44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 16, 2023 10:00AM
- Feb/16/23 2:49:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the lack of safe, quality housing across the north is unacceptable. This is why our government, in collaboration with partners, is making historic investments. Our government has been clear that we will not impose solutions on northerners. Instead, we will work with them to support their priorities. Through Northern Affairs alone, we are investing $200 million to support housing and related infrastructure in the north. This flexible funding allows territorial partners to continue to advance their most pressing housing needs.
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- Feb/16/23 2:49:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that answer was not the one expected by the member for Nunavut.
The member asked for $500 million, and $200 million is not even close. In my riding, it is no better. It is Edmonton Griesbach's worst problem. We have indigenous people who are living on the streets and enduring the housing crisis; they have been let down by the Prime Minister and the premier of Alberta. Too many are paying more than they can afford. They are living in overcrowded homes or have no homes at all.
Will the government stop the rhetoric and start investing in indigenous housing, for indigenous and by indigenous, now?
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- Feb/16/23 2:50:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we believe in a “for indigenous, by indigenous”-led urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy. That is why budget 2022 included over $4 billion more to close the gap in indigenous housing. It included $300 million as an initial investment in a dedicated urban, rural and northern indigenous housing strategy informed by a for indigenous, by indigenous approach, and that is the beginning of the process. We will continue to invest to close that gap.
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- Feb/16/23 2:51:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since the murder of George Floyd, our government has announced several measures to combat systemic racism.
We know that Black people are overrepresented in prisons. Yesterday, the Minister of Justice announced the establishment of the steering group for Canada's Black justice strategy. Can he tell us more?
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- Feb/16/23 2:51:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the member for Bourassa, for his question and for participating in our announcement yesterday. The reality is that Black people are overrepresented in our justice system, both as victims and accused persons.
We therefore established a steering committee consisting of nine Black experts who understand and live the current reality. The discrimination they face is systemic, and our response must be ambitious, comprehensive and fair.
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Mr. Speaker, for over 10 months now, the alliance between the Bloc Québécois and the centralizing Liberal Party of Canada has scorned Quebec with respect to the bill on the CRTC.
Ten months ago, the Quebec government asked to be heard. The Bloc-Liberal alliance refused to respond to that. The Quebec National Assembly voted unanimously on a motion to that effect just this week. There was even one a year ago, but with the complicity of the members of the Bloc-Liberal alliance, nothing was done.
Time is running out. It is imperative that Quebec be heard. Will the Bloc-Liberal alliance agree to hear Quebec in a parliamentary committee, to hear what Quebec has to say and—
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- Feb/16/23 2:52:55 p.m.
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The hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage.
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Mr. Speaker, the bill was introduced over a year ago. On the House side, 12 meetings were held, 80 witnesses were heard and 52 briefs were tabled. On the Senate side, 31 meetings were held, 138 witnesses were heard, and there were 675 hours of study.
Is it only now that my colleague is waking up, a whole year later? Even Sleeping Beauty did not sleep that long.
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Mr. Speaker, if the leader of the Bloc Québécois and Liberal Party alliance thinks it is taking too long, perhaps he needs a reminder that it was his own government that called an unnecessary election, which delayed the bill.
Even back then, the Bloc Québécois was not interested.
I will ask my question again: Can the Bloc Québécois and Liberal Party minister stand in the House and give assurances that Quebec will be heard at the parliamentary committee, as it should be?
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Mr. Speaker, everyone knows the expression “to fall asleep at the switch”. Well, my colleague is taking it to a new level, to the point that there will be a photo of the Conservative caucus next to the definition in the dictionary.
The bill has been the subject of debate in the House and Senate for a year now. It is a good bill. The music, film and television industries have been asking for this bill.
I am happy that the Conservatives are taking an interest in it today, but it is a bit late. They have been asleep for a year.
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Mr. Speaker, if the member, or rather the leader of the Liberal-Bloc Québécois party, wants to talk about a caucus, he should maybe look in his own backyard.
I am not sure everyone is going to be in the photo of his caucus. I am just throwing it out there. There might be more Bloc Québécois members than Liberals.
The reality is that the minister likes to bicker with the Bloc Québécois. The Bloc is not complaining because Quebec's interests must be defended.
Will the minister agree to meet with the Government of Quebec in committee so that it can express its views on this bill that it does not like?
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party, the Bloc Québécois and the NDP are certainly working in Quebec's interests.
It is like we are dealing with a groundhog that has just woken up from its winter slumber and is telling us how well it slept, now that it has finally woken up.
However, things were moving while the groundhog was hibernating. There were meetings in the House. There were meetings in the Senate. This is a good bill. We are going to move forward, even if the Conservatives do not want to.
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Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly of Quebec is calling for changes to Bill C‑11 and Bill C‑5.
This involves the ministers of Canadian heritage and justice. These two bills have the support of the Bloc-Liberal alliance and go against the direction the Government of Quebec wants to take.
Will our two ministers, who are Quebeckers, shamefully supported by the Bloc Québécois, refuse to provide Quebec the help it is looking for and thereby deny the existence of the Quebec nation?
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Mr. Speaker, I am glad that my colleague did not yell too loudly or he might have woken up his gang that has been asleep for the past year.
We have been debating this bill for a year. The Conservatives in the House are asleep. The Conservatives in the Senate are asleep.
In the meantime, we are working for the music, movie and television industry. We are working for Quebec and for all Canadians.
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- Feb/16/23 2:56:51 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, the Quebec National Assembly is concerned about the possibility under Bill C‑5 of conditional sentences for some violent crimes, such as sexual assault. It is clear that Bill C‑5 opens the door to problems.
The Bloc Québécois reiterates the fair compromise it had proposed during consideration of Bill C‑5 that was rejected by the Conservative-Liberal federalist bloc: to restore minimum sentences for gun crimes and armed sexual assaults, while allowing judges to make exceptions. This remains the most balanced approach.
Does the minister understand Quebec's concerns and, if so, will he consider this compromise?
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- Feb/16/23 2:57:34 p.m.
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- Re: Bill C-5
Mr. Speaker, serious crimes always deserve serious consequences.
With Bill C‑5, we abandoned policies that clogged our justice system and our prisons, and we decided to fight systemic racism. The Bloc Québécois voted in favour of Bill C‑5 because it knew that minimum sentences do not work.
Our government is supporting victims of sexual assault. We are working on this. We introduced legislation and programs to reinforce support for victims, and we will continue that work.
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- Feb/16/23 2:58:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, according to the media, four victim advocacy groups backed Quebec's concerns. We cannot ignore them. The minister has the right to make a mistake, and it would be honourable to admit it. I would remind him that, at the time, everyone seemed open to the Bloc Québécois compromise, including the experts who appeared before the committee.
Therefore, we will be introducing a bill that would restore minimum sentencing for firearms offences and prohibit conditional sentencing for sexual assault while allowing the courts to make exceptions, with justification, in exceptional cases. Can we count on the Minister of Justice to be open-minded? I am not addressing the quarrelsome minister who is always bickering, but the Minister of Justice.
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- Feb/16/23 2:58:58 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the purpose of Bill C‑5, is to address systemic racism and the overrepresentation of indigenous and Black people in the justice system. Yesterday, we announced the creation of a steering group to develop a justice strategy for Canada's Black people. I heard the testimony of people who have experienced systemic racism. We will continue to combat racism and Bill C‑5 is part of our efforts.
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- Feb/16/23 2:59:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal government, high-priced consultants at McKinsey & Company have never had it so good. They are setting immigration policy. They are setting immigration targets. Public servants are admitting this and it is reported in the CBC. Even Bill Morneau, in his book, admitted that McKinsey is setting immigration policy. Do members know who is not admitting to that? The Minister of Immigration himself. Who is telling the truth?
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- Feb/16/23 3:00:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope that members actually listened to the Minister of Immigration's appearance at committee. I will repeat what he said. The minister was very clear that he has not met with McKinsey, nor been influenced.
However, if the Conservatives want to listen to someone, let us quote someone. I would invite them to listen to their former Conservative leader, John Reynolds. He said, “The attacks levied against [Dominic Barton] by the Conservative party I once led are baseless.” Let us make sure they start listening and acting.
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