Rona Ambrose

[Ethics, November 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a coincidence that these billionaires the Prime Minister meets with actually want something from him. One of the guests at the mansion in May wanted government approval for a new bank in Canada—so, an individual pays $1,500 for exclusive access to the Prime Minister and that individual will get final approval for a bank a few months later.

Not only does this event break the Prime Minister's own ethics rules, but it does not pass the smell test. He could stop this right away. Why does he not?

[Ethics, November 22nd, 2016]

Again, Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the Prime Minister to the House.

We all know that the Prime Minister would rather hang out with billionaires than answer questions in Parliament. When he is not mingling with them in Sun Valley or Davos, he is hitting them up for Liberal Party donations back home. In May, in fact, Chinese billionaires paid $1,500 for exclusive access to the Prime Minister at a Toronto mansion.

Rubbing elbows with millionaires at these cash for access events does not pass the smell test, and the Prime Minister knows it. Why does he keep doing it?

[Ethics, November 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome the Prime Minister back to the House for the first time since November 2. We all know that the Prime Minister likes—

[International Development, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is well documented that schools run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency within the Palestinian authority have incited terrorism against Israel. The Conservative government rightly cut UNRWA's funding, because we had no assurances about where the money was going.

While the Prime Minister claims to support Israel, his actions prove otherwise. How can he ensure these dollars will not put Israeli citizens at further risk, or is this just another down payment of Canadian tax dollars to win him a UN Security Council seat?

[International Trade, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, NAFTA is Canada's most important trade agreement, as it generates thousands of jobs for Canadian families. These families are already suffering because the Prime Minister has not created even one new full-time job. Now, their jobs are at risk because the Prime Minister is naive when it comes to free trade.

If he is prepared to renegotiate NAFTA, what does he hope to obtain in exchange for jobs in the forestry and pork industries?

[Natural Resources, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, we do not have anything against it, we just want it to get built.

We are waiting, but now we have a great opportunity before us. Keystone XL can help get our Canadian oil to the Gulf coast, get a better price for our oil, and create badly needed jobs.

However, instead of proudly standing up for Canadian energy workers, the Prime Minister who, during the election, claimed that he supported Keystone, has gone silent.

Why did the Prime Minister mislead energy workers?

[Infrastructure, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities confessed to reporters about his bank, “Obviously there are a lot of questions about the design of the bank, the governance of the bank, and the broad details around it, which we will be figuring out....”

For taxpayers this sounds expensive. Billionaire investors will not be loaning the Liberals money out of the goodness of their hearts. They will expect a healthy return on their investment no matter what.

My question is simple. When a project goes over budget, and many times they do, will taxpayers be on the hook, yes or no?

[International Trade, November 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, within hours of the polls closing in the U.S., the Prime Minister was offering to sacrifice the Canadian jobs that depend on our most important trade deal as a welcoming gift to the new U.S. President.

NAFTA has created jobs, helped our economy grow, and provided market certainty to Canadian exporters for years.

The Prime Minister's actions have caused uncertainty when we can least afford it. Two specific industries, beef and lumber, are in the crosshairs.

Why is the Prime Minister in a rush to open up NAFTA when there are so many jobs on the line?

[Infrastructure, November 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, if foreign billionaires loan the Canadian government money for bridges, hospitals, and schools, they are not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. They are looking for a return. Jobs will be a cost that is kept to a minimum, and taxpayer dollars will come second to their profits whenever a project goes over budget.

Can the Prime Minister explain what safeguards he will put in place to ensure that taxpayer dollars are treated with respect, and do not simply become a backstop for the margins of billionaire investors?

[Infrastructure, November 15th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's infrastructure bank should offer his billionaire buddies a return on their investment. This means user fees and tolls. The Prime Minister eliminated the toll from the Champlain Bridge. Is he now saying that he supports tolls?

Who will make these decisions, the Prime Minister, mayors, the provinces, or investment firms?