Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am tabling a supplementary response to Question No. 1025 and the government response to Question No. 1027.
House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2019, with 34% of the vote.
Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act June 19th, 2017
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am tabling a supplementary response to Question No. 1025 and the government response to Question No. 1027.
Infrastructure June 19th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to be working with our Quebec caucus to deliver on the commitment that we made to all Canadians, including the Province of Quebec. A $1.3 billion investment in Montreal's transit system will create 34,000 jobs in that region.
That is delivering for Canadians. That is delivering for the Province of Quebec. As far as the legislation is concerned, we are very confident that the way it is being done will respect the local jurisdictions in Quebec and in other provinces.
Infrastructure June 19th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect us to build the best public transit to reduce the gridlock facing our communities. They want us to invest in more affordable housing to create opportunities for Canadians. They want to invest in recreational and cultural infrastructure.
That is exactly what our infrastructure plan, an ambitious $186-billion plan, will do. With respect to the jurisdictions of provinces and municipalities, the bank will do that.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member once again that we have a very strong working relationship with the Province of Quebec, and the bank would have to abide by all the rules that are in place in every province and municipality.
On top of that, the bank will work very closely with the provinces and municipalities to bring forward the projects our communities need. Thirty-four thousand jobs have been created under one project for the Province of Quebec. We are proud to be working with them. We are proud to support to them.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, we have been very clear and I have assured the House a number of times that the infrastructure bank and any projects undertaken by the infrastructure bank would have to abide by provincial and municipal rules. We respect local jurisdictions.
I am proud to say that this week we made a significant investment in the city of Montreal, supporting an REM project that will create 34,000 jobs in that region. That is the kind of investment we want to make to ensure that our municipalities have the right tools to grow their economies and create jobs.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, because of the hard work of the members of the national capital region caucus, this morning the Prime Minister announced more than $1 billion toward Ottawa's light rail transit, stage two, project. This investment will transform public transit across the region and create jobs and economic growth in the national capital region, while making communities more sustainable and inclusive.
We are very proud to support the city of Ottawa and the national capital region.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, what is different is the commitment we have made to our Canadian communities to allow them to build the infrastructure they need. We are tripling our investment to $180 billion. That is a historic investment in infrastructure.
The hon. member fully understands that in the last election, his party had no plan to build the infrastructure. The party opposite, the Conservative Party, ignored the needs of Canadian communities for a decade. We are here to work with them, to allow them to build the infrastructure they deserve and their citizens need.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, we have put forward a very ambitious plan to allow our municipalities to prosper, to allow them to build the infrastructure that they need to grow their economy, to reduce congestion in major urban centres and build more affordable housing and recreational and cultural infrastructure. We believe that by mobilizing institutional investors and pension funds, we can free up resources to build more affordable housing and more shelters for women fleeing domestic violence. That is our goal, and that is exactly what we are focused on.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member is failing to understand is that our own Canadian pension funds, such as the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, the teachers' pension plan, OMERS, Caisse de dépôt, and Alberta Investment Management Corporation, invest in other countries' infrastructure. What is wrong with creating conditions to allow them to invest in our own country, to create jobs in our own country, and allow us to strengthen our middle class in our own country to create opportunities? That is exactly what we are focused on, and the board will reflect the diversity of Canadian communities.
Infrastructure June 16th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, unlike the hon. member, we have confidence that we will be able to attract Canadians who have the talent and expertise, and we will make sure that we reflect the regional diversity of our country and the gender parity of our country. We also attract people from diverse backgrounds.
We want to make sure that the board of the infrastructure bank reflects who we are as Canadians, and that is exactly what we will achieve.