Guy Caron

[Natural Resources, April 30th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, when on the one hand first nations groups are told that no decision has been made in regard to the Kinder Morgan pipeline, and on the other hand and at the same time, a top government official instructs her staff “to give cabinet a legally-sound basis for saying 'yes'” to pipelines, we can safely conclude that first nations were deceived by the government. We can also conclude that the whole process was rigged and that approval of the pipelines was in the cards all along.

Is the minister denying it?

[Natural Resources, April 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the minister calls it historic consultations; I call it deceptive consultations.

Either the minister is complicit in this charade or he does not know what is happening in his own department.

His own associate deputy minister, Erin O'Gorman, ordered her staff to give cabinet a sound legal argument for saying yes to Kinder Morgan, while public servants were assuring first nations representatives that a decision had not yet been made. I am not making this up. The media is not making this up. That is what it says in internal documents that were obtained through an access to information request.

Does the minister still dare to deny it?

[Natural Resources, April 26th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about indigenous consultations. In late October 2016, weeks before the pipeline's public approval, assistant deputy minister Erin O'Gorman of the Department of Natural Resources instructed her staff to “give cabinet a legally sound basis to say yes” to Kinder Morgan's pipeline. However, only minutes before, first nations representatives were assured by federal officials that the government had not made a decision on the pipeline.

None of the six organizations that were present actually denied that O'Gorman gave those instructions. Is the minister denying it?

[Natural Resources, April 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Prime Minister does not realize just how serious the situation is.

Once again, while his government was probably genuinely consulting first nations about the project, his senior officials were talking to the public service in an attempt to obtain a legal basis for saying “yes” and expedite the project's approval. Indigenous legal experts were troubled by these directives.

Will the Prime Minister commit to releasing all the documentation, and I did say all of the pertinent documentation, associated with the assessment of the Kinder Morgan project, yes or no?

[Natural Resources, April 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I feel awful, because I can see that the Prime Minister is not reading from a sheet of paper on this issue.

I would like to address a very serious concern, which is that the government's review of the Kinder Morgan pipeline project was rigged from the get-go. We are worried, because we know that Kinder Morgan lobbied the government more than 36 times in 2016 to try to get the green light on this project.

Our leader, Jagmeet Singh, and I have asked the Prime Minister for full disclosure of all the documents related to the approval. Will he agree to be fully transparent and release those documents?

[Natural Resources, April 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the Prime Minister understood the question. Officials from his government have publicly said that the government had to find a way to expedite the process or find legal ways to say yes. The Prime Minister promised us a new, more rigorous environmental assessment process, but it is becoming clear that Kinder Morgan was able to get on the inside track. It is as though the CEO of Kinder Morgan had a direct line to the Minister of Natural Resources.

How can the Prime Minister continue to lead people to believe that this was a balanced process when it is becoming increasing clear that the dice were loaded from the start?

[Natural Resources, April 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we now have a media report claiming that the process to approve Kinder Morgan was rigged, following lobbying from a Texas oil company. The report quotes government officials as saying that after the resources minister met with Kinder Morgan, the government rushed the review process and instructed staff to find “a legally sound basis to say 'yes'” to the Trans Mountain pipeline.

Was the Prime Minister aware that members of his government pressured officials to rush the review and produce a positive result for Kinder Morgan?

[Attack in Toronto, April 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's tragic attack in Toronto is cause for all Canadians to pause and remember the 10 lives that were taken and the 15 who were injured.

Our thoughts are with the victims of this tragedy, as well as their families and loved ones. You are not alone, and our hearts go out to you.

Canadians are deeply grateful for the heroic work of first responders and those aiding the injured. Their courage and determination is the embodiment of the values Canadians hold dear.

Constable Ken Lam's bravery deserves special recognition. His restraint and calm in the face of chaos is an example of professionalism and courage. I have no doubt that this intervention will be held as an example for those training for the police forces.

We will not let this attack sow hatred or division among us.

Like Canada, Toronto is strong, diverse, loving, and courageous. Nothing that happened yesterday will change that. We will come together, we will mourn, we will see justice, and we we will remain strong.

[Health, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in their 1997 election platform, the Liberals were already talking about the urgent need for a universal pharmacare program. That was 21 years ago, and we are still waiting.

The purpose of an election is for parties to present their political agendas. Election promises should never be just words. Once the party takes power, it must be willing to keep those promises. Canadians want the government to work on implementing a universal pharmacare program now, and that is what they deserve. They do not want to have to wait until the next election campaign only to hear the same promise.

Do the Liberals plan to conduct another study to buy time and then make the same promise in 2019?

[Health, April 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragic incident, their families and, of course, the people of Toronto. We will be closely following any developments.

At least one in five Canadians must choose between purchasing prescription medication and stocking the fridge. This is why a universal pharmacare program makes sense.

Good ideas have nothing to do with politics. Our policies include a universal pharmacare program, and the members of the Liberal Party decided to vote in favour of it, as they also did in 2016.

Will the government take this opportunity to immediately create a universal pharmacare program?