Marc Garneau

[Taxation, June 5th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, our government is firmly committed to fighting tax evaders. Out-of-court settlements are reached through a fully independent process within the Canada Revenue Agency, in collaboration with the Department of Justice, to ensure the integrity of the tax system.

While we understand that settlements can be used appropriately in certain circumstances, we are concerned about the lack of transparency associated with them. That is why the minister has directed the CRA to review its processes to allow for greater transparency on the reasons why a settlement is reached.

[Indigenous Affairs, June 4th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, this is precisely the reason why, after Greyhound pulled out, we decided as a government to work with the provinces that wanted to fill the void left by Greyhound and not filled by other transportation companies. We would be there at the table with them. I am glad to say that, in the case of the Government of British Columbia, we will be co-financing the transportation costs associated with some northern routes, including the Highway of Tears.

[Intergovernmental Relations, June 4th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague said, respecting jurisdiction means working with the provinces. That is why I was very happy to be in Halifax on Sunday working with the Province of Nova Scotia to announce two major transportation corridor projects. Our federal government is working with the provinces to make life better for Canadians.

[Public Safety, May 30th, 2019]

Madam Speaker, of course we empathize with those affected by this year's flooding. We know that water levels are very high. There has been a lot of rain and flooding this year in the Great Lakes area, and that water eventually makes its way to the St. Lawrence. The Government of Canada has imposed speed restrictions to avoid creating waves along the banks in the Lake Saint-Pierre region.

We are very aware that it is important to put these restrictions in place, and we will continue to monitor the situation.

[Transportation, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his commitment to the issue of the vulnerability of cyclists and pedestrians, which is a very serious subject.

We published a suite of measures that can be taken at the municipal, provincial and federal levels. At the federal level, we are currently conducting pilot projects aimed at improving sightlines for truck drivers and heavy vehicle operators. Once that is complete, we will make a decision.

I encourage municipalities and provinces to increase measures to make pedestrians and cyclists less vulnerable.

[International Trade, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians saw how hard it was to negotiate this new agreement and achieve the lifting of tariffs. This was a task that all of our country was involved in. During that time, many Canadian families had real worries about whether they would lose their jobs.

Canada did its job. We have a new NAFTA deal that is a win-win-win outcome. We have a full lifting of the tariffs.

It is astonishingly irresponsible that the NDP seems prepared to plunge our country into a new negotiation and period of uncertainty.

[International Trade, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, what the NDP should realize is that reopening this deal would be like reopening Pandora's box.

This is the fruit of a whole year's effort by three countries to come up with a good deal. Either the NDP are naive in thinking that by reopening it, we are going to get a better deal, or they are playing political games. My guess is that the NDP should stand up and have the courage to say they are squarely against the NAFTA deal.

[International Trade, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP needs to understand that reopening this agreement would be like opening Pandora's box. We have an agreement that preserves $2 billion worth of trade daily.

At best, the NDP is naive, at worst, it is playing political games by suggesting that Canadians would benefit from reopening this agreement.

If the NDP is so confident, why not admit that it is firmly opposed to NAFTA?

[International Trade, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives told us many times to back down, sign a bad deal and basically just capitulate.

Canadians can be glad that we did not follow their example. If we had taken their advice, we would have an agreement with no chapter 19, the supply management system would have been completely dismantled, there would have been demands that would have decimated our auto sector, and a sunset clause would have made investing in Canada impossible. Thank God we did not listen to them.

[International Trade, May 30th, 2019]

Mr. Speaker, should I remind the Conservatives that in the last three and a half years, we have created one million jobs? We will compare our record of the last three and a half years to everything the Harper government did during its last 10 years.

The new NAFTA deal preserves our vital access to the U.S. market. Do my colleagues know how much that is? It is $2 billion every single day.

This is the most important trade deal in the world, and we got it right.