Debates of June 14th, 2022

Foreign Affairs

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the Leader of the Opposition, and indeed all Canadians, that President Zelenskyy and I had an extremely positive conversation where this issue did not come up because, obviously, there are much more important issues, like how we continue to deliver munitions that are desperately needed by Ukrainians, how we continue to mobilize international support for Ukraine in condemning Russia, how we continue to engage every single day to stand up for Ukraine, and, indeed, how Canada is so completely and totally unequivocal in its support for Ukraine and its condemnation of Russia.

Climate Change

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I read The Globe and Mail every day, and I learned from this morning's edition that the government's own experts told it that its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions targets were not feasible before they were unveiled.

That means that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and the Prime Minister knowingly made bogus announcements. Can the Prime Minister at least do what he often does and apologize for misleading Quebeckers and Canadians?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we have one of the most comprehensive emissions reduction plans in the world. It will deliver clean air and a strong economy for all Canadians.

Experts agree that our plan credibly outlines the contributions that every sector must make to achieve our climate targets. The Canadian Climate Institute, Équiterre, Clean Prosperity and other leading scientists have all approved our final plan.

We promised an ambitious and achievable plan and that is exactly what we delivered.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is some climate humour right there.

His very own experts, the ones he quotes when it suits him, say that the only way we just might be able to meet the targets is, one, forget about this sequestration nonsense and, two, cut production.

Will the Prime Minister at the very least cut all oil industry subsidies?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the analysis my dear colleague is referring to was a premature comment that did not take into account new measures, investments and regulations.

That is why prestigious organizations, such as the Canadian Climate Institute, the Pembina Institute, the Business Council of Canada and Petroleum Technology Alliance Canada, have confirmed the feasibility of our plan and modelled projections consistent with those laid out in our emissions reduction plan.

We have the only real, concrete plan that can deliver on the targets, and that is what Canadians need to know.

Housing

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, one out of every four Canadians in this country has reported that they would not be able to afford their home if interest rates continue to rise. The Bank of Canada estimates that mortgage payments will increase by 45% by the year 2025. In response, the Liberal government said that it is not its fault that inflation is going up. That does not cut it. That is not going to help Canadians keep their homes.

Will the Prime Minister increase financial supports directly to Canadians by increasing the GST tax credit and the Canada child benefit to help families keep their homes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we know full well that housing prices are a real concern, especially for middle-class Canadians hoping to buy their first home.

Through budget 2022, we are making investments to double housing construction this decade, help Canadians buy their first home with extra savings, curb unfair practices that drive up the price of housing, and support the construction of affordable housing. Of course, there is much more work to do, and we are watching interest rates with concern as well, but we will continue to be there for Canadians with housing affordability, because that is the strong foundation on which an economy is built.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, one in four Canadians will not be able to keep their home if interest rates continue to rise.

That means some Canadians will lose their homes, and the Liberal government says it is not its fault if inflation continues to rise. This shows a lack of leadership. The government must act now to help families.

Will the government increase direct financial assistance to families who need it to keep their homes?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member said, inflation is indeed a global issue, but we have a responsibility to be there to help Canadians who are facing these price increases.

As far as housing goes, we know that it is a real cause for concern, particularly for middle-class Canadians who hope to buy their first home. That is why the 2022 budget invests in doubling home construction over the next decade, helping Canadians buy their first home with a dedicated savings account, and curbing unfair practices that drive up housing prices.

We will continue to be there for people.

Public Safety

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have a Minister of Public Safety who has repeatedly said that the serious decision to invoke the Emergencies Act was made at the request of police authorities.

All the police forces deny having requested the Emergencies Act. The minister knows this, and as a former Crown prosecutor, he knows the importance of telling the truth and nothing but the truth.

Since he cannot take back what he said and a major decision about civil liberties was made, will he now do the honourable thing and resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we understand our responsibility when it comes to public safety. That is exactly why we invoked the Emergencies Act.

We sought advice from police forces. We used that advice to make the decision to invoke the act.

I want to know why those on the other side did not offer to cover the expenses for their own role in extending the illegal blockade. That was even worse; it was very bad. They need to offer to cover those expenses now.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act cannot be invoked when other legislation can do the job.

The Minister of Public Safety knew that, which is why he justified his decision by stating repeatedly that the police had requested these extraordinary powers. No police officer, police force, chief of police or commissioner has confirmed the minister's assertion. There is no misunderstanding. This Liberal minister no longer has the confidence of Canadians.

When will he be honest with Canadians and resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition keeps rejecting the RCMP commissioner's testimony.

She was the one who said that the Emergencies Act was necessary to restore public safety. The Commissioner of the RCMP said that, yes, the government did consult police forces before invoking the Emergencies Act. The Conservatives were the ones who helped prolong the illegal blockade. It was very bad. There should be an offer to cover those expenses now.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety continues to spread misinformation and cannot be trusted. As a former Crown prosecutor, he knows full well that his choice of words matters. He would have also known, when invoking the Emergencies Act in Canada, that everything he said would be tested against the law. However, the minister cannot find anyone to corroborate his story that law enforcement asked for the Emergencies Act to be invoked.

The only matter left unresolved is the minister's resignation, so when will he resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for highlighting my professional experience as a federal prosecutor before I came into politics. I got into politics to make sure we could protect Canadians. On this side of the House, we know what is necessary when it comes to the protection of the health and safety of Canadians. That is why we invoked the Emergencies Act. We obviously consulted police. We sought their advice. We heard the commissioner say before the committee that we got that advice and we used it.

I just want to know why it is, to this point in time today, that the Conservatives refuse to apologize for their role in putting in danger the lives of the people who live in Ottawa and right across the country with their reckless statements.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, the Prime Minister outlined his ministerial standards of conduct in his “Open and Accountable Government” document, and let me quote what it said:

To be worthy of Canadians’ trust, we must always act with integrity. This is not merely a matter of adopting the right rules, or of ensuring technical compliance with those rules. As Ministers, you and your staff must uphold the highest standards of honesty and impartiality....

The Minister of Public Safety no longer meets any of those standards. When will he resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to be unequivocally clear that we invoked the Emergencies Act amidst “unprecedented...acts of civil disobedience”, in the words of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, which also said, I might add, that we invoked the Emergencies Act to fill in existing “gaps” as it related to existing authorities.

I wonder if that member would hold the same standard against the comments of the interim CPC leader, who said, in the middle of the blockades, to make this the Prime Minister's problem, to make it a political problem. That was wrong, she knows it, and she should apologize.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what is wrong is that the Liberals froze bank accounts, discarded our democracy and ignored our Charter of Rights, all predicated on a fabrication. Invoking the Emergencies Act was an unprecedented power grab, all based on misinformation. No police force ever asked for the Emergencies Act to be invoked. The fact is that the public safety minister has been caught misleading Parliament and deceiving Canadians.

Will he do the honourable thing? Will he do the right thing? Will he resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, if that member had read the Emergencies Act, he would have seen that all the measures we introduced were charter-compliant and were absolutely targeted toward an unprecedented act of civil disobedience, which the Conservatives continue to deny. It is they who are engaging in revisionism. It is they who engaged in reckless abandon and who, while Ottawa residents were unable to go to work, take their kids to child care or navigate the city, were encouraging blockaders to double down. They put at risk the lives of the people in this city. It is wrong and they should apologize.

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, here is a fact. On April 28, the public safety minister said, “It is also a fact that we invoked the Emergencies Act only after police forces agreed.” We do not believe him, Canadians do not believe him and police forces do not believe him. They do not believe him, because this never happened. No police force ever asked for the Emergencies Act to be invoked.

What has happened, and this is the fact, is that the public safety minister has been caught misleading Canadians and misleading Parliament. No more talking points and no more skirting the blame. Will he do the right thing and resign?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, talk about disinformation. Talk about a distortion of the record. We heard from the commissioner of the RCMP, who went before committee and said that she needed to use the Emergencies Act to get the job done as quickly as possible. She spoke about the consultation between government and police forces to ensure that we use their advice to make that decision in an informed way.

It is the Conservatives who continue to bury their heads in the sand. In what was an unprecedented moment of civil disobedience, we worked with law enforcement to protect public safety. It was the Conservatives who undermined it.

The Environment

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, internal documents obtained by The Globe and Mail show that, when the minister announced his plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, he knew that it was a lost cause. He knew that his department projected that the oil and gas industry would reach only 53% of its reduction target for 2030. He knew that the only way the industry would reach that target is if it cut production, but the minister refuses to force it to do so. He knew that he was publishing a plan that was doomed to fail.

Why did he mislead Quebeckers?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. I completely disagree with her characterization.

Our reduction plan is ambitious, but achievable. It shows, sector by sector, how Canada will meet its targets. It is the most transparent plan in the history of the country. We are not the ones saying so. It is a whole host of non-governmental organizations and experts.

The analysis that The Globe and Mail obtained was one of many initial internal contributions, but that analysis does not take into account all of the new measures that have been announced, including investments and regulations. Environment Canada organized many technical information sessions with external experts, and we have been completely transparent on how we got our figures.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. Before we move on, I would like to remind all members that it is hard to hear what is happening in the House when there are so many discussions going on.

It is nice to see members get along and talk, but please either whisper lower or temporarily go out and come back in a moment or so.

The hon. member for Repentigny.

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, consider this. It was proven by his own department in the leaked documents that the only way the oil and gas industry can get anywhere near its 81 megatonne reduction target for 2030 is by cutting production.

Despite knowing this, not only is the minister not asking the industry to cut production, he is actually increasing production. A week after tabling his plan, he approved the Bay du Nord project.

How would a former environmentalist like him describe a minister who tables such a plan, knowing that it has no credibility?