44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 5, 2022 10:00AM
- May/5/22 2:37:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is very important that we are talking about Canada-U.S. relations, as U.S. trade representative Katherine Tai is presently here in Ottawa, meeting with the Minister of International Trade. This underscores how important this relationship is and the work that is ongoing.
With respect to the member's specific question with regard to trade irritants that relate to CUSMA, he knows the extensive work that was done by the now deputy prime minister in terms of engaging in a strong agreement that protects Canadian interests. That is the first point.
The second point is that when CUSMA violations are triggered, we have been assertive and will always be assertive in defending Canadian interests and the interests of Canadian businesses to defend their economic success in this country.
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- May/5/22 2:38:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is experiencing the sharpest rise in inflation it has seen in the past three decades. Unfortunately, wages are not keeping up, and households are struggling to keep their heads above water.
Nearly three-quarters of Quebeckers think inflation is a serious problem. What does this government say? It says it is a global problem.
What does the Prime Minister have to say to families who are faced with agonizing choices like whether to buy groceries or pay the rent?
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- May/5/22 2:38:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to bash the Canadian economy with their false rhetoric, but the truth is that Canada is well positioned to weather the economic storm caused by Putin and COVID‑19.
According to the IMF, we will have the fastest growing economy in the G7 this year and next. Of course, S&P reaffirmed Canada's AAA credit rating last week.
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- May/5/22 2:39:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the finance minister is saying that constituents who come see us in our constituency offices are liars.
The reality is that house prices have gone up by 21% in the Quebec City area. Owning a house now costs 21% more. Gas now costs nearly 2% more.
What do the Liberals have to say to Canadians, to Quebeckers and to our constituents who come to our constituency offices and are fed up? That is the reality.
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- May/5/22 2:39:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one would think the Conservatives are criticizing a fictitious economic policy, not the budget we tabled.
Maybe they should take note of what Stephen Harper's former director of communications said, and that is that the budget is prudent and reasonable. This is a budget for a booming economy that will achieve a near zero deficit in five years.
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- May/5/22 2:40:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have an email. Rachel and her partner have been renting their apartment, but are now expecting a baby. Like most Canadians, they want a home that has a bit more space. The problem is they cannot afford a home and have been outbid on every attempt. In the latest budget it says, “Don't worry, here's $500”. Five hundred dollars barely covers two weeks' rent in most places.
The minister is completely out of touch, so should Canadians simply give up on home ownership while he is minister?
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- May/5/22 2:41:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member opposite's constituents on expecting their baby because there is good news: In Alberta, child care costs have gone down 50%. In fact, I was just in Edmonton and Calgary a couple of weeks ago talking to parents who had benefited from reduced child care fees. They have said it is actually the equivalent of a mortgage payment. We are working every single day to help families with affordability, and we are going to keep doing that.
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- May/5/22 2:41:51 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government's budget rewards failure. The failing Infrastructure Bank gets more money and an expanded mandate. The Liberals are using the same broken model for the $15-billion new innovation slush fund. The underwhelming supercluster program gets a sweet renewal and, of course, the government has ignored inflation warnings and increased the carbon tax, punishing farmers and Canadians.
The unpopular housing incentive programs are not being changed. Why is breaking up so hard to do?
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- May/5/22 2:42:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad to finally get a question from the members opposite on infrastructure, which is something that is so crucial in this country and creates good jobs right across the country. The Canada Infrastructure Bank has invested in 33 projects: nine in public transit, seven in clean power and five in green infrastructure.
The member opposite should maybe be careful, because his next future leader has said about the Canada Infrastructure Bank that it is a game-changer, and municipalities would not have been able to make those investments without it. He might want to speak to Patrick Brown before he goes too far in this line of questioning.
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- May/5/22 2:43:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is an immigration crisis, but when Quebec asks for more control to address the issue itself, the Prime Minister says that Canada will continue to be in charge because Quebec is not a country. It is as simple as that.
Imagine hearing that when you are one of the 29,000 immigrants living in Quebec whose application is stuck in Ottawa's broken machinery. They will not help because Quebec is not a country. Is that really their answer? How pathetic.
Has the Prime Minister forgotten that we are talking about real people with real problems?
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- May/5/22 2:44:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member is right: Quebec selects the majority of itans immigrants. Every year, Quebec issues more Quebec selection certificates than the immigration thresholds set out in Quebec's immigration plan.
The federal government cannot process more files than Quebec asks it to. We cannot exceed Quebec's thresholds. We will respect Quebec's jurisdiction in immigration. We will process applications in accordance with Quebec's plan.
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- May/5/22 2:45:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, to address the labour shortage in the regions, Quebec is appealing to foreign workers, but after being accepted by Quebec, they are rejected by Ottawa.
Imagine that. Our businesses invest up to $20,000 per candidate, and Quebec issues its approval swiftly, only for the federal government to reject these temporary workers, claiming that they might end up wanting to stay here.
Our SMEs need workers now. When will the government fix its broken machinery? It is getting in the way of Quebec's efforts to address its labour needs.
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- May/5/22 2:46:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we know that immigration is an integral part of addressing the labour shortage. IRCC is prioritizing work permit processing for in-demand occupations in industries such as health, agriculture, food and seafood production.
I would like to point out that in the first quarter of 2022, we processed more than 100,000 work permit applications, nearly double the number of work permits processed over the same period last year.
We will continue to ensure that Canadian employers have access to workers.
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- May/5/22 2:46:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every spring, Quebec farmers need temporary foreign workers. Every year, Ottawa hems and haws. This affects the agricultural sector, as well as many more of Quebec's economic sectors, and it affects our regions most of all.
Our regions need foreign workers, but the federal government is taking its sweet time and even rejecting some applications.
It seems pretty simple to me. Quebec says yes to a worker, Ottawa rubber-stamps the application, and it is on to the next one.
Why are things always so complicated when Ottawa is involved?
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- May/5/22 2:46:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I always appreciate the opposition's questions, and I am always grateful to my colleagues for their support for immigration and the work our government is doing for temporary foreign workers, because we know they play an important role and are vital to food security.
I would also like to emphasize that these people are entitled to safety. We have taken several measures over the past few months, and we will continue to accept applicants.
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- May/5/22 2:47:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in every federal prison across Canada, the Government of Canada is upholding the right of inmates to choose whether they receive a COVID-19 vaccination. However, the same is not given to correctional officers and public servants tasked with running our institutions, and some of them are even losing their jobs over this.
Why is the Government of Canada applying one set of standards for correctional officers and public servants, and another set of rights for federal inmates?
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- May/5/22 2:48:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, from the beginning of the pandemic, we have committed to Canadians that we will protect their health and safety. We have put in place measures to protect workers and our communities. As circumstances change, we adjust these measures and we have always followed advice from public health experts. We committed to review this policy every six months, and that review is under way.
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- May/5/22 2:48:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP-Liberal government has said it will discuss changing the vaccination requirements for federal workers, but we still have not heard of any discussions or changes. Many of those who cannot work because they are not fully vaccinated have no benefits and no income.
Why is the NDP-Liberal government continuing to break the backs of working Canadians with these vindictive federal mandates?
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- May/5/22 2:49:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said before, having a fully vaccinated workforce makes our workforce and our communities safer. We asked employees to step up, and 99% of public servants have been fully vaccinated or attested to having been fully vaccinated. We committed to review this policy every six months. This review is under way, and any decisions will be based on science and the advice of public health officials.
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- May/5/22 2:49:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, recently I received a very concerning email from the general manager of the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority. He warned that the continued use of the ArriveCAN app would result in much longer processing times and lengthy border wait times as we approach the summer tourism season. Further, these border delays will discourage cross-border travel, and will continue to adversely impact the hard-hit tourism sector in Niagara.
When will the federal government help the tourism sector in Niagara and in Canada by ending the use of the ArriveCAN app?
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