Debates of Dec. 14th, 2011
House of Commons Hansard #67 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was trade.
Topics
- Question Period
- Cubs and Beavers
- National Food Strategy
- Annual Business Awards
- Casa d'Italia
- YMCA Peace Medals
- Nobel Prize in Medicine
- Justice
- New Democratic Party
- Status of Women
- Canadian Exports
- Barbara Wallace
- Iraq
- The Environment
- Scarborough Historical Museum
- Health
- Christmas
- The Environment
- National Defence
- Ethics
- Government Accountability
- National Defence
- The Environment
- The Economy
- Status of Women
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Status of Women
- The Environment
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Service Canada
- Foreign Affairs
- Government Appointments
- Border Crossings
- Canadian Wheat Board
- Service Canada
- Afghanistan
- Citizenship and Immigration
- Taxation
- Foreign Affairs
- Canadian Wheat Board
- Champlain Bridge
- Federal Government
- Presence in Gallery
- Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel
- Points of Order
- Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor
- Aboriginal Affairs
- Government Response to Petitions
- Interparliamentary Delegations
- Committees of the House
- Youth Criminal Justice Act
- Uranium Mine Ownership Act
- Committees of the House
- Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
- Petitions
- Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
- Motions for Papers
- Request for Emergency Debate
- Canada-Jordan Economic Growth and Prosperity Act
- Newfoundland and Labrador Fishery Rebuilding Act
- Infrastructure
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Liberal
John McKay Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, would you be so kind as to call Notice of Motion for the Production of Paper No. P-7.
Motion No. P-7
That an Order of the House do issue for a copy of all records regarding the Minister of National Defence being picked up in Newfoundland from a fishing lodge on the Gander River and brought to Gander by a Canadian Forces Cormorant in July 2010.
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Carleton—Mississippi Mills
Ontario
Conservative
Gordon O'Connor Minister of State and Chief Government Whip
Mr. Speaker, I ask that this notice of motion for the production of papers be transferred for debate.
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre
Saskatchewan
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
Motions for Papers
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
December 14th, 2011 / 3:35 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Simms Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
Mr. Speaker, I call for an emergency debate regarding Service Canada.
As I mentioned in question period earlier today, my constituency office has been inundated with calls, as have the offices of many members of Parliament from all parties, concerning the fact that the processing time at Service Canada has increased exponentially.
In my seven and a half years in Parliament, I have never seen it as bad as this. I am hearing on the ground that for the most part there is a lack of overtime being issued by the department and also a lack of term employees. For example, in my riding in Gander alone it usually gets about 20-plus employees on a term basis, but now it is getting only five this season. That gives members an idea of just how bad this is.
I mentioned earlier about one lady, a single mom with three kids, who was forced to move into her parents place. She has been waiting 42 days, possibly more, for her claim to be processed.
In question period, the minister said that she was working to rectify this and that some of it has already been done. However, I think the debate is necessary to bring clarification on this. If, indeed, Service Canada is putting more resources this December into the local offices, then a debate is necessary in order to bring this out. We could then bring the message to the minister that this is a very grave situation for many people who will not get to enjoy this holiday season.
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
3:35 p.m.
Conservative
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
I appreciate the hon. member's concern on this file. I have no doubt that he takes this issue very seriously but I do not find that it meets the requirements and the threshold for granting an emergency debate at this time.
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
3:40 p.m.
Liberal
Scott Simms Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL
Mr. Speaker, if I may be so bold, I would like the consent of the House to have a take note debate.
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to grant a take note debate?
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
3:40 p.m.
Some hon. members
Agreed.
No.
Service Canada
Request for Emergency Debate
Routine Proceedings
3:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Speaker Andrew Scheer
There is no consent.
Dear colleagues, as the House will be rising soon and we will be returning to our ridings for the Christmas holidays, I would like to wish all parliamentarians, their staff and parliamentary employees a very merry Christmas and a new year filled with peace and happiness.
However, at this time I would like to draw to the attention of the House that it was on December 30, 70 years ago, when Sir Winston Churchill stood in this chamber and gave his famous, “Some chicken; some neck” speech in the midst of some of the most challenging days of the Second World War. In his address to Parliament, he summoned forth the courage of all free peoples to unite for the monumental challenge that lay before them.
We will be marking that milestone over the Christmas recess and I wanted to bring that to members' attention in advance.
In March, the Library of Parliament will present an exhibit about Churchill's speech to Parliament, in cooperation with the International Churchill Society. I invite members to take the time to celebrate this important historical event.