatting gun smuggling and trafficking. This year's fall economic statement includes additional investments of $137 million in the CBSA. Our new legislative measure will also make it easier to revoke licences of individuals charged with domestic violence or harassment.
These are evidence-based measures that will save lives. We are seeking to make communities safer, while the Conservative Party is fighting to make assault weapons legal again.