Debates of June 7th, 2024

Carbon Pricing

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

The hon. member for Terrebonne.

Public Services and Procurement

[Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this week the Auditor General tabled three reports. Her observations never change. Once again, we see untendered contracts, conflicts of interest, laxity, and negligence. The situation has reached a point where the Auditor General made only one recommendation in her initial report: that her recommendations be followed. That says a lot about her exasperation as the person responsible for ensuring the sound management of our public finances.

Do the Liberals realize that every Auditor General's report has proven them incapable of running the government?

[Charles Sousa, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work done by the Auditor General. We thank her for her recommendations.

We are all concerned about ensuring that there be transparency, accountability and integrity in all the work we do. There have been recommendations made by the Auditor General, the ombudsman and a number of others that reinforce concerns the government shares, which is why this review was initiated. Therefore, we will take every step necessary to provide proper training to ensure that we have taken the steps to provide integrity on this as we go forward.

Innovation, Science and Industry

[Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, whistle-blowers, repeated warnings, criticism from a senior official: all of these red flags about the management of Sustainable Development Technology Canada, or SDTC, were being waved for a long time.

There were conflicts of interest. Projects ineligible for funding received funding. Once again, taxpayer money has been recklessly squandered. The department received the minutes and conflict of interest declarations, and so it knew what was going on. The minister knew all that and did nothing. Would the minister have shut down SDTC if the Auditor General had not tabled such a scathing report?

[Ryan Turnbull, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and to the Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, we know that SDTC, for over 20 years, has done great work to support the clean-tech sector. Obviously, there were allegations of mismanagement. When those surfaced, the minister acted immediately to issue several independent reviews, both on HR practices and on governance practices. We know, and have always been unequivocal, about the fact that we need to demand the highest governance practices from independent organizations that are dealing with public funds. We are moving forward with a new governance model and framework that will restore proper oversight.

Ethics

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Employment has a 50% stake in a shady company that has been ordered by Alberta courts to pay $7.8 million for ripping off clients. Someone named Randy at the company is implicated in a half a million dollar fraud. Now, the minister claims that he is not that Randy. Okay, but the company has five employees, and no one can find that Randy. Therefore, if the minister is not that Randy, who is?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, Canada has among the most stringent conflict of interest and ethics dispositions and measures in the world. Ministers are expected to comply with all of those, and the minister answered that specific question yesterday.

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister claimed he is not that Randy, on the basis that he turned over his phone records. The minister did no such thing. Rather, he very conveniently turned over the records of a single device. Therefore, can the minister confirm that the records of the device that he turned over are from the minister's business burner phone?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we were all here yesterday when the minister gave a comprehensive response to the very question the member raises, so I can only refer him to that statement.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is a little suss. Come on. They have a numbered company, a 50% stake, and then a mysterious “other Randy” is stepping up to take the blame. Did the minister bother asking the employment minister what the other Randy's last name was before he held the bag for him today?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I know that members strain to come up with original ways of asking the same question, and I note that it is the case in this instance. The minister responded comprehensively to this very issue yesterday. I would remind the member of that, and I would refer her to that statement.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, here is a news flash for the government. We would not have to ask the same question over and over again if the government answered the question. Would that not that be nice? It would be so nice.

Therefore, I will try once again. This is clearly suss. I cannot actually believe that the Minister of Employment had the audacity to say that it was the other Randy. If there is another Randy, what is his last name?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad the member had a chance to consult the Urban Dictionary this morning, but I would again refer her to the minister's very comprehensive response yesterday.

Canadian Heritage

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the arts inspire us, enrich our lives and add so much to our community. We need to support them, but the Liberal government has been underfunding Edmonton's arts scene for years, and local artists and our community are struggling. Cities with loads of Liberal MPs are getting as much as four times what Edmonton gets per capita. The partisan politics are hurting Edmonton's creative scene. When will the government stop punishing Alberta and start funding our arts?

[Yasir Naqvi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the member opposite. The arts are extremely important for all of us individually, for our communities and for our country. There is so much Canadian arts and culture to celebrate, which varies from region to region. That is why Liberals will continue to support arts groups and artists all across the country, regardless of which part of the country they live in, including Alberta.

Climate Change

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Canadians who have experienced devastating climate consequences were here in Ottawa. They are people who have lost their homes to wildfires, who have lived through severe flooding and whose communities are threatened by rising sea levels.

These Canadians called on the Liberals to meaningfully cap emissions from the oil and gas sector. The problem is that the Liberals are still bending their knee to oil lobbyists. Yesterday, the oil and gas CEOs went so far as to say that if the cap is so low, it is unnecessary. First, they water it down, and now they want to scrap it.

Will the Liberals stop listening to lobbyists and strengthen the emissions cap?

[Adam van Koeverden, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Sport and Physical Activity]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank some lobbyists. I would like to thank Citizens’ Climate Lobby Canada. I would like to thank the David Suzuki Foundation. I would like to thank the member for her question. I would like to thank all the climate activists and all the folks across Canada who are concerned about the extreme emissions of the oil sands sector.

Liberals are not just listening; we are taking action. We are actually the first oil-producing country in the world to put a cap on greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas sector. Yes. Yesterday, at the environment committee, we had those CEOs there, and we held them to account. We asked them what their plans were to lower emissions. I am sad to say that their answers were insufficient. We will continue to be there for climate advocates.

Housing

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, to build more homes and build them faster, Liberals know that municipalities need funding to accelerate the construction of critical housing infrastructure. Through our new Canada housing infrastructure fund, we are going to help municipalities do just that.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities share the Liberals' plan to support the municipal infrastructure necessary for homes to be built across this country?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member has served the House since 2004. He is always interested in issues of not only water but also water infrastructure.

Liberals have put in place measures to support more home building, but we cannot do that without thinking about housing-enabling infrastructure. Waste water, stormwater and solid waste infrastructure are all things that add up, and they make a difference. They make communities possible.

That is why this government has put forward $6 billion for provinces and municipalities. There is conditionality attached. If provinces and municipalities want to access to the funds, they have to freeze development charges, and they have to make sure that more middle homes get built.

Ethics

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Employment claims that he set the record straight and that he is not the other Randy who is conducting business at a fraud-ridden company. However, he has failed to answer the most basic question. If he is not the Randy in question, who is Randy?

The answer to this question will reveal the truth and will put to rest any questions about the guilt or innocence of the minister. He could easily pick up the phone and find out the identity of this other Randy.

Why will the minister not finally end the charade and tell us who Randy is?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to, once again, reiterate for my hon. colleague that the minister comprehensively responded to this question yesterday, and to all of the elements under his purview. I would refer the member across the way to that response.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, all the denials and rhetoric in the world will not change the very basic fact that we need the answer to the question: Who is Randy? It is a simple question. Who is the Randy referred to in the text messages from the Minister of Employment's former business partner, Stephen Anderson?

The minister has admitted, at committee, that he talks to his former business partners. Why will he not pick up the phone and find out who Randy is? If there truly is another Randy, I will rise in the House and apologize.

Until then, I will keep asking: Who is Randy?

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, this is question period. The member can ask whatever question he wishes. The answer, of course, is the same one that I just gave him. The minister very comprehensively responded to this yesterday. The minister submits to the conflict of interest and ethics code, which is among the most stringent in the world. I think we presume all members of the House to be honourable.

Housing

[Tracy Gray, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, it is more expensive to rent in Canada than ever. The top two most expensive places to rent are in my home province of British Columbia: Vancouver is number one, and Burnaby is number two.

In Vancouver, it now costs over $2,600 to rent a one bedroom or a staggering $3,600 for a two bedroom. Canadians' quality of life continues to drop. Food bank usage is at record highs, and tent encampments are growing. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost.

When will the Prime Minister build homes, not bureaucracy?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member mentions housing, mentions affordability and mentions getting people off the streets. We share those interests. Unfortunately, her voting record shows something entirely different. She should go to 651 Cambridge Avenue, in her riding of Kelowna, to see a project funded by the government, which she voted against, unfortunately. She talks about encampments. The Conservatives do not want to deal with encampments. They have nothing in their housing plan, so-called, to deal with homelessness.

The member talks about building more. The Conservatives want to apply a tax on home builders. They do not want to apply any measure to the housing crisis. It is not a serious party. It is all slogans.