Debates of Dec. 8th, 2022

Financial Institutions

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to talk about everything we are doing for the environment. We said we would stop putting money into fossil fuels. We are also working hard to conserve and protect our lands and waters. We are doing that now. We are talking about it here, in Montreal and internationally. Everyone came to see what we are doing. We are proud of what we are doing to protect the environment.

[Jean-Denis Garon, Bloc, Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the federal government subsidizes the oil industry, but so does the Canadian banking sector.

In two years, the Royal Bank of Canada's investments in oil rose from $19 billion to $39 billion. That is a lot of money. It more than doubled its investments in two years.

If the government was truly committed to fighting climate change, it would do two things. It would make it harder to obtain funding for polluting energies and it would provide incentives for investing in renewable energy. It has done neither.

What is the government waiting for? Will it take action only when there is not one drop of oil left to siphon?

[Terry Duguid, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the hon. member, we are committed to concerted climate action, and that is why we have the most ambitious climate plan in Canada's history: $100 billion have been invested since 2015; we have a $9.1-billion emissions reduction plan, and we are working to cap emissions from the oil and gas sector. We are going to be eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. We are introducing a clean electricity standard. We are going to reach our climate goals while building a clean economy.

The Environment

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at COP15, the Prime Minister announced the creation of a million square kilometres of protected areas. That is extraordinary. The animals will be able to live in peace and the plants and trees will be protected. What a nice gesture for biodiversity.

The only thing is that these protected areas must not interfere in the development of natural resources. The areas will be protected unless there is an oil, gas, or mining project.

If protected areas can be used for any kind of development at any time, how exactly are they being protected?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I will say again that we are doing a lot to protect biodiversity and our environment. We have the oceans protection plan and we are making investments in that.

I am very pleased that members opposite talked about what we did for the indigenous-led area-based conservation program. A big investment in that program was announced just yesterday. That is important for reconciliation and for the environment.

Firearms

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, just moments ago the Assembly of First Nations, which represents indigenous people across Canada, issued a declaration publicly opposing the Liberals' Bill C-21. This Liberal hunting gun grab is not only a threat to the livelihood of hunters, trappers and sport shooters but a violation of the treaty hunting rights of all first nations.

When will the Prime Minister end his attack on law-abiding hunters and indigenous treaty rights and stop Bill C-21?

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, today Liberal members of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, alongside the Bloc Québécois and the NDP, requested two urgent meetings to be held immediately.

The premise behind this is to work together with the Bloc and the NDP. Unfortunately, the Conservatives continue to be part of the problem versus being part of the solution.

The mission here is to get guns off the street—

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

You are lying.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[An hon. member]

Do not let us hear that again.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Does the hon. member for Kildonan—St. Paul want to withdraw the statement she made, please?

[Raquel Dancho, Conservative, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the statement.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Will she apologize?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to ask one more time for the hon. member for Kildonan—St. Paul to apologize.

She is not going to apologize.

Naming of Member

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Ms. Dancho, I must name you for disregarding the authority of the Chair.

Pursuant to authority granted to me by Standing Order 11, I order you to withdraw from the House and video conferences for the remainder of this day's sitting.

[And Ms. Dancho having withdrawn:]

The hon. parliamentary secretary may finish what he was saying.

Firearms

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity, as well, to thank the Bloc, and in particular its MPs, those who are on the committee and the one who brought the motion forward. I thank them for that, and I also thank the NDP.

The key here is that we work together with different organizations and different members of the House to ensure, once again, that we get those dangerous weapons off the streets.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, consultation at this late stage in the process is an act of bad faith by the government. It is a slap in the face to reconciliation. The government needs to go back to the drawing board and consult with first nations and hunters across this country before coming up with any new legislation on this matter.

It is black and white. The Assembly of First Nations knows it; the Conservatives know it, and all other parties know it. The government denied it for weeks, saying it was not going after hunting rifles and shotguns, but now it is finally admitting it. It knows it was misleading the House. When will the government stop going after law-abiding hunters and sport shooters?

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the government has been very clear that it is not targeting the guns commonly used for hunting. I applaud the members of the Bloc—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. I would ask the parliamentary secretary to continue.

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the members of the Bloc and the NDP for working with us to try to come up with solutions while the Conservative Party is just looking for problems. The committee is doing the important work it needs to do on this legislation. I invite the hon. members from the Conservative Party to join us in finding solutions and supporting our emergency motion for a meeting to invite witnesses to come to committee.

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing our Prime Minister hates, it is diversity, the diversity of opinion. He goes after anyone he does not agree with by insulting them, harassing them and restricting their rights.

His latest target is law-abiding firearm owners. He is banning thousands of firearms used for hunting, while giving gangs and smugglers a free pass. The PM should spend more time up in a tree stand and less time standing against hunters. The Liberals have missed the mark on Bill C-21. When will they stop targeting law-abiding hunters and farmers?

[Pascale St-Onge, Liberal, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, after what we just heard from our Conservative colleagues and the insults they have hurled at my colleagues, we will take no lessons from them on this.

When it comes to firearms, we have been clear from the beginning. We would never prevent hunters from hunting or prevent indigenous communities from practising their traditions. That is why we will continue to work with those who are willing to do so, in order to protect Canadians and get rid of the assault weapons and handguns that have been used to commit horrific killings, whether at École Polytechnique or the Quebec City mosque.

We call on everyone to act responsibly to protect Canadians.

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government's proposed amendment to Bill C-21 has become a textbook case on what not to do. This change was brought in at the 11th hour, with no consultation and no testimony. It has distracted from the original purpose of the bill, and it hurts rural communities.

Hunters, farmers and indigenous communities are outraged that some of the rifles and shotguns they use to provide for their families could be banned. The Minister of Public Safety blindsided Canadians when he made this mess. How is he going to fix it?