Justin Trudeau

[Finance, December 10th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it seems the member opposite is having trouble with the facts. The average Canadian family is actually $2,000 better off every year because of decisions we have taken on this side of the House. After Stephen Harper's anemic levels of growth, which we had to return to the depths of the Great Depression to find a government with that bad a record on growth, we have grown the economy at an average of around 3%. We have created over 700,000 new jobs over the past three years. We had the best economic growth in the G7 last year.

We are continuing to invest in Canadians. That is what Canadians voted—

[Finance, December 10th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Canadians had a choice. There were two parties that believed in cuts, while we promoted investments for the middle class and those working hard to join it.

We have lowered taxes for the middle class by raising them on the wealthiest 1%. We have delivered a more generous, fair and tax-free Canada child benefit. We now have the lowest unemployment rate in 40 years.

While the Conservatives have no plan for the economy, we will stay focused on the middle class.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we will work with the Government of Quebec to find the best way to proceed.

However, I can tell Canadians and Quebeckers that I have heard their concerns about the labour shortage, I have heard the Conseil du patronat du Québec, and I have heard business owners in Rouyn-Noranda and elsewhere who are struggling with the labour shortage and who recognize that a shortage of immigrants can lead to lower economic growth. We want to create economic growth in Quebec and across Canada, and we will work with the governments involved.

[Public Safety, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to be putting forward that report on Tuesday.

Our government has proven to be a global leader in welcoming refugees and we have more than doubled Canada's refugee numbers. We have provided a new home to more than 1,400 women and their families who endured the brutality of Daesh, 85% of whom are Yazidi.

We are not stopping there. We will continue to expedite privately sponsored applications, as well as support family reunification. We have also announced further funding of $20 million in budget 2018 to expand our refugee programming targeting women and girls.

[Health, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Winnipeg Centre for his hard work and leadership on this important issue.

We are deeply concerned about the increasing use of methamphetamine, especially in the Prairies.

Our budget 2018 included $150 million to help the provinces and territories improve access to treatment services.

We are encouraged to see that the City of Winnipeg has created a task force and that a Health Canada senior official is part of it.

We will continue working closely with our partners to tackle this scourge.

[Taxation, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we do not want to raise Canadians' taxes. We know that a healthy arts and culture industry is important.

We are investing more than $3.2 billion in our artists and creators. No other G7 country is investing more. We doubled funding for the Canada Council for the Arts. We reinvested $675 million in CBC/Radio-Canada. We gave the Canada Media Fund an extra $172 million.

We are proud to support our artists and creators, and that is what we will keep doing.

[Automotive Industry, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are focusing on the workers and their families who are going through a difficult time and need the support of every member in the House.

When I spoke last week to the Premier of Ontario, we agreed that this was a time to put partisanship aside and focus on how to support the workers in Oshawa.

From day one we have taken steps to make Canada's automotive manufacturing sector more globally competitive and innovative. We will always stand firmly behind our automotive sector and workers.

[Persons with Disabilities, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Cambridge for his hard work as chair of the committee for human resources, skills and social development and the status of persons with disabilities.

We are creating a system whereby barriers are identified and removed proactively so that all Canadians, regardless of their disability, can fully participate in society.

I am proud that last week the House unanimously supported our legislation to ensure a barrier-free Canada. This shows that when we truly work together, we can have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of Canadians.

[International Development, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives choose to play political games instead of actually looking at how we are working hard as Canadians to support the world's most vulnerable. The fact that we continue to work with UNRWA allows us to hold it to account to ensure proper accountability on where and how it spends its money, because we know that we need to support the most vulnerable in the world as opposed to continuing to have negative outcomes and funding the wrong sorts of people.

Having Canadian dollars there leads to more accountability, and that is something the entire world values.

[International Development, December 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Conservatives are so eager to play politics it puts them in the awkward position of actually opposing funding that will support nearly 340,000 of the world's most vulnerable children in conflict and crisis zones to stay in school. It is unfortunate that this is the new Conservative philosophy.

Children around the world must have equal access to quality education and learning opportunities. This is something we will always support. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have been consistent. They would rather play politics than help the world's most vulnerable.