Justin Trudeau

[Marijuana, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to acknowledge that everyone across Canada and in every jurisdiction agrees that it is time to put an end to the present system, which fails to protect our children and puts billions of dollars every year into the hands of organized crime, and replace it with a better system that controls and regulates the sale of marijuana.

We consulted experts, we worked very hard, and we listened to what the experts had to say. Our decision has been made and we firmly believe that these measures are the best way to protect Canadians, our youth, and our communities, and that is what we are going to do.

[Natural Resources, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps we have just seen why the Conservatives were unable to get the pipeline built for 10 years. They do not have confidence in the workers, in the oil sector, or in the capacity of Canadians to get these resources to market profitably. That is what we are hearing from them. They do not believe this pipeline is going to work.

On this side of the House, we have Alberta's back. We have Canada's back. We are there to make sure that we get our resources to new markets, despite the worries and naysaying of the Conservative Party of Canada.

[Natural Resources, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to inform the member opposite that the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board operates at arm's length, with a mandate to invest in the best interests of its members. Many investors have already expressed interest in the project, including indigenous groups, Canadian pension funds, and others.

The fact that we are moving forward and succeeding, where the Conservatives failed for 10 years to get our exports to markets other than the United States, is making them grasp at straws, and flailing for partisan approaches, when they should be pleased that for once we have actually delivered what they could not do for—

[Natural Resources, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest it is the NDP that just does not get it because not having access to markets other than the United States for our oil resources is costing us $15 billion per year.

The Conservatives spent 10 years trying to diversify our energy resource markets, but they failed. We are succeeding because we know that creating jobs and economic growth while protecting our environment is the best way to build a strong future for all Canadians. That is exactly what we are doing.

[Natural Resources, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives failed to secure access to markets other than the United States for Canadian resources for over 10 years. This failure is costing $15 billion a year to Canadians. The NDP believes that this enormous cost should continue to apply to Canadians every single year.

It is critically important that we diversify our export markets all the while making historical investments to protect our environment. While the NDP's plan is to keep Canadian resources locked into a single market, we are working to protect and create Canadian jobs, while protecting the environment for future generations.

[Public Services and Procurement, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we are lucky to have a world-class public service, which just last year was recognized as the most effective in the world.

We are working to change the culture in the public service following 10 years of Conservative government that muzzled scientists, used tax dollars for partisan advertising, and made irresponsible and ideologically driven cuts.

We were given a mandate to restore a culture of respect for and within Canada's non-partisan public service, and to instill a culture of experimentation, evidence-based policy, and implementation.

We will continue to work towards achieving that objective, and as the head of the public service said, there is still more work to do.

[Foreign Affairs, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threat towards Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime. We will always defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions.

We led a resolution at the UN in November calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations. We continue to maintain sanctions on Iran, which include restrictions on sensitive goods and a list of individuals and entities subject to asset freezes with whom all transactions involving property are prohibited.

[International Trade, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am going to return to the previous question, because I want everyone to be very clear on this. I do not know exactly where the Conservatives are going with it, but I am going to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The sunset clause has been something that I have said without equivocation from the beginning would be unacceptable in a NAFTA. I have said that many times to the President. The President has not, so far, as far as we know, and we have seen his tweets, responded to or withdrawn his offer, his demand, for a sunset clause in NAFTA. Let us be very clear about that.

[International Trade, June 13th, 2018]

No, Mr. Speaker. With the American President, as we do regularly, we engaged on a broad range of subjects. I reiterated that the sunset clause on NAFTA would be absolutely unacceptable, that Canada could never sign a NAFTA with a sunset clause in it, and he did not immediately back down.

[International Trade, June 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I can state without equivocation, that the United States has not yet waived its demand for a NAFTA sunset clause.