Justin Trudeau

[Pharmacare, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, obviously no Canadian should have to choose between medicine and food.

Through budget 2019, we are laying the foundation for a national pharmacare program. We created the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, which works with the provinces and territories on negotiating drug prices for all Canadians. This helps reduce costs by $3 billion a year.

We also invested $500 million to establish a national strategy to access high-cost drugs used in the treatment of rare diseases. We know it is important and that is why we will continue moving forward.

[The Environment, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, our government is proud to be reaching our terrestrial and marine area protection goals. Protecting biodiversity is very important, and we are taking steps to do just that.

We have actually done more than that. We have put a price on pollution. We are phasing out coal-fired power plants. We have invested in public transit and green infrastructure. We have cut methane emissions. We are offering a rebate to those who purchase electric vehicles. We are working with the provinces to invest in greener technology.

We know that building a strong economy means investing in the future and protecting the environment.

[The Environment, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, while the NDP proposes more words, we are actually taking real action.

Our actions include putting a price on pollution, phasing out coal, investments in public transit and green infrastructure, cutting methane emissions, reaching our targets for protecting biodiversity, and protecting marine and land ecosystems.

The NDP and Conservatives continue to pick between the environment and the economy. We are always going to build both for Canadians.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are attempting to stir up fears among Canadians, but Canadians know that our immigration system is strong and that it applies to everyone crossing the border, legally or illegally.

We live in an age when people all around the world are more frequently crossing borders in search of safety or a new life. This affects Canada as well, but we have a strong, robust system that applies to everyone.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Office of the Auditor General for its report.

The report clearly demonstrates how inefficient and underfunded the asylum system was when we inherited it from the Conservatives. We committed to fix the problem and that work is already bearing fruit.

Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada to help it make fast, fair and final decisions.

We have also cleared the backlogs left by the Conservatives, who had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, once again we see the Conservatives attempting to stir up fears among Canadians about things that they do not need to be worried about. We have made sure that every single person crossing our borders, whether legally or illegally, gets processed according to all our rules. We have seen over the past years, all around the world, an increase in migration and in asylum seekers happening everywhere, and Canada is not immune to that. However, we have a strong immigration system that continues to apply all its steps to everyone crossing the border.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, we thank the Office of the Auditor General for the report, and we will of course be looking carefully at all the recommendations. What the report clearly demonstrates is how inefficient and poorly resourced the asylum system was when it was left behind by the Conservatives. We committed to fixing the underfunded asylum system, and work is already bearing fruit.

Budget 2019 includes the largest investment in the history of the IRB, to help it make fast, fair and final decisions. We have also cleared the legacy backlogs where Conservatives had people waiting up to eight years for a final hearing.

[Persons With Disabilities, May 7th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities remain under-represented in the workforce. Working with partners to address the challenges they face in securing gainful employment is important to us. That is why we are taking action to help people, regardless of their disability, to fully participate and be included in society and in the Canadian economy. We moved forward with the historic accessible Canada act and significant investments, taking the lead in advancing inclusion for persons with disabilities.

As for the program the member opposite mentioned, the existing contract has been extended and we are working with the organization to find meaningful—

[Indigenous Affairs, May 1st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I am always very pleased to talk to Premier Savikataaq and to work with his government. However, at the same time, I will make no apologies for a distinctions-based approach to reconciliation that treats indigenous communities and nations as full partners. Indeed, as we move forward on true Crown-indigenous partnerships, the work we are doing directly with the ITK complements the important work done by the territorial government.

We believe in creating more partnerships, not fewer. We will continue to fight for a better outcome for indigenous people right across the country.

[Justice, May 1st, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives continue to focus on politics and on me, I am going to stay focused on Canadians and what we are doing every day to grow the economy, to protect jobs, to lift Canadians out of poverty. That is what Canadians voted for in 2015. That is what we are going to continue to do.