Thomas Mulcair

[Foreign Affairs, September 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, when his government was elected last year, the Prime Minister said that the good old Canada was back on the world stage.

The good old Canada was committed to protecting human rights in the international arena. That means that Canada must stop selling weapons to those who violate human rights.

Will the Prime Minister agree to create a parliamentary committee to examine foreign arms sales before approving them?

[Natural Resources, September 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am not too sure what folding in means, but those first nations know that they have never been meaningfully consulted, and they have never been accommodated.

The Liberals are using Stephen Harper's targets, Stephen Harper's plan, and Stephen Harper's timelines, and the Conservatives are the only ones who are happy about it. In short, they will never be able to honour our international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

How can the Prime Minister approve new pipelines if we are already finding it impossible to reduce GHGs because we do not have a comprehensive and credible plan? That is utter nonsense.

[Indigenous Affairs, September 28th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, consultation means much more than informing indigenous communities that a project has already been approved. Six local first nations have opposed this LNG project. How was this decision announced? The Prime Minister sent three ministers to the Vancouver airport, 1,000 kilometres away from the people and territory that will be directly affected by their decision.

Does the Prime Minister really consider this to be respect for first nations?

[Labour, September 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, so often the Prime Minister's words simply do not match reality.

He said that last October 19 marked the start of a new era in labour relations with the federal government, but Canadian workers need more than words. They need a government that provides real support for labour rights.

If the Prime Minister truly believes in the right of collective bargaining, can he tell us if he will support our legislation banning the use of scabs, once and for all?

Here is a straightforward question for the Prime Minister. Will the Liberals vote for or against our anti-scab bill?

[Health, September 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Liberal government adopted Stephen Harper's deplorable greenhouse gas reduction targets. This week, the government is adopting Stephen Harper's draconian health care cuts, even though, before the election, the Minister of Foreign Affairs criticized the Conservative government because it “unilaterally refused to extend the funding agreement”.

Is that what the Prime Minister meant when he talked about real change?

[Health, September 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, let me read what the current Minister of Public Services said in the House before the election:

It is not right that throughout our country we are seeing reduced health care funding to the provinces by nearly $36 billion....

Now in government, the Liberals have adopted the health care plan of Stephen Harper. Do members hear that applause?

Was this always the Liberal plan? Attack Stephen Harper's policies to get elected and then, once in government, adopt those exact same policies?

[Natural Resources, September 27th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, when the royals arrived in Canada over the weekend, the Prime Minister said:

The Great Bear rainforest is no place for a crude oil pipeline.

British Columbians give that a big high five.

What he seems unwilling to do is to say whether he thinks the Great Bear rainforest is a place for a natural gas pipeline. Can the Prime Minister reassure British Columbians on that, or is he just going to leave them hanging?

[Indigenous Affairs, September 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, indigenous people in B.C. say that they are heartbroken by the Site C betrayal, and it is not difficult to understand why.

The Minister of Justice said that the government was “running roughshod over aboriginal title rights”, but now she has been silenced.

Instead we have the fisheries minister saying that it is actually the responsibility of BC Hydro to hold consultations and respect indigenous rights.

Will the Prime Minister assume the responsibility to consult instead of bulldozing aboriginal rights?

[Indigenous Affairs, September 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister promised to establish a genuine nation-to-nation relationship with Canada's indigenous peoples. He also signed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That means extensive consultations and accommodations are a must.

How can the Prime Minister clear the way for the Site C project when the indigenous rights issue is before the courts? Is that what he calls a respectful relationship?

[Foreign Affairs, September 22nd, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, what is that guarantee worth if it comes from a dictatorship that abuses human rights?

China is a dictatorship. It does not respect the rule of law. According to groups like Amnesty International, the country systematically violates human rights, yet the Prime Minister does not see a problem with extraditing people to China.

If China promises not to harm anyone it wants deported, will that be enough for the Prime Minister of Canada?