44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 28, 2022 11:00AM
- Feb/28/22 2:43:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada sends half a billion dollars per year to Russia to import its oil. The government has clearly chosen against building Canadian pipelines. The result was a decision by the Liberal government to instead fund the oppressive regime in Russia. The government boasts about giving $120 million to Ukraine and then sends half a billion dollars per year to Russia to fund Putin's war machine.
Does the government now realize that its choice to kill Canadian energy projects has funded Russia's invasion of Ukraine?
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- Feb/28/22 2:44:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the current situation in Ukraine underscores the importance of energy security, both in Canada and for our allies in Europe. We are working actively with our allies on both short-term and longer-term energy supply options with respect to ensuring that energy security is top of mind in Europe and is ongoing.
I will correct my hon. colleague, as 2019 was the last year when crude oil was imported into Canada. His figures are actually incorrect.
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- Feb/28/22 2:44:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadian oil is the most environmentally sustainable on the planet. Refineries in my riding are part of the energy economy that is a fifth of our GDP.
Why does Liberal ideology always want to shut down Canadian oil in favour of production from dictators and people who violate human rights?
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- Feb/28/22 2:45:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, certainly the oil and gas sector in this country is an important part of this economy. It will continue to be an important part of this economy, but as I said to the previous questioner, the hon. member is simply incorrect. The last time crude oil was imported into Canada at the Irving Oil refinery was in 2019.
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- Feb/28/22 2:45:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as long as we need oil and natural gas, we on this side of the House will always stand up for this Canadian energy sector.
Over the past 20 years, Canadians have purchased $13 billion worth of Russian oil from Putin. I am sorry, but we do not need that. Meanwhile, the government's goal is to slowly eliminate Canada's energy potential.
Why, with its ideologically narrow-minded and closed-off attitude, is the government once again putting us in a position where we have to defend Canadian energy?
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- Feb/28/22 2:46:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is one of the best countries for businesses. Under our government, oil imports have consistently declined, having reached their lowest level in 10 years.
This is certainly an important issue, and we are working with our partners in Europe and the United States to ensure energy security.
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- Feb/28/22 2:46:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today's IPCC report is a dire warning about the consequences of empty Liberal promises. The brief window to ensure a livable future is rapidly closing. While Canadians are scared about the future, the Prime Minister is sticking his head in the sand. He is ignoring the science, handing out billions to big oil and gas and buying pipelines to fight the climate crisis. Canada has missed every single climate target. We have the worst record of any G7 country.
We are in a climate emergency. When is the government going to start acting like it?
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- Feb/28/22 2:47:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the IPCC report shows what people around the world already know: that countries need to take bold action to tackle climate change and adapt actions to fight climate change. We must cut our emissions and build resiliency through our society. Canadians cannot afford another term of Conservative inaction on this file. Since we took office in 2015, our government has committed more than $100 billion to climate action, and we are now developing Canada's first-ever national adaptation strategy.
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- Feb/28/22 2:47:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the planet cannot afford the current environment minister. I encourage him to actually read the IPCC report, which has been described as “an atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership”. There we have exhibit one.
The government held 6,800 backroom meetings with big oil. It left taxpayers on the hook for a $21-billion pipeline. It has given heavy subsidies to the oil industry, which is now talking about massive increases in production.
The planet is on fire. Why is the minister letting the big oil lobby lead him around by the nose when he should be standing up for Canadians and standing up for the planet?
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- Feb/28/22 2:48:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would remind my hon. colleague that through carbon pricing we went all the way to the Supreme Court against four provinces, including his province and my own, to fight to ensure we could use one of the best tools to fight climate change, which is carbon pricing. We are still unfortunately fighting in the courts against some provinces to continue to be able to fight for Canadians and for the health of our children and grandchildren when it comes to climate change.
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- Feb/28/22 2:49:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Many business owners from my riding of Ottawa South had to close their downtown establishments in the face of the illegal blockades. The occupation carried on for more than 20 days, and the cost to local businesses was simply staggering.
Could the minister please update the House on what measures the government is taking to help these very hard-hit small businesses?
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- Feb/28/22 2:49:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on February 19, 2022, I announced the Government of Canada would make an investment of up to $20 million to provide non-repayable contributions to Ottawa businesses that had suffered financial loss due to the illegal blockades. This announcement reinforces our government's commitment to helping communities, families and businesses build a strong and resilient economic recovery. We continue to work to ensure businesses affected get the supports they need.
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- Feb/28/22 2:50:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Coutts, Emerson and Windsor borders were cleared before the Prime Minister invoked the Emergencies Act. It was not required for demonstrators to leave Ottawa either. Security and financial experts say there were no real threats to Canada and no suspicious financial activity. A lawyer who actually helped draft the act said it was unnecessary, that the burden of proof was not convincingly met and that there was “no evidence” of a threat to the security of Canada.
What changed between the Prime Minister supporting it on Monday night and revoking it on Wednesday?
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- Feb/28/22 2:50:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act was essential to law enforcement success in ending blockades and protests across the country. We always said we would not keep the act in force for any longer than was necessary, and we made good on that commitment. As we have said since the beginning, we are acting on the advice of law enforcement members and giving them the tools they need. We will continue to provide all of the enforcement tools that are required to maintain public safety.
I again want to thank all the members of the RCMP and law enforcement for the exceptional job they did.
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- Feb/28/22 2:51:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister implied that protesters were terrorists. On Friday, the deputy director of FINTRAC was asked if terrorists were using crowdfunding platforms to launder money. He said, “We have not seen them. It is not a high risk”, but Canadians' accounts were frozen and sweeping powers were put in place. Last week, Conservatives asked if the Liberals got a legal opinion. The justice minister just said that he felt standards were met, which is not, of course, an actual legal assessment.
I will ask again. Will the Liberals release the legal opinion to Canadians? What changed in 36 hours?
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- Feb/28/22 2:52:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Emergencies Act was brought in during the mid-1980s. In direct response to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in this country, it provides for rigorous parliamentary oversight both in this place and in the other place. It also provides for review and, most importantly, the act requires that every measure that is undertaken under the act be compliant with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We will always respect the charter.
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- Feb/28/22 2:52:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last Monday evening, despite the objections of the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois and even members of its own caucus, the government voted in support of the invocation of the Emergencies Act. By this time, the blockades and the protests had all resolved, yet unbelievably in less than 48 hours the government did a complete 180° and revoked the act.
My question is simple. What changed?
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- Feb/28/22 2:53:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear that the impact of the illegal blockades was devastating. We saw borders shut, we saw Canadians laid off, and we saw our communities and our neighbourhoods in danger. That is the reason why we had to invoke the Emergencies Act, and we did so on the basis of non-partisan, professional advice from law enforcement. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police supported us. The Canadian Police Association supported us, and all of the measures that were exercised were done with restraint, professionally and in a manner that was consistent with the charter.
That is what we expected from law enforcement. They carried out the responsibilities with great professionalism, and we thank them for their work.
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- Feb/28/22 2:53:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister used the Emergencies Act against protesters to freeze bank accounts, impound vehicles and arrest protesters, all of which could have been done with existing laws and bylaws. Canadians were led to believe that protesters were involved in acts of sedition and plots to overthrow the government, yet just charges relating to mischief were laid.
Other than dropping in poll numbers, exactly what changed in 36 hours for the Prime Minister to terminate the use of the Emergencies Act?
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- Feb/28/22 2:54:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what I can very simply explain to my colleague across the way is that the emergency measures and the measures we provided to law enforcement worked. In fact, we saw the illegal blockades that were tormenting the people of Ottawa removed from the streets, and the threat against our international borders and trade corridors was successfully removed.
We relied on the information from the RCMP and our law enforcement partners to determine what was required. We provided them with the tools to do the job, and they did the job very ably.
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