Colin Carrie

[Accessible Canada Act, September 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Mégantic made a very passionate speech.

I look back and want to talk about our former colleague, Jim Flaherty. What a champion he was for Canadians with disabilities. I remember when we brought in the RDSP, registered disability savings plan, the current minister said it was a real game-changer.

One of the things Jim championed in my community in Durham region was the Abilities Centre. Mr. Speaker, if you ever get a chance to come to my community, I hope I can give you a tour and introduce you to this wonderful centre. It could have been called the “disabilities centre”, but they named it the Abilities Centre because it focuses on Canadians who have challenges to work with their abilities to make their lives and the lives of other Canadians better. It is a wonderful institution.

I will be supporting sending the bill to committee. However, my concern with the bill is to make sure that it is making a difference. The things we put in as a government really did make a difference.

I wonder if my colleague could comment on what he would like to see in the bill after it goes to committee. What kind of changes does he want to see? Does he think there was enough consultation done on how to spend this money?

[Accessible Canada Act, September 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, everyone in the House wants to do something to help Canadians who are having challenges. The debate in this House more or less is how we go about doing that. I wonder if I could get the member's opinion. This bill, I believe, is $290 million, but there are not a lot of details here. Is it something that we want to create a new bureaucracy for, or do we want to use this money to help people with disabilities? I wonder if the member could give his opinion. Does he think this bill gives enough detail about what the money would be used for, and does he think it would be helpful on the ground for people who do have disabilities?

[Veterans Affairs, September 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Christopher Garnier brutally killed police officer Catherine Campbell of Truro, Nova Scotia. He was found guilty of murder. He never served a day of his life in Canada's military, yet the Prime Minister, the leader of our country, keeps justifying the fact that Veterans Affairs is paying for Garnier's benefits. This is sickening.

Does the Prime Minister actually believe that Chris Garnier should be receiving benefits from Veterans Affairs? I urge him to please do what is right.

[Accessible Canada Act, September 19th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, it is nice to hear that everyone in the House really wants to do make things better for people with disabilities. I guess the debate is about how that will happen.

We have $290 million here and it seems to be to create a regulatory body and more consultation. It could be the most expensive consultation in history given the Liberal government's record of dithering and its failure since its inception, including over the summer.

The minister mentioned the RDSP, which was a game-changer. It was implemented for three months.

Would this legislation really make a difference for people on the ground? I have done a bit of math. There is $290 million for home elevators. That money would do 70 to 150 elevators to make a difference today. Is this really the best way of going about it?

[Questions on the Order Paper, September 17th, 2018]

With regard to government action in response to the Volkswagen diesel engine emissions scandal: (a) what specific actions has the government taken in response to the scandal; (b) how much GST or federal portion of HST did the government collect on Volkswagen vehicles which were found to violate emissions standards; (c) how many Volkswagen vehicles have been returned to a Canadian vendor in relation to any program or agreement with which the government, or any government agency or entity, was involved; (d) what is the total estimated value of vehicles in (c); (e) how much GST or federal portion of HST has the government remitted to purchasers of Volkswagen vehicles in (c); and (f) does the government plan on reimbursing all the GST or federal portion of the HST to all owners of the effected vehicles, and if not, why not?

[International Trade, June 20th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice dismissed the concerns of Canadian auto workers, saying everything was just fine. It is not fine when TD Bank says 160,000 jobs are at risk. The Minister of Foreign Affairs is unable to provide details on her plan to protect the jobs of workers in the auto industry.

I am going to ask again a simple question to the Prime Minister. What is the plan to protect auto manufacturing jobs in Canada?

[International Trade, June 19th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, workers and families in Oshawa are concerned about the trade war between Canada and the U.S. Automakers use specialized steel imported from the U.S. in order to build their cars. A 25% tariff on autos has been threatened, which would seriously harm the Canadian auto industry. Today, TD Bank warned that these tariffs could cost 160,000 auto jobs. If 160,000 job losses is not an emergency for the Liberal government, then I do not know what is.

What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that Canadian auto workers do not lose their jobs?

[International Trade, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have implemented major policy changes that have hurt Canadian competitiveness. Unbelievably, we learned the Liberals have made absolutely no room in their budget to support those affected by the trade war on Canadian steel and aluminum.

Uncertainty kills jobs. The Liberals said they had a plan. They promised they had consulted with Canadian industries. They promised to avoid unintended consequences and job losses, yet we could soon see the latest victims of the Liberal anti-competitive policies.

Oshawa families are worried. Automakers in Oshawa will be required to pay tariffs on speciality steel imported from the United States in order to build cars to North American standards. These tariffs will hurt everyone. We need to do everything we can to help.

The good news is some leaders get it. The premier designate of Ontario understands that American plants do not have to pay the Prime Minister's carbon tax, so he is immediately cancelling Ontario's carbon tax.

Will the Prime Minister follow Mr. Ford's lead and cancel his anti-competitive carbon tax so that manufacturers at least have a fighting chance to keep jobs in Oshawa?

[Business of Supply, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleague, the parliamentary secretary, understands the implications of putting in policies in this country and not mimicking the same policies as our competitors. The challenge we are having right now is that the same people who made Ontario less competitive are now in the PMO, and they are driving this carbon-tax mentality that is going to affect people in my community, not in the future, but very soon, today.

I know that the Prime Minister said he wanted to transition away from manufacturing. He thinks it is bad. He thinks it is dirty. However, there are things we can do to help our manufacturers, particularly in places like Oshawa, with the auto sector, which is facing a real competitive disadvantage right now because of government policy. There are things the government can do to help. We have learned that the Americans are putting in steel tariffs. We build cars with steel. It is a certain type of steel. Unless the Liberals exempt steel coming from the States, there is going to be a 25% increase in costs.

I know that he knows it. Maybe we will find out today. Could the Prime Minister please let Canadians and job creators know how much this carbon tax is going to cost? The decisions the Liberals are making today will affect jobs in the future in communities like mine in Oshawa.

[Business of Supply, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, this is having a real effect in my community, and I am extremely concerned. My next door neighbour in Oshawa is a GM retiree, as is my neighbour across the street. The uncertainty of this carbon tax, the fact that the government cannot even let Canadians, job creators, and manufacturers know how much it will cost is really making a chill on the market.

Just recently, we heard Mr. Trump follow through on his threat for tariffs on American steel. We use American steel in Oshawa to press parts to build cars. If we put that up 25%, it is just more uncertainty and less competitiveness in Oshawa for us to do what we do best.

Could my colleague comment on why it is so necessary for the government give the cost us of this carbon tax? Even better, it could follow the leadership of the premier designate in Ontario, who said that he would get rid of this carbon tax. At least it could give manufacturers and people with jobs in my community a fighting chance against the American tariffs on Canadian companies and steel companies.