44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 14, 2023 02:00PM
- Jun/14/23 2:43:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for almost four months now, the government has been schooling us on how to stall for time on the Chinese interference issue. The four-month mark is approaching, and we are right back at square one. We have no time left. If the inquiry is to shed light on this interference before the next election, considering the upcoming summer recess, it has to get off the ground now. Time is running out.
Will the government finally announce an independent public inquiry?
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- Jun/14/23 2:43:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, I share our colleague's opinion on the need for swift action. I said it publicly and I repeat it now: Ideally, the opposition parties and the government will agree on a process by the end of next week. This work is being done in the interest of Canadians. I deeply appreciated the letter I received yesterday from the Bloc Québécois. I have had encouraging conversations with other opposition parties, even today. The work continues. I remain optimistic.
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- Jun/14/23 2:44:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Paul Bernardo is a brutal serial killer and rapist. He kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered teenage girls. His victims and their loved ones have to live with that grief forever. He traumatized an entire generation and the whole country.
Two weeks ago, that monster was moved out of maximum security, but three months before that, the minister was told. He did nothing, and now he says he cannot do anything to keep this dangerous criminal locked up in max. His whole job is to keep Canadians safe, and he cannot or he will not.
When will he name and fire the staffer he says screwed up, or just resign?
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- Jun/14/23 2:45:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is right in her characterization of these crimes. I think she will find no argument from anyone there.
Let me say that all of us, on this issue, need to work together to make sure that the families are served and the victims are served. The minister has suggested a conversation about a victim-centred approach in corrections to make sure this mistake, which was made independently by corrections services, does not happen again.
I hope the member opposite will take up that conversation. I know how sincere she is in her horror of those events. I know she knows I am sincere in mine.
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- Jun/14/23 2:45:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians want accountability and action. The ministers can blame everyone else all they want, but the truth is their policies endanger Canadians and it is a habit.
The Liberals are soft on sentences for kidnapping, sexual assault and rape, and let those monsters do time at home among their victims and law-abiding neighbours. Crime has skyrocketed because the Liberals give bail not jail to violent criminals.
Misleading Canadians is the minister's habit. He said law enforcement asked for the Emergencies Act. That was not true. He said all Beijing police stations in Canada were closed. That was not true. He is misleading us now, as we know, when he says he did not know about Paul Bernardo's transfer.
When will he finally be accountable, stop all this deliberate deception and resign?
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- Jun/14/23 2:46:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be absolutely clear again that I found out about this decision on May 30. I agree with my colleague that—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Jun/14/23 2:46:47 p.m.
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I am having a hard time hearing the answer. I am sure many other members are as well.
I just want to remind some members that they have very strong voices. Maybe they are just trying to talk to someone close to them and their voices are very loud. I want them to be very mindful of the strength of their voices.
The hon. minister.
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- Jun/14/23 2:47:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said on numerous occasions, I was personally informed on May 30, the day after an independent decision was taken by CSC to transfer Paul Bernardo. I expressed shock and outrage at the time, along with the families.
I should have been briefed immediately by my staff. I have dealt with that matter internally through corrective steps. Going forward, we have new instructions coming to CSC to put victims at the very centre of these decisions. We will ensure they are notified so that we can take a trauma-informed approach.
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- Jun/14/23 2:47:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Paul Bernardo is a serial rapist and murderer who targeted teenagers. He deserves to stay in a maximum security prison forever, full stop.
If the minister's staff keeps secrets from him on serious issues, then the public safety minister has no control over his files. He has not fired anyone. To allow the minister to keep his job is to be anti-woman, anti-justice and anti-victim.
If the Liberals want to stand with women, tell him to resign.
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- Jun/14/23 2:48:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, opposition members want what they have asked for many times. I do not know if there was ever a point at which they supported the minister, but they do not now and that is fine.
What we are talking about with the crimes they are consistently repeating are heinous traumas that were visited upon those families and, in an echoed way, upon every single Canadian. What I have heard from the minister is an offer to have a conversation about how we ensure that Correctional Services does not make a decision like that again and that we work together on that.
I look forward to constructive offers from the other side, not just—
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- Jun/14/23 2:49:04 p.m.
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The hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock.
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Mr. Speaker, those families are suffering again because of the inaction of the government.
The minister makes an art form of spreading misinformation. He said CSIS did not inform him that Beijing was targeting an MP, that Chinese-run police stations were closed and that Bill C-21 did not target hunting rifles. That was false, false and false. Now he says he did not know that Paul Bernardo was transferred to medium security. He has known since March.
Canadians deserve a public safety minister who tells the truth. This one, who threatens our safety with his deceptions, should resign.
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- Jun/14/23 2:49:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will not, because I continue to be focused on public safety for all Canadians.
I issued ministerial directions to the service to ensure that the elected government would be briefed on the foreign interference of parliamentarians. I am going to be issuing directions to the CSC to be sure that this office is briefed directly when it comes to inmate transfer decisions. That is what responsibility looks like.
On the opposite side, what are we getting? We are getting dilatory tactics, delays, filibustering and no support for the budget. That undermines public safety.
On this side of the House, we will be focused on our paramount objective, which is protecting the safety and security of Canadians.
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- Jun/14/23 2:50:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we hauled the CEO of Loblaws in front of the committee and told him that he has to stop gouging Canadians. The reality is that greedflation is a massive contributor to the cost of living going up, but neither the Liberals nor the Conservatives have the courage to even mention it.
Yesterday, it was confirmed at committee with the grocery affordability report that there needs to be more transparency, and yes, the federal government can do a lot more to bring down the price of groceries.
When will the Prime Minister stop protecting billionaires and start standing up for Canadians?
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- Jun/14/23 2:51:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we stick up for Canadians every day on this side of the House. That is why our budget has measures in place to make sure that Canadians can get through this inflationary cycle.
Let us take a look at what we have done on the tax front. We have permanently raised the corporate income tax by 1.5% on the largest banks and insurance companies. We have put in the Canada recovery dividend for banks and insurance companies that made more than $1 billion in profit. We have also put in a luxury tax on vehicles and planes.
We are making sure that tax fairness is integral to how we approach things in Canada. We will continue to do that work.
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- Jun/14/23 2:51:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every election the Liberals campaign on electoral reform, yet the only thing the Liberals have done is leave a trail of broken promises. Canadians are feeling increasingly disengaged with not seeing their votes represented. People do not want political games; they expect action. The NDP believes that all Canadians deserve a voice in our democracy.
My question is simple. Will the Liberals make right on their promises and implement a citizens' assembly on electoral reform?
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- Jun/14/23 2:52:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what we are focused on is working collaboratively with the NDP. The member's colleague and I have had a number of meetings to talk about how we can implement the agreements in the supply and confidence agreement to make voting more accessible, exactly as our colleague identified. This is to ensure the greatest number of Canadians can participate in the democratic process, to deal with issues like mail-in ballots, to allow people to vote at different polling stations and to ensure that our electoral system is safe but also accessible to the greatest number of people in the easiest way. Those are our priorities.
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- Jun/14/23 2:52:55 p.m.
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I want to point out to the hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies that I realize he has a very strong voice and we can all hear it. I just want him to realize that himself.
The hon. member for Don Valley East.
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- Jun/14/23 2:53:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is no secret that Canada is a top destination for many travellers from around the world. Though we experience cold winters, Canadians are known for their warm welcome.
In my riding of Don Valley East, we have a very vibrant Caribbean population whose loved ones from abroad are hoping to visit Canada and spend more time with their loved ones. In fact, as we speak, my Aunty Maria is visiting from Trinidad.
There have been some updates to the visa process here in Canada. I would like to ask the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to share some of these updates with us in the House today.
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- Jun/14/23 2:53:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy for liberalized travel policy when it comes to Canada.
I am pleased to share with this House that last week we announced a major change to immigration policy that is going to allow more people to come to Canada visa-free if they have held a Canadian visa within the past 10 years or hold a current American visa. This applies to nationals of 13 different countries, including Trinidad and Tobago. This is going to allow them to access our country for a seven-dollar application fee, and approval will come within mere minutes.
The member's aunt will be able to continue to visit, and I look forward to more families being reunited and a successful tourism season this summer.
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