Erin O'Toole

[National Defence, December 13th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, 40 years ago, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau launched a modernization project for the Canadian Armed Forces to acquire a new fighter jet, the F-18. Forty years later, the son of that prime minister, this week, says he is modernizing the Canadian Armed Forces with what? The F-18.

Not only are these F-18s used, they have been used in more operational theatres and flying over low-level oceans more than Canada. Therefore, Australia has used its jets harder than we have.

This is a Liberal pattern. We saw this with used submarines where billions were spent, and there is virtually no operational capability of the Victoria-class submarine. We saw this on my aircraft, the Sea King helicopter, which we are only replacing now because of politics.

I am hoping for Christmas that the veterans in the Liberal caucus will start standing up to the Prime Minister because at Christmas nothing says merry Christmas to the troops more than used kit.

[International Trade, December 12th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the only clear plan we can see from the government is NAFTA failing. The only clear plan we see on TPP is Japan, Australia, and other countries furious with us. The only plan we see on China is a Hail Mary pass from that Prime Minister that came up many yards short.

When will the Prime Minister remove himself from Canada's trade file, get out of the way of the minister, and start standing up for the jobs that depend on trade?

[International Trade, December 12th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, two million families in Canada have jobs that rely on trade with the United States and Mexico. The Liberals' priorities for NAFTA announced this summer did not even mention the auto industry, the softwood lumber industry, and thousands of jobs in the agricultural sector. These sectors were ignored completely until midway through the rounds in the fall. With NAFTA on the brink of failure, how is the government now changing its strategy to protect these jobs dependent on trade?

[Presence in Gallery, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order arising out of question period relating to a response by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. I was quite startled by his claim that in the 10 years of the Conservative government, zero cases were pursued in response to acts of terrorism. That is what he cited to this House. What is startling about it is that as a Toronto area member, he seems to forget the Toronto 18 case that was not only pursued, but also prosecuted.

[International Trade, December 8th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister wrapped up his second visit to Asia in two months, and once again he comes home having embarrassed Canada on the trade file. He says around the world that he will only sign trade deals with his so-called progressive agenda. Then, quietly, in the U.S., they tell our NAFTA partners that all of those progressive priorities will be non-binding.

Today I am going to ask the parliamentary secretary to put aside the sheet that the PMO provided him, and confirm to us today that when he and others are in the U.S., they are telling NAFTA stakeholders that the progressive agenda will all be non-binding.

[International Trade, December 7th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals appear to be giving up on NAFTA. In China, the Prime Minister suggested that he will work on a Canada-U.S. deal if NAFTA is cancelled. Back home, Canada's chief negotiator suggests that Canada and Mexico will move ahead alone if the U.S. withdraws. The Liberal government appears to be making this up as it goes along.

Will the foreign affairs minister rise in this House today and tell us why the Prime Minister is contradicting her chief negotiator?

[Privilege, November 24th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege. It relates to the comments made by the MP for Skeena—Bulkley Valley today, who reminded this House that the government is about to appoint an official languages commissioner. I would refer you to the point I raised on May 31 in this House, which was talked about again on June 6. I have yet to receive a decision from the Chair on that question of privilege with respect to contempt on the part of the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

In those references, we provided prima facie evidence of contempt, where the evidence of Madame Meilleur, who was considered for a time as a person for the official languages post, conflicted directly with the remarks of the Minister of Canadian Heritage in this place on May 31. On June 6, there was additional information for the Speaker to consider.

I would also say that there is news from November 17 that suggests that a senior advisor in the minister's office, who had also worked at Queen's Park in the Ontario legislature, with respect to Madame Meilleur and senior PMO officials, directly contradicts what the Minister of Canadian Heritage told this House with respect to the appointment of an official languages commissioner.

There is no timeline on when the Speaker needs to respond to a question of privilege or a point of order. However, in light of the fact this was raised in May, and we are likely days away from a new person being named as the official languages commissioner, it is an additional question of privilege for me as a member that my previous question of privilege be addressed before this new person is appointed. The minister's actions with respect to the appointment process, both originally and now, are suspect and in contempt of my privileges as a member. I would like that determination from the original May 31 question of privilege to be addressed before the government proceeds with its next appointment.

Therefore, I am asking you for that decision with respect to my May 31 point to be accelerated, so that the matter can be addressed in due course.

[Foreign Affairs, November 24th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, moving from the sublime to the ridiculous, I do not need to remind the House that the Castro family has murdered thousands of people. They have denied the Cuban people fundamental democratic rights and freedoms. They have persecuted gays and lesbians for their sexual orientation. Therefore, does the Prime Minister seriously believe he should team up with the Castros to negotiate on nuclear weapons with North Korea?

[International Trade, November 24th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, the foreign affairs minister's August speech outlined Canada's progressive agenda for NAFTA, but now it seems Canada's agenda is leading to deadlock at the negotiation table. Even Ontario's premier is worried about the failure of NAFTA.

In response to the deadlock, Canada has quietly begun telling our stakeholders that all the Canadian proposals will be non-binding. Will the minister admit to the House that they have been telling NAFTA stakeholders that Canada's progressive priorities will not be binding on the United States or Mexico?

[Cannabis Act, November 24th, 2017]

Madam Speaker, as a new health minister, does it concern her that Canada's physicians, through the Canadian Medical Association, disagree with the Liberals' plan for marijuana legalization, in particular, using the age of 18 as their benchmark. This conflicts with the science on brain development and the impact of cannabis on the brain up until age 25.

Has the minister spoken to the CMA about its concerns? Does she see the adverse health impacts for young people up to age 25 as being a critical risk with cannabis? How does the bill address that risk?