Debates of June 19th, 2023

Carbon Pricing

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. minister has about 20 seconds left.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Interestingly enough, Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives had 10 years to do that when they were in power. My friend and colleague, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, does more for clean technologies on an average day before his first coffee than they did in 10 years.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, what we did in 10 years was reduce emissions while the economy grew, which proves the following quote, “I take great exception to the federal minister always forcing this into a dichotomous issue ‘either you believe in exactly what we say or you don’t believe in climate change.’ That’s completely illogical, it’s a false dichotomy, it’s a false dilemma, and it’s as insulting... as it is simplistic.” Who said that? The Liberal premier of Newfoundland. He says that the carbon tax will bring inflationary pressures to his people.

Why will the Liberals not listen to the Liberal premier and axe the tax?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development]

Mr. Speaker, we sit in the House and we listen every day, but I would like to give another history lesson, if you would let me.

The previous government had a secretariat for rural economic development, which it axed, by the way. It was this government that put in place the stand-alone department of rural economic development, whose number one issue and mandate is to connect the country from coast to coast to coast with high-speed, affordable Internet, because that is the equalizer.

By the way, I was in the member opposite's riding last week and made a $71-million announcement of partnership with the Government of Ontario to connect the riding of Carleton.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it shows how out of touch the Liberals are. They think that what rural Canadians want is another big government bureaucracy in Ottawa. What they actually want is more money in their own pockets.

However, the plan of that member is to raise taxes on Newfoundland customers, to bring in a 61¢-a-litre carbon tax on Newfoundlanders, Labradorians and all Canadians that will drive up the cost of heat, gas and groceries. Even the Liberal premier of Newfoundland says that it will not help the environment, that it will cause inflation.

Why will the Liberals not axe the tax?

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

Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Atlantic premiers asked us to delay by two years the implementation of our clean fuel regulations, which was something the Conservative Party campaigned on during the last campaign. We did exactly that. We listened to the Atlantic premiers. We delayed the implementation of that important piece of regulation to ensure that Canadians would have access to cleaner fuels all across the country. It is already generating billions of dollars of investment throughout the country.

Democratic Institutions

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the House will be wrapping up for the summer on Friday. There are four sleeps left for the government to announce a commission of inquiry into Chinese interference.

I say this because, with all due respect, the government is sleeping on the job. It needs to wake up and establish an official commission of inquiry. The name of the person who will lead it needs to be submitted to the House for approval. This needs to be announced by Friday if we want this commission to be able to publish its findings before the next election.

The government needs to get to work. Will it immediately announce a public and independent commission of inquiry?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure my colleague and all members of the House that the work is already under way with new powers for CSIS, with new transparency mechanisms and, now, with constructive discussions led by my colleague, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, to find the best way to get Canadians involved in protecting our democratic institutions in a strong and transparent manner.

[Alain Therrien, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, what has the government achieved so far this session? It wasted four months fighting against a commission of inquiry into Chinese interference. That is what people will remember unless the government takes action by Friday.

People are anxious for a commission to finally get to work, and so is the opposition, as I can confirm on good authority. I am also certain that no one is as anxious as this government to move on to the next step.

Why not do so immediately by announcing a public inquiry?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what my colleague, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, is discussing with the Bloc Québécois, the NDP and, I hope, the Conservative Party.

I want to reassure everyone. We have already taken many steps, with new powers, to protect not only democratic institutions, but also Canadians. Budget 2023 will invest in new resources for the RCMP. That is what we have achieved so far. We will keep going.

Climate Change

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, wildfires are ravaging our regions. People are fleeing their homes. Children are breathing in smoke when they go to school in the morning. What has this government done? Nothing.

This Prime Minister promised billions of dollars to fight climate change, but we have learned that that money is still sitting in the government coffers while our forests are burning.

What will it take for the government to release those funds so that we have a chance, just a slim chance, of fighting climate change?

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

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts are certainly with the tens of thousands of people who have been displaced as a result of the wildfires. We are deeply grateful to all of the workers and other individuals who are on the ground to assist them.

I would like to remind my hon. colleague that Canada's last greenhouse gas inventory showed that our country's greenhouse gas emissions dropped by over 50 million tonnes. We had the best record of all the G7 countries from 2019 to 2021. I would remind my hon. colleague that COVID-19 was a worldwide pandemic. In spite of that, we still managed to have the best record in the G7.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the interpretation, but I did not detect even a hint of an answer to my colleague's excellent question. Simply promising to invest in the fight against climate change means nothing if those dollars do not make it out the door, and time is of the essence. Our country is burning, and the next generation is looking on in horror. How—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I am going to interrupt. I am having a hard time hearing the question, and it is just people talking to each other more than anything else. I am going to ask everyone to take a deep breath and if members are going to have a conversation, please take it into the lobby.

The hon. member can start from the top so we can hear the question, please.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the interpretation, but I did not detect even a hint of an answer to my colleague's excellent question. Simply promising to invest in the fight against climate change means nothing if those dollars do not make it out the door, and time is of the essence. Our country is burning, and the next generation is looking on in horror.

How can the minister justify dragging his feet on the most important issue of our time?

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

Mr. Speaker, I agree that this is the most important issue of our time, which is why we have invested billions of dollars, which is why we are deploying regulations.

When we talk about the national adaptation strategy, this is what Climate Proof Canada had to say about it, “Climate Proof Canada applauds the Government of Canada on world-leading national adaptation strategy.”

Let us talk about the Insurance Bureau of Canada. It said, “Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy is brave and ambitious. No other country has proposed such a comprehensive suite of adaptation targets.”

We are working to help Canadians prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, the unacceptable transfer of Paul Bernardo from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security prison was possible because of the changes this government made in connection with Bill C-83. The government has all the powers it needs to reverse that decision.

The Minister of Public Safety has proven his incompetence time and again. Will the Prime Minister finally take responsibility, clean up his own mess and fire the minister?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, the definition of competence is to be a champion for victims' rights. That is exactly how I responded when I was informed, on May 30, of the decision to transfer Paul Bernardo to a medium-security facility.

I will continue to work with the representatives of the families of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffy. We have since issued new instructions to ensure that victims' families are informed in advance of any upcoming decisions that will affect them.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Safety either knew or ought to have known that Paul Bernardo was being transferred to medium security. To say otherwise is not credible.

The minister is at the top of the organizational chart in his department. He has dozens of political staff and high-level officials. They all report to him.

If it is true that he did not know, then he is grossly incompetent. The minister must take responsibility, be accountable and resign.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I have made clear now on a number of occasions, I have taken corrective steps to ensure that briefing protocols are provided in a timely manner, especially when it comes to sensitive decisions involving the transferring of dangerous offenders like Paul Bernardo.

As soon as I found out, I contacted the commissioner to express the concerns of the Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French families. That is precisely what the responsibility of this position is, as well as issuing new instructions to ensure that this kind of things does not happen again.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as long as that monster is in medium security, the minister's weak directive means nothing.

Under the last Conservative government, we provided for necessary restrictions. Those Liberals and that minister scrapped that threshold to provide that all prison inmates be placed in the least restrictive environment possible. He allowed this to happen.

The minister is responsible for this outrageous transfer. He is not a passive observer in this travesty. He should resign.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, far from being merely an observer, I have been active in advocating for victims' rights, including those of the families of Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French, because, I hope like all members, I share a great and sympathy compassion for them, given the retraumatization that they have no doubt had to endure.

Contrary to what Conservatives have said, this new instruction is stronger than anything the Conservatives ever did when it came to victims' rights, and if they were so worried about it, then why did they cut $300 million to the Correctional Service of Canada in their last year of government?

We know why. They are all talk and no action.

Public Services and Procurement

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, another Liberal insider, Dominic Barton, a close friend to the Prime Minister, has harmed Canadians. Today we learned the Prime Minister's favourite consulting company, McKinsey Canada, which was run by Barton, laid out plans to supercharge the sales and marketing of OxyContin to Canadians. Almost 36,000 Canadians have died during this epidemic created by McKinsey and Barton, and it is only getting worse.

Why does the Liberal government continue to reward McKinsey, which has profited from the suffering of Canadians, with hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts?