Andrew Leslie

[International Trade, December 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has always been clear with the United States that the section 232 tariffs are completely unacceptable. It is not a national security consideration. We challenged it not only here in public, but the Prime Minister has done so with the President at every available opportunity.

It is overwhelmingly in the best interests of both Canada and the United States to stop this unfair and unjust practice. In the meantime, our strong responsive measures of up to $2 billion will help to defend our workers.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we believe in a strong Canadian economy and we are doing all we can to support Canadian workers in their endeavours, not only to pursue activities in markets with the United States but to diversify. The Prime Minister has toured the land on numerous occasions, listening to the concerns of those affected. We are allocating resources to help them to the extent that is absolutely possible, and we are going to do more than that.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in both instances, which have acted as disruptive shocks to portions of our economy, our hearts go out to those affected, of course. We have worked very hard to allocate sufficient resources to see them through times of trouble.

I would point out for the hon. member that the Prime Minister, the ministers responsible for this file and, indeed, members of Parliament from all sides have worked diligently with their constituents to identify the shocks to the system that can be remedied or rectified by the application of resources from the Government of Canada. I am glad to see the teamwork we all have focused on those workers and those affected.

[Business of Supply, December 4th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in both instances, the actions and reactions have been precipitated by the government in the United States. On softwood lumber, the unjust countervailing anti-dumping duties placed on softwood lumber resulted in the Government of Canada negotiating hard to ensure chapter 19 survived in its entirety in the new NAFTA. As well, we have allocated $1 billion to help affected workers and companies.

Now let me quickly transition to another set of unjust and unlawful tariffs on Canadian resources, those imposed on steel and aluminum. As members know, we have allocated $2 billion and an enormous amount of effort to work with our American colleagues to eliminate these unfair and unjust duties.

[International Trade, December 3rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, the Prime Minister signed the section 232 side letter on autos, which provides Canada with significant protection against U.S. tariffs.

The new agreement maintains crucial supply chains in the auto sector and improves workers' pay and rights. This agreement is good for the hundreds of thousands of Canadians working in the auto industry and for all Canadian workers.

[Public Safety, November 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this government has great soldiers, boots on the ground and training forces to counter these terrorists. We are providing $840 million to assist in the reconstruction and resettlement and also to ameliorate violence within the communities. We have been a very strong supporter internationally for accountability for Daesh crimes.

As I mentioned, we are taking concrete action on multiple fronts. We have provided extensive support to the United Nations' partners and to our friends and allies.

We are taking action on the ground. We are taking action in the courts. We are taking action within the United Nations. Our troops are helping to train those who are hunting down the terrorists.

[Public Safety, November 21st, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we condemn the horrendous crimes and atrocities perpetrated by Daesh against minorities in Iraq and Syria. We have been clear the persecution of Yazidis in Iraq and Syria is genocide. The perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice and to achieve this, Canada has taken action on multiple fronts, and I would like to go over them with the member.

We co-sponsored the UN Security Council resolution that led to the establishment of a mechanism to investigate violations of international law by Daesh, including genocide, to ensure accountability for these crimes.

We co-sponsored the UN Security Council resolution that led to the establishment of an investigative team, Boots on the Ground, to collect evidence of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by Daesh in Iraq. The team will collect, preserve and store evidence of acts that may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide committed by the terrorist group in Iraq. Canada continues to actively support the UN and the Government of Iraq in this investigative work.

Furthermore, on the ground, Canada is funding work in Iraq and Syria aimed at collecting and preserving the evidence of Daesh war crimes, including sexual and gender-based violence committed against the Yazidi population for use in eventual legal proceedings.

Our government is also calling on the Security Council to recognize sexual violence as criteria for UN sanctions, so that perpetrators of sexual violence can be held to account for their crimes.

We understand that fighting incitement, pursuing accountability and supporting the reduction of community tensions remain critical for long-term reconstruction and stability and Canada supports such efforts. That is why we have committed $9.7 million for community-level initiatives to resolve disputes peacefully and foster better social cohesion amongst communities in Iraq.

Through our Middle East strategy, we are also committing $840 million in humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in Syria, Iraq and the region.

Canada is a party to the genocide convention article V, which requires state parties to enact the necessary legislation to implement the convention on domestic law. We are on track to do so.

Let me reiterate and let me be clear, Canada is there on the ground. Canada is providing resources such as expertise and large amounts of funds. We are taking concrete action that will make a meaningful difference to the people in Iraq and Syria, especially the Yazidis.

[International Trade, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadian workers and businesses. The steel and aluminum industries provide good, middle-class jobs to Canadians across our country. We have put in place reciprocal tariffs, safeguards on imported steel, programs to help companies diversify and relief programs for industry. We have allocated over $2 billion to assist those who need it most. Our actions have been driven by the best interests of Canadian workers and industries, and I can assure the member opposite that they will continue to be based on the best outcomes for Canadians.

[International Trade, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's steel and aluminum industries are a critical part of our economy and many people's livelihoods. Canadians in communities across the country depend on the good jobs that are supported by these industries, both upstream and downstream from the actual point of origin of the steel or aluminum, and that is why we have taken such strong action to defend them. Shortly after the unfair and illegal tariffs were unilaterally announced by the United States, we announced our own reciprocal tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. goods.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This is the strongest and largest trade action Canada has taken since the Second World War. This is how much we value our steel and aluminum workers and how much we want to protect their livelihoods and communities.

Since before the tariffs were imposed, we have been meeting with steel and aluminum industry leadership and workers to ensure that their voices inform our actions. Recently, for example, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been visiting dozens of facilities across Canada, meeting with steel and aluminum companies and associations, the workers on the shop floors and union representatives. I myself have met with many dozens of union associations, factory management, suppliers, workers and the upstream and downstream industries that are impacted. The message is clear that we must defend our industries and workers, and that is exactly what we are doing.

For example, in October, we introduced provisional safeguard measures on seven steel products to ensure that our industries are not being harmed by the diversion of steel into Canada from other international steel suppliers. Such measures are being welcomed by the industry. Just last week, for example, Stelco, which employs 2,200 men and women at Hamilton Harbour and on Lake Erie, said that these safeguards are providing market stability. They agree with what we are doing.

In fact, Stelco's CEO also said, “With these measures in place, we expect growth in our business related to our recent investments, including the installation of annealing furnaces, and the recent work on the hot strip mill, that have enhanced our product capabilities.” It has received funds to help it and its workers get through the process we are going through with the section 232 tariffs.

Our measures are allowing companies to continue to invest in themselves, their facilities and their workers. I would remind us all that there is $2 billion available to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers and businesses in the steel and aluminum manufacturing industries.

We are working hard to make sure that these tariffs are eliminated. We are in constant dialogue with the United States. Removing U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum is a priority for our government and, indeed, for the nation. We continue to raise this at every opportunity with American officials at the very highest level.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the government is working on improving the application process even more, to make it easier to access the parents and grandparents program and to improve the experience for our clients. We are making sure that our updates to the application process are appropriate, and we took the time to listen to stakeholders and applicants before deciding how to proceed.

I also would like to note that consistently high admissions levels for parents and grandparents over the last few years have allowed the government to greatly reduce the application backlog. The application inventory has dropped from a peak of 167,000 people in 2011 to just under 26,000 people in June 2018.

Do we have more work to do? Absolutely, but we are well on track.

Family reunification is one of the Government of Canada's top immigration priorities.