Eric Melillo

Mr. Speaker, the member spoke quite eloquently about the rhetoric versus the reality of the Prime Minister. I am just wondering if he wants to expand on that. The Liberals have had almost two years with the Prime Minister. He is nearly halfway through his mandate and still no new projects have been approved. Could the member speak to that difference, from the rhetoric of the Prime Minister to the reality that Canadians are facing?

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise and join the debate this evening. I will start by simply saying that we must be able to build in Canada. It should go without saying, but after 11 years of Liberal policies, I feel it necessary to say so, because Liberal taxes, regulations and inflationary spending, which drive up the cost of living, have chased investment away from Canada for too long. It is why, for years, Conservatives have urged the Liberals to get out of the way by approving projects within six months, repealing antidevelopment Bill C-69 and Bill C-48, removing the industrial carbon tax and adopting one project, one review. The debate we have been having here for some time is a bit like déjà vu. We all know that a year ago we essentially had the same debate. We, as Parliament, passed Bill C-5 to allow the government the unprecedented ability to move projects ahead. The Prime Minister at that time effectively said that we were facing an existential threat from the United States and that we must move quickly to approve major projects, which would support our economy, create good jobs for Canadians and, of course, protect our sovereignty in a more roundabout sense. He said that he was the guy to get it done, and that Bill C-5 would be the tool in his tool box to allow that to happen with the Major Projects Office. That is what was said about a year and a half ago, that Bill C-5 would allow the government to move at speeds not seen in generations, and now here we are, all this time later, and the result is absolutely nothing. No new projects have been approved. There have only been more speeches and more announcements from the Prime Minister. This lack of action has left 500 projects on the table for approval, such as projects that could grow our economy, create jobs and, as I mentioned, protect our sovereignty. When I think of these projects, I think of my home in northwestern Ontario. Of course, we have the Ring of Fire, which we see some progress on with the federal government, with the Liberals agreeing to one project, one review for that particular project with the Province of Ontario. However, they are nowhere to be seen on the road to construction and still it is not designated in the national interest. There is also the Great Bear Gold project near Red Lake and Ear Falls, which would help the region grow and strengthen our economy. As an aside, folks in the chamber might not know that Red Lake really punches above its weight. There are some 4,000 residents in the community. All of the gold exploration nearby has contributed $4.2 billion to our economy over nine years, resulting from mining operations. Great Bear would also be an incredible opportunity, and Ear Falls as well, to help grow, especially in the face of the sawmill closure that has recently happened. I look as well to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, which has the deep geological repository project. I will add, it is mandated by the government through the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act. The project is supported by 77% of voters in Ignace and supported by residents of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation. This was referred to the Major Projects Office, but still no action and no clear designation that this project, mandated by the federal government, is in the national interest. As I go further down the list of projects, I would be remiss if I did not mention the Trans-Canada Highway going through northwestern Ontario. I have spoken about it a lot in this place. I cannot think of anything that is a better nation-building project than the only east-west corridor connecting our country. Improving the highway through northwestern Ontario, which is just a single lane in each direction, is critical for the safety of travellers and for our economic efficiency. It is why I brought forward a petition in the last session of Parliament, which was signed by thousands of Canadians from every single province, recognizing the need for improving the highways, specifically through northwestern Ontario. The petitioners called on the government to support the twinning project that has begun with support of the Province of Ontario, but the federal government, the Liberals, are nowhere to be seen. There are projects out there. There is lots of opportunity for nation building, and there is lots of opportunity for growth and for supporting Canadian jobs. The examples I just listed certainly do not form an exhaustive list, but they show the stark contrast between the Prime Minister's rhetoric and the reality facing Canadians. The Prime Minister said he would build “at speeds not seen in generations”, and he has built nothing nearly two years in. Nearly halfway through his mandate, no new projects have been approved. He said that Canada would have the fastest-growing economy in the G7, and we are now fourth. He said he would secure a new trade deal with the United States by July of last year, and he has failed to do so. He said he would be judged by prices at the grocery store, and they continue to rise. In fact, inflation is outpacing wage growth, meaning Canadians are getting poorer. Canadian households are the most indebted in the G7 as well. Very simply put, with the Prime Minister, it has been all talk with no results. That is why Conservatives have been advocating for our plan and encouraging the government to work with us to implement it. Our Conservative plan to save Canadian jobs and money is to repeal the antidevelopment laws Bill C-69 and Bill C-48, approve the 500 projects currently stuck waiting for approval on the Prime Minister's desk, scrap the industrial carbon tax, remove the capital gains tax on reinvestments in Canada and cut taxes on food, fuel and work. We will continue fighting for Canadian jobs and Canadian livelihoods while making life affordable by cutting taxes and stopping the inflationary spending that is driving up costs on Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, as to the first part of the question about highways, it is noteworthy that the federal government, the Liberal government, has allocated support to certain sections of the Trans-Canada Highway across the country, but none to Highway 17 through northwestern Ontario between Thunder Bay and the Manitoba border. The construction that has started for the first few kilometres is solely funded and supported by the Province of Ontario, working in partnership with local first nations and municipalities as well. That is a critical area of the country for travel. I am sure the member would agree that it is of critical importance not just for the safety of travellers, as there are frequent accidents, but for our economic efficiency as well. Every time there are closures and accidents, it stops goods from flowing east to west. I hope the Liberals get on board and recognize how important the Trans-Canada Highway through northwest Ontario is.

Mr. Speaker, the member raised a very noteworthy point. That is why it is so important that this bill, which is quite lengthy and has many components to it, is debated thoroughly, not just in this chamber, but also through the committee process, where it can be examined and understood and where amendments can be brought forward from various political parties. This is certainly a large piece of legislation with many moving factors to it. I appreciate the question from the member.

Simply, Mr. Speaker, it is because we have been here before. A year and a half ago we passed Bill C-5, which the Prime Minister said would allow the government to move at speeds not seen in generations. Since its passage, nothing has been approved. No new projects have been approved. There are no shovels in the ground. I listed a number of critically important projects that are by no means new. How long have we been talking about the Ring of Fire in this country? It is not a new project. With respect to the highway through northwestern Ontario, former prime minister Harper had initially put supports toward that in 2009. There are a number of projects that, I would argue, are low-hanging fruit for the Liberal government to move forward on, not just in northwestern Ontario but right across the country, but it is just standing idle and not moving forward on them, so we will believe it when we see it.