House of Commons Hansard #72 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was taiwan.
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank my colleague for the question. We are, of course, in the process of opening up a number of smaller ports of entry. We made tremendous progress.
Travel and trade are finally heading back in the right direction, as a result of the good work of Canadians, and we will continue to work with all members in the chamber so smaller ports of entry are able to facilitate travel throughout the summer. We are looking forward to making that progress in due course.
Tony Baldinelli Conservative Niagara Falls, ON
Mr. Speaker, two small vessel CBSA reporting sites in my riding have been closed since the start of the pandemic: one at Smugglers Cove in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the other at the Greater Niagara Boating Club in Chippawa. Their continued closure is causing all kinds of issues for Canadian and American boaters who use the Niagara River to cross between Canada and the U.S.
While there is one reporting station in Fort Erie at Miller’s Creek Marina, we need to meet the demands of our boating community by having all sites in Niagara reopened. When will this happen?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, once again, as I have just reported to the chamber, we have made significant progress in opening up a number of smaller ports of entry that involve vessel travel, and we look forward to having more good news on that front. In the meantime, we are very happy to see that trade and travel are increasing, and we will continue to make sure that we make that progress in cooperation with all members in the chamber.
Chris Lewis Conservative Essex, ON
Mr. Speaker, we still have no answer. Does the Prime Minister know that boaters still have to travel long distances to register their boats upon returning to Canada, or is he too focused on spending time on his surfboard in Tofino? Boaters are concerned that, as the season heats up, they will be forced to converge upon a small number of vessel reporting sites, which would cause chaos and safety issues for months.
When will the government tell the CBSA to reopen all 400 reporting sites?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, once again, just to provide members of the chamber with some concrete numbers on the progress we have made, we have seen the reopening of 86 small vessel ports, 47 small airports and four land ports.
I know that my hon. colleagues across the aisle are very anxious to see more opened, as are we, and we are working closely with CBSA, the ministry of transport and all colleagues on this side to make sure that we can get trade and travel going again.
Raquel Dancho Conservative Kildonan—St. Paul, MB
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Canadian communities along the Great Lakes heavily depend on boaters being able to cross the water from the U.S. Prepandemic, there were 400 such check-in points, and now there are 84. It has gone from 400 to 84.
Some are having to travel 76 kilometres out of the way, rather than just going 800 meters across the river. It has been disastrous for local communities, and all they have gotten from Liberal ministers are lip service and excuses for a lack of will and a lack of effort to get this done. When will the Liberal minister get this done for Canadians, fix the problem and open the check-in points? Let us go.
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, we are going. As I said, we have reopened 86 small vessel ports, 47 small airports and four land ports. That is not lip service. That is actual reopening progress in action.
We will continue to work with my colleagues and all members across this aisle in this chamber to get trade and travel going again.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, with shootings on the rise in the Montreal area, Quebec police forces are asking for more power so they can intervene more effectively.
One tool that only Ottawa can grant is to start an organized crime registry. This would allow police to arrest on the spot any individual who can be proven to be a member of a recognized criminal group.
There is a gang war going on in Quebec and people expect the federal government to do its job. When will the minister make up his mind and give police an organized crime register?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague.
The short answer is yes.
First, we mourn the lives lost in the mass shooting in Buffalo. Our hearts go out to all the victims and survivors. These senseless killings were motivated by hatred, fear and anti-Black racism. While this act occurred in the United States, Canada is not immune to racism and gun violence in our communities.
We still have much to do to stop gun violence. We will do good work on the ground with all MPs.
Kristina Michaud Bloc Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC
Mr. Speaker, when the police ask for more resources to address gun violence, at the very least, they should be making use of the resources already available.
Right now, RCMP officers are deployed at the border, but they are not there to fight gun trafficking or dismantle criminal networks. Believe it or not, they are there to welcome migrants at Roxham Road.
Does the Minister of Public Safety think it might be about time we shut down Roxham Road by suspending the safe third country agreement between Canada and the United States and giving the RCMP more powers so they can finally focus on weapons?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, those of us on this side of the House believe in an immigration system that is just and that protects' refugees rights.
Last year alone, we worked with Mr. Legault's government to launch a program and create a pathway for refugees who help strengthen our economy. We will work with police forces, including the SQ, to ensure we have a border integration system with appropriate investments.
The Bloc needs to support our investments at the border.
Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON
Mr. Speaker, we have massive lineups at airport security. Passengers are being held on the tarmac, and there are missed connections, costly delays and outdated COVID testing. Many Canadians still cannot even travel. Canada's airports are getting a reputation, and it is not a good one. The reason, according to the minister, is that Canadians have forgotten how to travel and that they are out of practice.
Is the minister going to take responsibility for his government's failure, or will he continue to blame Canadian travellers?
Omar Alghabra LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, it is not a surprise that a Conservative member of Parliament would repackage and misinform Canadians about what I said. Having said that, it is really important to acknowledge the good news today, which is that more and more Canadians are travelling. That is good news.
We are seeing that the surge for the demand to travel is putting a lot of pressure on our airports and our security systems. We are making sure that we increase resources. We are working with airports. We are working with airlines to address this issue. This is a priority.
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Mr. Speaker, wait times at Pearson International Airport are abysmal, and the Minister of Transport had the audacity to blame travellers. Those were his words.
Blaming the customer for failed operations is never okay. The rules and restrictions are ridiculous and out of date. The ArriveCAN app is a mess and again we see zero accountability from the Liberals. Tourism needs to recover for both our economy and our mental health. What is the Liberals' plan to manage these out-of-control wait times other than to blame Canadians?
Omar Alghabra LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, Canadians, especially those who work in the tourism industry, saw how the government stood by them during the difficult period of the pandemic. They saw how the political opposition from the Conservatives was against providing support to those who needed it.
We will always be supporting our tourism sector. We are all excited about the travel season coming up. Canadians are travelling. We are doing everything we can to address these lineups. We are working with airports. We are working with the airline sector, and we are working with CATSA to address these issues.
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Mr. Speaker, at the industry committee, we heard from leaders of small and medium-sized businesses the impacts the government's policies are having on tourism operators' bottom lines. After two years of border closures, cycles of lockdowns, labour shortages and rising inflation, we heard that tourism small businesses are now concerned that things such as ArriveCAN, immigration inefficiencies and airport worker shortages will discourage tourists.
Why do the Liberals continue to double down on policies and ineffective processes that say to the world, “Canada is closed for business”?
Randy Boissonnault LiberalMinister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the facts. Only weeks ago, we had one million arrivals in Canada in one week. In budget 2022, we have $20 million to increase indigenous tourism and $4.8 million for Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.
Canadians are travelling. Independent tourism numbers are up. Canada is open for business. The Conservatives do not like it, but we sure do.
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, SMEs in New Brunswick know that our government is there to help them.
Last week, I was proud to announce that four businesses in my riding are sharing more than $1.6 million for projects that will allow them to innovate, grow and create new jobs.
Could the Minister responsible for ACOA tell the House more about how our government is supporting the economic recovery in Atlantic Canada and across the country?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche for highlighting how our government creates jobs and supports economic growth in New Brunswick.
Through the jobs and growth fund, we are investing in businesses that create jobs and ensuring that communities such as Saint-François-de-Madawaska and Grand Barachois are included in our economic recovery. We know that these businesses are pillars of local economies, and ACOA, along with our government, will be there to support them every step of the way.
Jasraj Singh Hallan Conservative Calgary Forest Lawn, AB
Mr. Speaker, Nazifa was a 10-year-old girl whose father worked for the Canadian Armed Forces in Kandahar. She was murdered by the Taliban while waiting to come to Canada. A veterans group volunteer helping Afghans blamed an inadequate evacuation effort by the Canadian government and delays in immigration processing for the girl's killing. There are thousands more in this situation.
Will the minister show some humility and implement the Conservatives' ask for single-journey travel documents to avoid the processing delays, or will he just resort to more partisan attacks?
Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, Nazifa's killing was a tragedy that I think on every day as we seek to develop policies that would expedite the arrival of more Afghan refugees.
However, with great respect, the hon. member's suggestion that we issue a single-journey travel document would not achieve what he says it would achieve. What the member is seeking to do is have the Canadian government issue a document that would grant permission for a person to enter a third country. Third countries remain in control of the entry requirements into those countries. We are having conversations with partners in the region, as well as organizations on the ground, to secure safe passage for as many Afghans as possible so they can achieve a second lease on life through one of the most substantial refugee commitments of any nation in the world.
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, as reported by various news outlets, the Taliban are controlling the people of Afghanistan in a very radical way. This government has abandoned our Afghan interpreter friends.
We are talking about people who served Canada for years with our armed forces, people who are very well known to our military and who are already trusted by Canadian authorities.
Given that this is a matter of life and death, can the minister explain why they cannot come to Canada right away, while their refugee claims are being processed?
Sean Fraser LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that in fact many of those who have served Canada have already arrived in our country. Just last week, the most recent charter plane carried approximately 330 government-assisted refugees who have come to Canada as a result of their service to our effort in Afghanistan during our mission there.
We are going to continue to do whatever we can to make sure that we deliver on our commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees, which I would remind all members of the House remains one of the most substantial commitments of any nation in the world. There is much work to do, but the situation on the ground in Afghanistan is heartbreaking. That is why we have made such a substantial commitment.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Mr. Speaker, Afghan interpreters are dying. The ministers says that many have arrived, yet only 31% of the number the government assured us would come have arrived. However, the government gave a standing ovation just last week to the immigration minister. Shame on them.
The government called an election as Kabul was falling. People were dying, and people continue to die. Shame on them.
What do we get now? Partisan rhetoric from the immigration minister. Will the immigration minister and the government put aside their partisan rhetoric and get vulnerable Afghans to Canada now?
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker Chris d'Entremont
The hon. Minister of Immigration.
We are having Internet problems with the hon. minister's connection.
I think we have the minister back.
The hon. Minister of Immigration.