Justin Trudeau

[Taxation, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have and will continue to take action on tax avoidance and tax evasion, but it is nice that the members opposite are bringing up pharmacare, because we recognize on this side of the House that Canadians pay too much for prescription drugs, and our government is taking bold action now to bring down prices. We joined the provinces and territories as a member of the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance, which negotiates lower drug prices on behalf of public drug plans. Through budget 2017, we are investing over $140 million to help improve access to pharmaceuticals and to support innovations within the health care system. We are going to continue to ensure that Canadians can better afford the—

[Taxation, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be able to answer the member's question by talking about what we are doing on social housing.

Working with the provinces, we are investing $40 billion in affordable social housing across the country. These are historic and unprecedented investments. We are investing in our indigenous communities to end boil water advisories nationwide by 2021. We are also investing in Canadians in need and middle-class Canadians through the Canada child benefit. We are going to continue to invest in those in need.

[Taxation, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians expect, we are moving forward to combat tax evasion and tax avoidance. We put close to $1 billion in our first two budgets towards the Canada Revenue Agency to ensure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes.

That is exactly what we are continuing to do. We will continue to make sure that everyone pays their fair share of taxes. That is what Canadians expect of us.

[Taxation, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we understand that it is important that the data used by the parliamentary budget officer be reliable and accurate. That is why we have enhanced the position of the PBO and made him an officer of Parliament after Harper's Conservatives spent years undermining his credibility.

As far as the CRA's data is concerned, the Agency has concluded an agreement with the PBO and will, by the end of the month, provide it its data in a manner geared to protect Canadians' privacy. We will continue to support and respect the work of officers of Parliament.

[Natural Resources, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite want to know what steps we will take. We will get the pipeline built.

[Natural Resources, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I made it very clear that we will get the pipelines built. We know it is in the country's interest. This situation is interesting because we know there are people in British Columbia who oppose the pipelines. I am telling them that the pipelines will be built anyway. When Alberta Conservatives go on about the pipeline not being built, however, they are undermining the process and creating uncertainty. We have said it before, and we will say it again: we will get the pipeline built.

[Natural Resources, February 13th, 2018]

Again, Mr. Speaker, for 10 years those members talked up the energy industry but actually could not deliver for it. What was I doing? I went down to Washington, D.C., to make the pitch for Keystone XL to a group of American Democrats. That is what I was doing while I was leader of the third party.

I have continued to focus on delivering it. I have focused on making sure we protect the environment and grow the economy together. That is exactly what we are doing and that is why they keep talking down our chances of getting that pipeline built. We will get it built.

[Natural Resources, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I find it humorous that members opposite are talking about showing leadership. For 10 years they did not get anything built and when they approved the northern gateway pipeline, which was not a very good pipeline, they did it by press release in the middle of the night. When we approved the Kinder Morgan pipeline, I stood at a press conference, announced it myself, and then crossed the country taking responsibility for it and demonstrating that it is in the national interest.

For 10 years they had a failed process that could not get things built. We know that by restoring public trust, by protecting the environment, we can grow the economy.

[Natural Resources, February 13th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have always said that we will make sure that the environment and the economy go together. Unlike what the previous government did, we have taken action exactly on that. We have moved forward on a national plan to reduce carbon emissions. We have moved forward on historic oceans protection. We are moving forward on projects like the Kinder Morgan pipeline that will get our resources to new markets safely and securely. That is what Canadians expect.

That is why I have been across the country speaking with premiers, speaking with Canadians, hearing from both sides of the argument, and remaining steadfast. The Kinder Morgan pipeline will be built.

[Indigenous Affairs, February 12th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we agree. When indigenous adults make up 3% of our population but 26% of our incarcerated population, there is a problem. When indigenous Canadians are significantly under-represented on juries and in jury selection pools, we have a problem. We have much we need to do together to fix the system. In the spirit of reconciliation, that is exactly what we are going to be doing.