Debates of June 4th, 2024

Innovation, Science and Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, we can see, again, where the Conservatives are going. The Auditor General's report was very clear. Parliament decided 20 years ago to have an arm's-length organization to manage that. We investigated the allegations. Now we are proposing a new governance model, which will be under the rules of the federal public service, so that we can have more rules around HR and more rules around funding.

We are going to restore confidence. We are going to make sure that we have a model of delivery that meets the highest standard. We are going to fight for the clean tech in this sector.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report makes it clear that this Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the corruption. The Prime Minister's billion-dollar green slush fund handed out $123 million in taxpayer dollars illegally. We know this because Conservatives have been fighting against the Liberal cover-up as we have tried to expose the Liberal minister's incompetence. We know that nearly 100 conflicts of interest were uncovered because of the Auditor General's investigation. It is shocking confirmation of corruption and we know that the Liberals are going to try to cover it up. What we need to know today is this: Is the minister going to assure Canadians that not a single dollar of severance will go to the corrupt executives?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, let me tell Canadians that the Conservatives at the time, 20 years ago, wanted that to be an independent organization, arm's-length from government. That was the delivery model that was chosen. From the moment we had allegations, we investigated because we want to get to the bottom of this.

We have seen the reports that have come up. We have proactively worked with the Auditor General. We are going to restore confidence. We are going to restore governance in this organization. However, one thing is that we are never going to leave our small and medium-sized business owners who are fighting for climate change in this country. We are going to fight with them.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Colleagues, normally this is the kind of energy we would hear on a Wednesday. I am going to ask the hon. member for St. Albert—Edmonton to please take the microphone when he is recognized by the Chair to do so.

The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the only fighting that we have seen from these Liberals is fighting for more handouts for Liberal insiders. Liberal insiders lined up to get rich, while Canadians line up at food banks. The Auditor General's report makes it crystal clear that the current Prime Minister and his government are not worth the cost or the corruption.

There was $76 million given out to projects connected to Liberals' friends. They are Liberal friends who were appointed to the slush fund by these very Liberals. Liberals are lining the pockets of Liberals. We know all about it after nine years of this corrupt Prime Minister. Will the Liberals stop the cover-up and commit to get back every one of Canadians' dollars?

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

Mr. Speaker, here we go with the Conservatives again, against our small and medium-sized business owners in this country who are fighting for climate change . As I have said before, once we received allegations, we initiated the investigation because we wanted to get to the bottom of this. The CEO of the organization has resigned. The chair of the board has resigned. We demanded an action plan by management. We welcome the Auditor General's report. We are going to restore confidence and we are going to restore governance, but we are going to make sure we are always going to be there to fight for small and medium-sized business owners in this country.

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

Mr. Speaker, after nine years, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the corruption. We are talking about three scathing reports from the Auditor General, not just one or two, but three.

I would like to quote the Auditor General. First, there is “The federal organizations' frequent disregard of policies”. Second, there are “significant lapses in...governance and stewardship of public funds.” Third, there is the “government's...disconnected approach”.

After nine years of inflationary spending, supported by the Bloc Québécois, yes, Liberal cronies are happy, but why are Canadians paying the price when it comes to rent, groceries and taxes?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me another opportunity to thank the Auditor General for her very important work. The findings of her report are similar to those we already have seen and heard from Government of Canada agencies and committees of the House of Commons in recent months.

In light of the previous findings, we have been taking action for over a year to put an end to all the standing offers, including those with companies similar to McKinsey.

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

Mr. Speaker, this is the result of the Liberals' actions: The Liberal green fund and its directors, appointed by the Prime Minister, have lined the pockets of their Liberal friends.

This morning, the Auditor General revealed that the Liberal green fund awarded $59 million to projects that were not even eligible for grants, all in full view of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. As usual, the minister did nothing. We now know that the minister was aware of it.

Will the minister go ask his friends to pay the money they were not entitled to receive back to Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are just waking up. It must be the sun. As I said in English: the moment we heard of allegations, we launched the investigation. While the Conservatives were sleeping, we launched investigations with Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton and McCarthy Tétrault. We worked with the Auditor General because we wanted to get to the bottom of things.

The governance model we are putting forward will allow us to kick-start the organization and ensure that we can fund small and medium-sized businesses that are tackling climate change. We are going to rebuild trust and support small and medium-sized businesses in Canada.

Democratic Institutions

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

Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of people who might be watching, the report was tabled yesterday. No one was allowed to see it beforehand. Only one Bloc Québécois member sits on the committee, and that is the member for Montarville. Revealing the names in question is strictly prohibited.

I encourage the Liberal caucus in particular to look within and recognize that members of their own caucus may be under foreign influence. At their next caucus meeting, I suggest they talk among themselves so that those involved can be identified.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, as I said yesterday and repeated again today, it is important to be very careful when publicly discussing intelligence in any detail.

As the Prime Minister correctly pointed out, we are the only government that has brought in a series of measures that have evolved over the years to strengthen our ability to detect foreign interference. I have a great deal of confidence in our security and intelligence services and the RCMP. I know they are going to do a great job doing the work that needs to be done.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, these are troubled times. There are troubling situations in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Mexico and just about everywhere on the planet. Add to that global warming, institutionalized violence and war, and these are troubled times indeed.

It is easy to understand why people from around the world are seeking refuge. That means we find ourselves with record numbers of asylum seekers, people waiting for work permits. They are forced to rely on food banks and social assistance.

As usual, Ottawa is asleep at the switch. When is this government going to take the issue of asylum seekers seriously?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for his very fair question.

It is true that Canada, like many other countries, is facing a record number of asylum claims. This year is another one for the record books. That does not mean we are not taking things seriously. On the contrary, we are stepping up our efforts to ensure that the people who come here, fleeing war and violence, are well received and properly supported. We need Quebec's support.

I want to point out how important it is that the Bloc Québécois continue to advocate to ensure that asylum seekers are welcomed in Quebec and Canada.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a cost related to asylum seekers. There is also a responsibility. We have to house them, care for them, educate them and provide them with French classes. We have to allow them to work, something that Ottawa is incapable of doing.

Asylum seekers currently represent 20% of social assistance recipients in Quebec. The Prime Minister says, “come to Canada, oh downtrodden of the earth”. He forgets to tell them that once they arrive, he will not lift a finger for them. He cannot even give them a work permit in less than 30 days.

Is that the Liberal definition of being welcoming?

[Marc Miller, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, several weeks ago, the member across the way claimed that it took six, seven or eight months, I no longer remember how long. People are not entitled to a work permit before three months. We are doing our best to give them one.

Obviously, money earned can go a long way. It is clear that we can do better. It is clear that we want to do better. Obviously, in light of the record number of claims, we are going to need the support of the provinces, including Quebec. I very much welcome that support.

Public Services and Procurement

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General report proves the Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the corruption. The NDP-Liberal government spent $200 million on McKinsey, which is just another example of the Prime Minister favouring his insider friends. The AG stated this showed a flagrant disregard for procurement rules, as the government sole-sourced with no justification, and competitive processes were changed to favour McKinsey. The clear favouritism is just one more example of the government choosing its friends over integrity.

Why has the Prime Minister been caught red-handed, time and time again, giving his friends lucrative contracts?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for asking this important question, which allows me to thank the Auditor General for her important work on this topic.

The report comes to similar conclusions to those of the report that was released by the government last year. Based on those previous findings, we have been acting for more than a year to end the standing offers with McKinsey and all similar companies, as well as introducing stricter requirements for departments with their own contracting authorities.

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost or corruption. Dominic Barton, the former global head of McKinsey, was hand-picked by the PM to be the Canadian ambassador to China and the chair of the advisory council on economic growth. Therefore, it is no surprise that, after 2016, McKinsey contracting began to go up and up, with few signs of stopping. He even joined a meeting between McKinsey and the Canada Infrastructure Bank while he was the ambassador, and he hid this from members of committee.

Why should Canadians tolerate a Prime Minister who promotes his rich friends and a government run by McKinsey?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to repeat what I just said in the other official language. We thank the Auditor General of Canada for her important work on this file.

The report reaches conclusions similar to those in the report that was released by the government last year. Nevertheless, we will continue to take the findings into account. For example, standing offers with McKinsey and all similar companies were cancelled a year ago, and we will continue to implement stricter requirements for departments that do their own contracting.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report proves that, after nine years, the Prime Minister is not worth the cost or corruption. In her audit of McKinsey, the AG found that the Liberal government broke the rules, showed clear favouritism and could not demonstrate value for money.

The Prime Minister needs to take responsibility. Almost $200 million was awarded to McKinsey. Contracts were rigged, Liberal insiders got rich and taxpayers are on the hook.

Will the Prime Minister finally ban McKinsey from government contracting?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have answered this question multiple times now. I would just add that, in addition to what I have said, these contracts have been closely examined several times, including by the Auditor General. No indication of political interference was ever found.

However, speaking of contracts, may I talk about dental care, about which the Conservative leader has nothing to say, because he believes and claims that it does not exist? Two million seniors in Canada have already registered for dental. Now, why is a Conservative leader misinforming and hurting seniors by telling them it does not exist?

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's report proves once again that the Prime Minister is not worth the cost or the corruption.

Now, Liberals love McKinsey; apparently, all is fair in love and government contracting. Most of the $200 million in McKinsey contracts did not follow the rules and, in almost half of cases, it was not clear that the contract was needed. In some cases, the government even rigged the process to favour McKinsey.

Why do the Liberals show such affection for McKinsey but such disdain for Canadian taxpayers?

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, that question has already been answered several times by my colleagues. However, I am glad to hear the Conservatives, albeit obliquely, talking about income inequality in our society. It is a concern that we share.

The good news for the Conservatives is that they have the opportunity to support us and to support our increase in the capital gains inclusion rate, which is a way to ask those at the very top to help the Canadian middle class. Let us see if the Conservatives will do it.

Labour

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

Mr. Speaker, for years now, customs and border services officers have been seeking retirement benefits similar to those enjoyed by their law enforcement counterparts. This is about justice and respect for these workers, who keep us safe.

A committee has been examining the matter for three years. The Treasury Board president received recommendations in December. It has been radio silence ever since. These officers could go on strike 48 hours from now, on Thursday.

Why are the Liberals still dragging their feet when it comes to standing up for workers?