44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 29, 2022 10:00AM
- Nov/29/22 2:36:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has the tools he needs to stand up and answer the question. He would know if his officials, the police or intelligence bodies briefed him on any foreign interference in elections. That is the specific question I have now asked seven times. At first, the Prime Minister refused to give a proper answer, and now he is refusing to even take to his feet and face the question.
I will ask one last time. Was he ever briefed on interference by foreign actors in our elections, yes or no?
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- Nov/29/22 2:37:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we obviously share the concern of all members of the House about the importance of protecting Canadian democracy from any foreign interference, and we know that authoritarian regimes around the world have attacked other western democracies for many reasons and for many years.
That is why we thought it was important to take all steps necessary to protect our democratic institutions. As the Leader of the Opposition will know, we set up the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians, something the previous Conservative government did not do, and they have access to that confidential information.
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- Nov/29/22 2:38:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the holiday season is fast approaching, but Canadians are not really in the mood for a celebration. Inflation is stretching families thin, food banks are overwhelmed and the profile of those seeking help is changing. Some people used to donate food, but now they are the ones coming to get it. Even people with good jobs are asking for help.
Families have a simple wish list for 2023. Can the Liberals guarantee that they will not raise taxes?
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- Nov/29/22 2:39:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin my answers today with some good news for Canadian families. This week, on Thursday, December 1, Canadians will be able to start applying for the Canada dental benefit. This means that parents of children under the age of 12 will be able to claim $650 for dental visits. This is good news for Canadians and I hope everyone will use this program.
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- Nov/29/22 2:39:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree that kids should get the treatment they need, but even more important than dental care, they need to be able to eat. Some 30% of food bank users are children. Kids are going hungry and they are going to school on an empty stomach.
I remind the House that the basic needs of a child include food, water, a roof over their head and access to medicine when they are ill. Can the government guarantee that it will not raise taxes?
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- Nov/29/22 2:40:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am a little surprised by the comments of the member opposite, because I think he voted against dental care for Canadian families. It is important to be honest with Canadians and make sure they know who voted for children's dental care, a necessary and fair program, and who voted against it.
I want to take this opportunity to point out that this great program, which begins on Thursday, is a plan that the Conservatives voted against.
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- Nov/29/22 2:41:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government wanted to add China to the trans-Pacific partnership. It wanted to negotiate a free trade agreement with China. It seems to be ignoring the advice of its very own security services. What kind of credibility do this government and this Prime Minister have if that is their policy on China, which may very well want to keep doing these things? The government is hiding the facts from its very own people.
At the very least, will it tell us whether one of these 11 MPs received funds and was elected?
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- Nov/29/22 2:41:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the government has said, we too are concerned about the threat of foreign interference. That is exactly why we created two committees that operate independently. Both committees found that the 2019 and 2021 federal election results were free and fair.
Going forward, we will continue to invest in making sure we have all the tools we need to protect Canadians' interests.
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- Nov/29/22 2:42:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a study by the AQDR and the Observatoire québécois des inégalités shows that half of seniors do not have the income necessary to live in dignity, and we are not just talking about seniors aged 75 and over. These numbers do not even take into account the record inflation that is currently affecting the cost of groceries and housing.
Unlike the government, inflation does not discriminate against seniors based on their age. We have a study here that shows that half of seniors do not have a livable income. What more will it take for this government to increase the old age security pension for all seniors aged 65 and up?
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- Nov/29/22 2:42:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize the challenges that seniors are facing, and our government has been there for them.
We are delivering for them by doubling the GST credit, which is going to help 11 million people. That is why we are providing dental and rental support. This summer, we permanently increased old age security for seniors aged 75 and over. That is $800 more for full pensioners. That is why we increased the guaranteed income supplement, which is helping over 900,000 seniors and has lifted 45,000 seniors out of poverty.
On this side of the House, we are going to continue to deliver for seniors.
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- Nov/29/22 2:43:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that is not what I am talking about. The Liberals gave seniors aged 75 and up a $500 election cheque, but they gave nothing to seniors aged 65 to 74. They are increasing OAS by 10% for seniors aged 75 and up, but they are not giving seniors aged 65 to 74 a penny more. That is the discrimination that I am talking about. Enough is enough.
Half of seniors are living in situations of insecurity. The government knows it. The government could increase OAS by $110 a month for all seniors starting at age 65, as we have been proposing for years. However, the government chooses to do nothing.
Why?
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- Nov/29/22 2:44:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since 2015, our government has been there to support seniors. This summer, we delivered on our promise to increase old age security by 10% for those 75 and older, strengthening support for Canadian seniors. On this side of the House, we increased the guaranteed income supplement, which has helped over 900,000 single seniors and lifted over 45,000 seniors out of poverty. That is why we doubled the GST credit. That is going to help 11 million Canadians.
On this side of the House, we are going to continue to make sure we support all Canadians, including seniors.
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- Nov/29/22 2:44:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the government is not answering our very legitimate questions. We know the Prime Minister has been briefed at least three times about foreign interference since the 2019 election. In the briefings, CSIS mentioned Beijing’s foreign interference and also mentioned politicians and riding associations being targeted.
I have a simple question. Was the Prime Minister told about Beijing targeting candidates in the 2019 or 2021 election?
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- Nov/29/22 2:45:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague has heard on many occasions now, we had independent panels look at allegations of foreign interference. He can also be assured, as all members can, that the RCMP and CSIS have their eyes wide open when it comes to potential threats of foreign interference.
We are giving the community all the tools and resources it needs so we can protect all of our institutions, including for elections. That is something all members should share as a common objective.
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- Nov/29/22 2:45:56 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, CSIS also said in those briefings that the government's response to foreign interference should be “grounded in transparency and sunlight” so that foreign interference is “exposed to the public”.
The government's response to our legitimate questions has been anything but; it has stonewalled us for weeks. Commissioner Lucki said yesterday that the RCMP has investigations into broad foreign interference, including “interference in democratic processes.”
I have a simple question. Do these investigations include the 2019 or 2021 election?
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- Nov/29/22 2:46:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is an experienced member of the House and he sat in cabinet. He would know that ministers do not answer questions on details of specific police investigations in the House of Commons. What governments do is put in place the appropriate processes to ensure that our democratic institutions are protected from foreign interference, a concern that all members of the House share.
As my colleagues have pointed out, we took steps that previous Conservative governments did not think they should take to put in place the appropriate mechanisms to ensure the integrity of our elections, and that is exactly what we did.
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- Nov/29/22 2:47:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday we learned from the RCMP commissioner that there are ongoing RCMP investigations into Beijing's election interference in 2019. The Leader of the Opposition has asked a very straightforward and specific question of the Prime Minister, one he has repeatedly refused to answer. It is whether he was briefed about election interference by Beijing.
Canadians deserve transparency, so again, on election interference by Beijing, was the Prime Minister briefed, yes or no?
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- Nov/29/22 2:47:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague and all members of this chamber can be assured of the integrity of the 2019 and 2021 elections, because we had independent panels that looked with great detail and great attention at documents, interviewed witnesses and confirmed the result. More importantly, we will continue to give all tools necessary to our independent police community and independent national security community so they can protect all democratic institutions, and Canadians can have their voices reflected in our governments.
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- Nov/29/22 2:48:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in response to a request from the parliamentary committee looking into foreign interference in our election, the RCMP refused to provide documents in its possession because they could compromise ongoing investigations.
CSIS has been a bit more forthcoming. I have here a top secret document entitled “Briefing for the Prime Minister on Foreign Interference”. There are just two people who deny that there has been foreign influence in our elections: the Prime Minister and the spokesperson for the Chinese government. No one believes either of them.
When will the Prime Minister finally tell the whole truth?
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- Nov/29/22 2:49:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows full well that the government has been very transparent.
My colleague across the way is referring to documents that a House committee has requested. The good news is that there is a committee of parliamentarians specifically tasked with looking at these kinds of intelligence and national security issues.
I invite my colleague to ensure, as will we, that this committee has access to all the necessary information, as it is the appropriate group to be looking at these kinds of documents.
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