House of Commons Hansard #124 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Corrections and Conditional Release Act First reading of Bill S-205. 200 words.
Opposition Motion—Elimination of the Streaming Tax 47300 words, 6 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Canada Revenue Agency Act Second reading of Bill S-217. 7600 words, 1 hour.
Department of Citizenship and Immigration—Main Estimates, 2026-27 32400 words, 4 hours.
Immigration, Refugees and CitizenshipOral Questions
Scarborough—Guildwood—Rouge Park Ontario
Liberal
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, let me just confirm that last year the Canada Border Services Agency removed an incredible number of individuals who were ineligible to be here in Canada. Over 23,000 individuals were removed.
This year, the CBSA is on target to continue that trend and to ensure those who are ineligible to be in Canada are removed expeditiously. Our men and women of the CBSA are working hard each and every day to ensure the safety and security of Canadians, and we will continue on that path.
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. Speaker, in response to my question regarding PrescribeIT on May 6, the Minister of Health said that she spoke to the board of directors of Canada Health Infoway, causing them to fire their million-dollar CEO, Michael Green.
However, just the day before, the chair of that board, Dr. Peter Vaughan, said that the health minister had never personally raised concerns with him or the board about the $300 million wasted on PrescribeIT.
Both these statements cannot be true. Will the health minister tell us which statement was false?
Marjorie Michel LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I will tell my colleague that I speak with Canada Health Infoway through the representative of Health Canada who is on the board. I do not have direct conversations with anyone on the board, because Health Canada has somebody on the board.
I would also say that we have taken the right measures, because after our conversation with the board, they removed the CEO of the company. Now we have an interim CEO, and we are working on the governance.
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. Speaker, am I to understand the health minister spoke with her representative on the board, but that board member did not tell the chair of the board that she had spoken with him? Did he mislead a committee of this House? If so, will she have another conversation with her representative on the board to dismiss another executive at Canada Health Infoway?
Marjorie Michel LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. I am not sure exactly what his point is. The Conservatives know full well that Canada Health Infoway is a separate entity from the government. We have a representative on the board of directors, and we communicate with the organization through that representative. I am not going to get into who said what, but I have spoken to the representative who sits on the board.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, in March, the Liberals entered into a lease with Maritime Launch Services for a so-called spaceport. The lease was backdated one full year to April 1, 2025, handing Maritime Launch Services 20 million tax dollars for no work and no value to taxpayers.
Why?
Sherry Romanado LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, establishing Canadian sovereign space launch capabilities will drive billions in investments, create good-paying jobs, increase Canada's sovereignty, reduce our reliance on the United States and support a commercial space launch and re-entry industry that could be worth up to $40 billion.
That is what we are investing in, and these are essential capabilities that protect Canada and create massive economic benefits for Canadians.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, after handing 20 million tax dollars to the nearly bankrupt Maritime Launch Services for no work, the chair of the board sold his previously worthless shares, pocketing $1.8 million. What we have is one big corrupt scheme in which Liberal insiders are getting rich while taxpayers are getting fleeced.
How can the minister possibly justify this?
Sherry Romanado LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, establishing sovereign space launch capabilities in Canada will drive billions of dollars in investment, create good-paying jobs, increase Canada's sovereignty, reduce our reliance on the United States and support a commercial space launch and re-entry sector that could be worth up to $40 billion dollars. That is what we are investing in. These are essential capabilities that protect Canada and create massive economic benefits for Canadians.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, today the CEO of the spaceport described questions about this $200-million giveaway as a “clueless meme”. He is in good company. The Minister of Defence has similarly responded to questions about the egregious lease terms as being “stupid”.
Let us review. The minister signed a lease gifting $20 million of taxpayers' money in arrears to a near-bankrupt company. Insiders immediately cashed out millions of dollars. Canadians are rightly asking questions.
Can the minister explain how this makes taxpayers clueless or stupid?
Mike Kelloway LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Speaker, I think the Conservatives can explain why they are anti-Nova Scotia, against green hydrogen in Nova Scotia, against Mersey River Wind in Nova Scotia and against development in Nova Scotia. They are against Nova Scotia workers and Nova Scotia ingenuity. Every single time in the last two weeks the common theme has been anti-Nova Scotia.
We, on this side of the House, support Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia workers, Nova Scotia business and this project.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, before the member goes too far defending this boondoggle, let me refer him to the publicly disclosed documents. A year ago, the spaceport's auditor indicated it was near bankruptcy. Nothing indicated the potential windfall of a $20-million lease with the government. Overpaying is one thing. Gifting $20 million to one's friends is an egregious abuse of taxpayer trust: Liberal insiders selling their shares for millions of dollars after the minister's giveaway. The securities commission will have to investigate.
Will the minister tell us who he thinks is going to be left standing when the music stops?
Mike Kelloway LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
Mr. Speaker, another running theme in the House: conspiracy. The Conservative Party of Canada should now be the CPC, the Conspiracy Party of Canada. It loves a great conspiracy. It could not be that Nova Scotia is excelling in a new industry. It could not be that. It could not be the great workers. It could not be the Premier of Nova Scotia, a Conservative, who supports it. Everywhere we look, there is a conspiracy when it comes to the Conservative Party of Canada.
Steeve Lavoie Liberal Beauport—Limoilou, QC
Mr. Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to hold a round table with many businesses in my riding of Beauport—Limoilou to discuss current trade issues and the upcoming CUSMA review.
These businesses emphasized the importance of maintaining strong trade relations with the United States, while ensuring greater stability and predictability.
Can the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade give us an update on the the ongoing discussions with our American partners and explain how our government is defending the interests of Canadian businesses and workers as part of the CUSMA review?
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalPresident of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Beauport—Limoilou for his important work on this critical issue.
As everyone knows, the government is committed to continuing to negotiate with our American and Mexican partners as we head into the CUSMA review.
That is why we are meeting with industry leaders and provincial and territorial representatives, as my colleague did in his riding. We want to be ready for the upcoming review and ensure that we reach an agreement that is in the best interests of Canadians and Canadian workers.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the text of the MOU signed by the Liberal government with Beijing's Ministry of Public Security remains secret.
Considering that Beijing abused the previous MOU signed by the Harper government, including by coercing some 25 Canadians to return to the PRC under Operation Fox Hunt and considering that a year ago, both the public inquiry into foreign interference and the Prime Minister said that Beijing presented the greatest threat to the security of Canada, will the Liberal government release the new MOU to assure Canadians Beijing will not coerce others to return to the PRC?
Anita Anand LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Canada has entered into MOUs with China on combatting crime in varied forms since 2010. As has been the case historically, we have entered into these agreements on the advice of Canada's intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and they have also not been released publicly. I look forward to meeting with China's foreign minister and having a constructive exchange on areas of mutual interest.
We will continue to uphold Canada's values and the rule of law.
Michael Chong Conservative Wellington—Halton Hills North, ON
Mr. Speaker, if Beijing's foreign interference and transnational repression are the greatest threat to the security of Canada and if the government is confident about the MOU between itself and Beijing's Ministry of Public Security, the government should simply release the MOU and let Canadians decide for themselves.
Will the minister raise the issue of transnational repression and foreign interference when she meets with Foreign Minister Wang Yi this week?
Anita Anand LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadians, protect our national interests and engage from a position of strength. We welcome the upcoming visit of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, the first such bilateral visit to Canada in nearly a decade.
We will also work with China where it advances Canada's national interests, including on trade, economic stability and global security, while defending Canada's sovereignty, security and values unequivocally.
Adam Chambers Conservative Simcoe North, ON
Mr. Speaker, the minister wants us to believe that Beijing is just another benign trading partner, but Beijing's actions have been hostile to Canadian interests even more than Washington's. It supports the theft of Canadian IP, it has jailed the two Michaels, it interferes in our elections, it operates illegal police stations on Canadian soil and it has held our farmers hostage. Canadians have a right to know that our sovereignty has not been compromised and our citizens will be protected.
If the government has nothing to hide, why will it not release the secret documents and arrangements it has made with Beijing?
Anita Anand LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I am going to reiterate that in these conversations, including my conversation with Minister Wang Yi tomorrow, we will ensure that the guardrails in place will continue protecting Canada's security, protecting Canada's sovereignty and ensuring Canada's greatest economic resilience.
Our government has taken concrete action to combat foreign interference, including establishing the foreign influence transparency registry and strengthening protections for Canadians and democratic—
Public SafetyOral Questions
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey Newton, BC
Mr. Speaker, demand for LNG is growing, and Canada is the cleanest supplier to help meet the demand. During the last election, we committed to making Canada an energy superpower, and we are delivering on that promise. Less than a year ago, LNG Canada delivered its first exports to Asia, and we are already expanding further.
Can the minister update the House on the efforts to expand Canadian LNG exports?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the support on export diversification. Yesterday, I was in British Columbia to announce that Canada has reached—
