Debates of Nov. 5th, 2024

The Economy

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, what the Conservatives will never admit is that Canada has attracted record levels of investment.

Take Honda, for example, which is investing $19 billion in our country. This is the biggest investment in Honda's 75-year history. We were talking about mining companies. BHP is investing $22 billion in Saskatchewan. That is the biggest investment in its history. Since we are talking about record investments, I should mention Dow Chemical's investment in Fort Saskatchewan. That is the biggest investment in Dow Chemical's history.

Canada is winning in the 21st century economy, and we are going to keep working for Canadians.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I do not see what Canadians have won at this point. The fact that the carbon tax is four times higher directly impacts people and the business community, which has spoken out against it. Also, the capital gains tax means that businesses will not be able to invest more. How does that get anyone ahead?

According to Statistics Canada, Canadian household debt is at 180%, while our American neighbours are at 100%.

How does foreign investment help when Canadians have to pay and have a noose around their necks?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, first, let us talk about investment. In my colleague's riding, investments were made for affordable housing units that are currently under construction. The Conservative leader raised doubts about funding for more than 200 such units last week because he wants to cancel the agreement with the Government of Quebec.

Second, let us talk about important things, too. Will my colleague ask his Conservative leader, who is right next to him, to get his security clearance so he can protect himself and all other Conservative MPs from foreign interference?

International Trade

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in tonight's U.S. presidential election, Americans are going to choose the person who will be able to reopen CUSMA, the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement, as early as 2026. Our most important free trade agreement could come up for renegotiation. Donald Trump has promised to do as much, and Kamala Harris voted against CUSMA.

That is why it is dangerous to let senators Peter Boehm and Peter Harder block Bill C‑282. They want to override a vote held by elected members and put supply management back on the negotiating table for 2026. The Prime Minister is the one who appointed these public menaces.

Is he going to ask them to pass Bill C‑282 before any renegotiation takes place?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, once again, we would remind our Bloc Québécois colleagues that senators are independent. However, what my colleague has just told us is that he has no power to protect supply management.

The only group, the only party, the only government that has proven it has the will to protect the supply management system and is going to do it is a Liberal government.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knows that if Bill C-282 is not passed, the Americans could put supply management back on the table as early as 2026.

He also knows that he is not going to be the one at the negotiating table. It will be the Conservative leader. If the Prime Minister does not get Bill C‑282 passed before any future negotiations take place, he is leaving our agricultural industry in the hands of the Conservatives, the same Conservatives who made concessions on supply management in the agreements with Europe and Asia.

Will the Prime Minister intervene or has he already “quiet quit”?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure my colleagues that the Prime Minister, the Minister of International Trade, the Minister of Agriculture, many colleagues and I are speaking with the senators. We are asking them to act swiftly and to quickly send this bill back to the House.

However, we know that legislation can be tabled to change bills. The best way to protect farmers in Quebec and across Canada and protect supply management is to make sure that we have a Liberal government for a long time to come.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it sounds like the answer to my last question was yes. No one in the House should be okay with letting two senators override our democratic choice to protect supply management.

I have a message for Mr. Boehm and Mr. Harder. If they want to sacrifice supply management, they should run for office and face the voters once and for all, instead of simply cashing their Senate paycheques. They should come and share their ideas with the farmers in Berthier—Maskinongé and face me to see what happens. I hear the Liberals are looking for candidates.

Will the Prime Minister tell them to put their names on lawn signs, or else mind their own business?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, the worst way to defend supply management is to join forces with the Conservative Party and form an alliance with it. It is the Conservatives who continue to oppose supply management and always will. They could not support us when we defended supply management when dealing with the Americans.

Unfortunately, the Bloc Québécois is currently forming an alliance with them.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years and three U.S. presidents, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister has failed to get a deal with the Americans on softwood lumber, while our previous Conservative government got it done within 80 days.

Two more mills in B.C. are closing because of the Prime Minister's incompetence. Wayne and Marie Harder have seen their logging businesses in Fort St. John destroyed by the NDP-Liberals. I asked Wayne yesterday who he would fire in the NDP-Liberal government. His answer was, “All of them.”

Will the Prime Minister do the right thing for forestry families and call an election today?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, I want to say to forestry industry workers and those in the sector how important they are to Canada, how important they are to Canada's economy and indeed how important they are to building affordable homes in this country.

We continue to work very hard and have said that getting a deal is the best way to go. However, I think what Canadians want to know is this. On this side of the House, we renegotiated NAFTA, stood up to defend tariffs for steel and aluminum workers and are always standing up for workers. What are the Conservatives doing on the other side of the House?

[Jake Stewart, Conservative, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberals are not worth the cost to Canada's economy. While the Prime Minister dismissed his failure on softwood lumber as a small issue, the U.S. slapped a 14.5% tariff on Canada. This negatively impacts the 24,000 New Brunswick forestry workers.

The Prime Minister has failed with three straight U.S. presidents, while former prime minister Harper got a deal in just 80 days. When will the Prime Minister finally stand up for New Brunswick forestry workers?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House have been working very hard in the interests of forestry workers and forestry companies here in Canada. We are working very hard to progress negotiations with the Americans. We are working very hard on value-added forestry. It is something we are committed to continuing to do, including by working with Irving's forest products in New Brunswick.

On this side of the House, we are working very hard in the best interests of Canadians. We would expect elected officials across the board to be doing that. Canadians are asking why the Leader of the Opposition will not get a security clearance.

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, the NDP-Liberals are not worth the cost. Just weeks after the U.S. hit Canada with a 14.5% tariff on softwood lumber, the Prime Minister dismissed his failures and their impacts on Canadian workers and our forestry sector as “small issues”. Since the PM's comments in New York City, two sawmills in B.C. have closed, putting over 500 workers out of work.

Canadian producers have paid $9 billion in tariffs to the U.S. From softwood lumber to buy America, why has the Prime Minister repeatedly backed down to the U.S.?

[Karina Gould, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, this government always stands up for Canadian workers and always stands up for Canadian industry.

When it came to renegotiating NAFTA, we stood strong and protected Canada's economy while the Conservative Party of Canada said to capitulate. When it came to supporting our steel and aluminum workers, we stood against tariffs; we hit back hard. What did the other side say? The Conservative Party of Canada said to capitulate.

When it comes to standing up for Canada's national security, we will always do that. What about the Conservative Party of Canada? Its leader will not even get a security clearance to know what is really going on. What is he trying to hide?

[Richard Martel, Conservative, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years under this government and three U.S. presidents, we still do not have a softwood lumber agreement with the United States. The previous Conservative prime minister resolved this issue within 80 days of being elected. This shows incompetence and a lack of leadership on the Prime Minister's part. Three sawmills in Quebec have closed in the past few months, including the one in Saint‑Ludger‑de‑Milot in my region, where 100 workers were laid off.

Why do the Liberals keep abandoning forestry workers?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for my colleague, but he knows that we have always stood up for the forestry industry and for workers.

The real question that Canadians are asking today is why the Conservative leader does not want to get his security clearance. What does he have to hide from Canadians? That is the real question of the day. It is the elephant in the room. We keep asking the Conservative leader to get his security clearance so he can get the briefing.

I would say to him that he needs to do his job because Canadians expect a leader to have his security clearance.

Veterans Affairs

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, women veterans will be attending Remembrance Day services this week. Despite their courage and dedication, many of them will be asked if the medals they are wearing belong to their husbands or sons. Women veterans and their loved ones have sacrificed so much for our country. They cannot be made invisible.

Will the minister make sure the organizers at the national Remembrance Day ceremony include women veterans, giving them the respect they deserve?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, today being the first day of Veterans' Week, I first of all want to take a moment to thank all the men and women who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces and continue to serve with bravery. We owe them a debt of gratitude.

As we attend Remembrance Day services throughout Canada, we certainly want to make sure that Canadians have a moment to thank the veterans who have served. I encourage them to attend legions and the many commemorative services that will take place all over Canada to thank both men and women who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces.

[Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for 17 years, the Office of the Veterans Ombud has been shining a light on the neglect of veterans. We have a sacred obligation to care for those who have served, but successive Liberal and Conservative governments have ignored its reports and recommendations. Veterans need action, and we need to empower ombuds by giving them the power to compel documents and issue binding recommendations.

When will the Liberals make the necessary changes to create a truly independent ombud so she can be the champion veterans deserve?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the services we have provided to veterans across this country, since 2016 our government has invested more than $11.5 billion in additional services and supports to help our veterans and their families. Unlike the previous Conservative government, we have acted. The previous Conservative government closed veterans affairs offices across this country, and the first thing we did was reopen all nine offices. Plus, we opened an additional one. The Conservatives also slashed the public service by 1,000 people, a public service that provided direct supports to veterans.

We will absolutely always be there for veterans and their families.

Housing

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our government has an ambitious housing plan that involves combatting homelessness, providing access to home ownership through the FHSA or smaller mortgages, making federal public lands available and investing in co-op housing.

Can the Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec tell us how these measures will improve access to housing and increase the housing supply across the country?

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, the housing accelerator fund will help build thousands of affordable and social housing units. Even the Conservative members know this is true. They wrote to the Minister of Housing to ask for this program in their own ridings. The Conservative leader's irresponsible proposal to reduce investments will jeopardize 8,000 social and affordable housing units in Quebec.

We cannot trust a leader who offers cuts and slogans, especially when he will not get his security clearance so that he can protect Canadians from the threats they are facing.

[Rosemarie Falk, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, the majority of young Canadians have now abandoned the dream of home ownership. While housing starts fail to keep up with Canada's population growth, the Americans are building four times more housing per new resident.

The Conservatives have announced a plan to axe the federal sales tax on new homes, and we have called on the provinces to do the same. Our plan means more housing and savings for young Canadians who are desperately trying to enter the housing market.

Will the NDP-Liberals reignite the dream of home ownership and axe the federal GST on housing?

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, the list is growing. Yesterday, we learned in the Toronto Star that the MP for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, on the Conservative side, has joined many other Conservative colleagues to advocate for programs their leader wants to cut, programs like the housing accelerator fund, which are going to lead to more homebuilding in his community and communities across the country.

The Conservatives want to make cuts. They have no vision on housing. Therefore, they have no vision on the future for Canada. It is not serious.