Debates of Sept. 24th, 2024

International Trade

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, I am really glad that the member opposite yesterday saw the Prime Minister's appearance on Stephen Colbert, especially since we know that they get their news from Tucker Carlson.

Canadians who watched last night's interview will know what all Canadians know: The government stands up for our workers, we stand up for our forestry sector and we will continue to do this work for Canadians and for our workers. The forestry sector contributes enormous jobs to this country, and we will keep doing that work.

[Ryan Williams, Conservative, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, lame excuses are also up. The last prime minister solved the softwood lumber deal in 80 days. It has been nine years. The last prime minister did not back down, but the current Prime Minister backs down to Biden, to Obama and to Trump, and the result has been increased unemployment and the risk of another 400,000 jobs in the forestry sector.

When the Prime Minister said that Canada was back, he meant “backed down”. Is it not time for a prime minister who will stand up for Canadians once again?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to securing trade deals, we are not going to take any lessons from the Conservatives. The Conservative Party wants us to ignore the environment. It wants us to ignore workers. It wants us to sign bad trade deals. I remember that in the House the Conservatives wanted us to capitulate on CUSMA. We did not do that. They cheered on Brexit. We did not do that. They abandoned Ukrainians when they needed it the most and when we negotiated free trade agreements.

On this side of the House, we negotiate good deals, not just any deals, and we will not capitulate.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets has been on the Hill for a long time. I ask for his indulgence.

The hon. member from Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of the NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and their time is up. The Prime Minister was on a U.S. talk show last night and dismissed his failures on softwood lumber as a small issue. This was weeks after the U.S. slapped Canada with a 14.5% tariff on softwood lumber. Since then, two more B.C. mills have closed, putting 500 more workers out of a job.

Do the NDP-Liberals really think mills closing and the loss of thousands of forestry jobs is just a small issue?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of Export Promotion]

Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking the softwood lumber industry and its workers for the tremendous contribution they make to the Canadian economy. We heard the Prime Minister say this, and we are talking about this. The long-term dispute does not help anybody, and in particular it does not help us build affordable homes.

On this side of the House, we are really proud that we are tackling housing and are building affordable homes. If we are to solve this issue, it will make housing affordability better in the United States and certainly better here in Canada.

Indigenous Affairs

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a very important event took place this summer, specifically the opening of an elementary school in the Atikamekw community of Manawan. This school, funded in part by the federal government, will enable the community's children to study their own culture and in their own language. This is very good news.

I would like the Minister of Indigenous Services to update the House on the efforts our government is making to support education for young people in indigenous communities.

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Pontiac for her work on access to education. Since 2016, we have increased funding for education by 80%. Budget 2024 will help us build and renovate more than 200 schools in first nations communities for 35,000 students. The evidence is clear. Students are more motivated when they see themselves reflected in their learning.

International Trade

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years of NDP-Liberals, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and time is up. Last night, the Prime Minister appeared on The Late Show to pathetically explain why he keeps backing down to American presidents regarding softwood lumber. He called his failure regarding softwood lumber a small issue. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of forestry workers have lost their job. It is an insult to them.

After nine years of repeatedly backing down to each and every president with respect to softwood lumber, how can Canadians believe they will ever get a deal to lift the punishing tariffs?

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

Mr. Speaker, the government has stood up to Trump and the government has stood up to Putin. Meanwhile, when Putin told the Conservatives to vote against the free trade deal with Ukraine, they said, “okay, fine”, and when Trump threatened Canada with section 232 tariffs against steel and aluminum, we stood up to the U.S.

Do members know what the Conservatives said? They said that was dumb, and they told us to back down. We did not. We will never back down to bullies. We will always stand up for Canadians.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is pathetic. That comes from the government that allowed Canadian detonators to end up in Russian land mines that blew up Ukrainian troops.

The Liberals are a disgrace. They backed down to Trump regarding softwood. They backed down from Obama regarding softwood. They backed down to Biden regarding softwood. After nine years of complete and total failure, tens of thousands of forestry workers have lost their job. The minister did not even address it, and her Prime Minister insulted them by saying it is a small issue.

We know that the arrogant Prime Minister will not apologize to the forestry workers. Will he let them judge him in a carbon tax election?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

Once again, I invite members to be very prudent and judicious in their choice of words.

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance has the floor.

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

Mr. Speaker, when our country faced an existential economic challenge, the threat that our free trade agreement with the United States would be torn up, our government stood up to the U.S., and the Conservatives ran scared. The Conservatives told us to back down.

When the U.S. imposed illegal section 232 tariffs on our steel and aluminum, we stood up for Canadians. We imposed countervailing tariffs. The Conservatives told us to back down.

Canadians remember that. We will never back down. We stand up for—

[Randy Hoback, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to defending jobs, we would never tell anybody to back down. Only the Prime Minister does that.

After nine years of the NDP-Liberal government, taxes are up, costs are up, crime is up and its time is up. Last night, the Prime Minister told Stephen Colbert that his failure to negotiate a deal on softwood lumber and fisheries was a small issue. Canadian companies have paid the U.S. over $9 billion in tariffs. There are 800,000 direct and indirect jobs on the line. The forestry sector is in a crisis, yet the Prime Minister has backed down time and time again to three different presidents.

Why does the Prime Minister show so much disdain to Canadian workers?

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

Mr. Speaker, there is only one party in the House that shows disdain to Canadian workers, and it is the Conservative Party of Canada.

Time and time again, when our country has had to negotiate trade deals, the current government has stood for Canadians. We renegotiated NAFTA. We stood up against the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, and we will continue to stand up for Canadian workers in all sectors, including the forestry sector.

What is up is time for the Conservatives to stop playing political games and get down to the serious business of governing this country. That is what Canadians expect. It is time for them to grow up.

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago today, my region braced as hurricane Fiona made landfall. In the aftermath, we learned that the vicious storm had destroyed homes, reshaped our coastlines and, most tragically, had taken lives. The resilience of Islanders and all Atlantic Canadians became apparent afterwards, as we all came together as neighbours to support each other.

On this sombre anniversary, I would like to ask the minister what ACOA has done to support our region to rebuild, recover and thrive in the wake of this deadly disaster.

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, because when his community was hurting, he was there to help, and the government was also there to help our region get back on its feet.

Through the hurricane Fiona recovery fund, ACOA delivered over $300 million to support shellfish producers and farmers, and we rebuilt small craft harbours, repaired damage in our national parks and set up comfort centres for communities to be ready for the next climate event.

We will always step up and have each other's back. It was true two years ago and is still true today: We are stronger than the storm.

The Environment

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the Minister of Environment called out the Conservatives for holding a fundraiser with oil and gas executives, which would be great except that the Liberals, over the past year, have met with oil and gas lobbyists five times a day. It is no wonder that the Liberals continue to water down key climate policies and hand out billions in subsidies. CEOs, like Suncor's Rich Kruger, have never had it so good. On top of all that, they bought him a pipeline.

When will the Liberals put a hard cap on emissions, close the loopholes in the industrial carbon price and make big polluters pay what they owe?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to read a quote from the member for Victoria: “The carbon tax is a crucial piece of a climate plan”. I would like to read another quote from the member for Victoria: “the PBO has put out a number of reports that confirm...that 80% of Canadians get more money back than they pay.” This is a fact that the Conservatives continue to ignore.

I think there are a lot of people out there who are very concerned about climate change, who are wondering what is happening with the NDP and who are very disappointed with the fact that the NDP, faced with pressure from the Conservatives and with lies and misinformation, caved. We will not cave on this side of the House.

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the Liberal price of pollution. We now learn that taxpayers were hit up for $1,200 per household to get the TMX boondoggle built. That is a direct subsidy from Canadians' pockets to Suncor, and the Prime Minister, the “sunny ways” man, is responsible for the biggest increases in oil production and emissions in history. No wonder Richie Rich Kruger from Suncor says the sun is shining on the tar sands, sunny ways while our planet burns.

Will the environment minister at least admit to the world that he had no intention of ever dealing with emissions when he went to COP? He was there to be the front for Suncor and Imperial.

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

Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have seen yet another drop in emissions on a pathway. We are on track to achieve the emissions reductions that we have committed to by 2030 to the international community.

I do think that many are very concerned about the NDP's backing away from having any credible policy with respect to climate change. Its flip-flop at the behest of the Conservative Party leader on carbon pricing is amazing. The member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie said, “as New Democrats, as progressives, as environmentalists, we are in favour of putting a price on pollution.” I guess they are no longer progressive or environmentalists.

The House resumed from September 23 consideration of the motion.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

It being 3:19 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in the 18th report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #857

Committees of the House

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I declare the motion carried.

I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded division, Government Orders will be extended by 12 minutes.

I also wish to inform the House that the volume of earpieces will now be reset. Members using their earpieces at this time will have to readjust the volume.