House of Commons Hansard #89 of the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was justice.

Topics

Agriculture and Agri-FoodPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Jacob NDP Brome—Missisquoi, QC

Mr. Speaker, Brome—Missisquoi is a riding with many agricultural products. Some 40 people from Brome—Missisquoi signed this petition calling for the government to host a conference with the provincial and territorial agricultural ministers to come up with a Canada-wide strategy on local food.

The petition also calls on the government to develop a policy for purchasing locally grown food for all federal institutions. By promoting local food initiatives, we support Canadian farmers, we create jobs and we reduce the pollution associated with transportation.

Veterans AffairsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

NDP

John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have three sets of petitions. The first petition calls on the government to restore funding and to reopen Veterans Affairs Canada offices. It is signed by my constituents from Fort Frances.

Canada PostPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

May 26th, 2014 / 5:15 p.m.

NDP

John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on the Government of Canada to reverse the cuts and services announced by Canada Post and to instead look for ways to innovate in areas such as postal banking. It is signed by constituents from the riding of Kenora.

Public Transit OperatorsPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

NDP

John Rafferty NDP Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, the last petition is from the province of Quebec, Montreal in particular. Petitioners are calling on the government to change the law regarding assault on bus drivers to move any assault charges from assault to aggravated assault.

Rail TransportationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:15 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to table six petitions with respect to the Algoma Central Railway passenger rail. It is with respect to the government's decision to remove funding for the rail. Although the government has temporarily put another year of funding in based on the interventions I have made in the House and on the stakeholder groups, it is about the impact this has on the economy and the fact that the government chose not to talk to the stakeholders about this. Petitioners are extremely concerned about the future of this rail. Petitioners are from Garden River, Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Hawk Junction, Bright, Elmira, Goulais River, Dubreuilville, Prince Township, and Desdarats. Yes, a lot of these are from the Conservative riding.

Consumer ProtectionPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON

Mr. Speaker, the other petition I have is with respect to unfair fees and consumer ripoffs. It is signed by people from Massey, Spanish, Chapleau, White River, Hornepayne, Mindemoya, and Little Current. They certainly want action with respect to ATM fees, credit cards fees, and the pay-to-pay fees.

AsbestosPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by literally tens of thousands of Canadians who call upon the House of Commons and Parliament here assembled to take note that asbestos is the greatest industrial killer the world has ever known and that more Canadians now die from asbestos than from all other industrial and occupational causes combined. They call upon the Government of Canada to ban asbestos in all its forms and to stop blocking international health and safety conventions designed to protect workers from asbestos, such as the Rotterdam Convention.

International Co-operationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed primarily by petitioners from the Toronto and Richmond Hill area. It is on behalf of the Hungarian community in Canada. Petitioners are very concerned about the abuse of the human rights of the Hungarian community within the nation of Romania. They ask the House assembled to speak up for human rights for the Hungarian community.

AgriculturePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from residents of many provinces in Canada, from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Alberta, and many places within British Columbia, particularly within Saanich, Gulf Islands, Salt Spring Island and a few others. Petitioners are calling on the House to reject Bill C-18 as currently drafted and to take steps to ensure that farmers have the right to save their seed and to select, exchange, and sell seeds.

MiningPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. One is on behalf of the residents predominantly of Kamloops, British Columbia, and some other communities around Prince George, Quesnel, and down the highway. Petitioners are raising serious concerns about the potential development of Ajax mine, a development that would place an open pit mine within a kilometre of a local school, and about requiring the government to make even the most cursory attempts to have a proper environmental assessment of this project.

Blood and Organ DonationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I present today is from many hundreds of Canadians right across the country, predominantly from Windsor and London. It asks that the government change the policy with regard to blood donations and to end discrimination against people who are in same-sex marriages. They call this as it is, an unconstitutional infringement of our Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Petitioners ask the government to bring up its policies to fall in line with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Mining IndustryPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by people from my riding calling for the creation of a legal mechanism to establish an ombudsman for the extractive sector.

This petition is also supported by hundreds of people in my riding who sent me letters in this regard through Development and Peace. This is a very important human rights issue.

I am asking all my colleagues in the House to support the bill introduced by my colleague from La Pointe-de-l'Île, which does exactly that.

VIA RailPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Philip Toone NDP Gaspésie—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC

Mr. Speaker, today, I have the honour to present petitions from my riding and neighbouring ridings in northern New Brunswick on the drastic cuts that were recently made to VIA Rail services. VIA Rail reduced the frequency of its trains by 50% in northern New Brunswick and by 100% in the Gaspé. The train does not run in the Gaspé at all any more. VIA Rail has been bragging that it has lost only 40% of its customers as a result of all of these cuts.

People in my region do not believe that a 40% loss in customers is anything to brag about. We believe that this is an attack on the regions and we hope that the government will restore those rail services. We need them in our region because we live in a remote area.

Blood and Organ DonationPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:20 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions.

The first is from residents who call upon the Government of Canada to review thoroughly and change the policy on blood and organ donation in Canada. The petitioners understand that people should be pre-tested for disease, and if they fail, they cannot donate. However, they want the Government of Canada to return the rights of healthy Canadians to give the gift of blood, bone marrow, and organs to those in need, no matter the race, religion, or sexual preference of a person, so that the rights of healthy Canadians to give blood, bone marrow, and organs to those in need are respected.

Health CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

NDP

Irene Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from Canadians who want the Parliament of Canada to ensure that Canadians have access to the same high-quality health services, no matter where they live.

The petitioners urge strong federal leadership to establish a pan-Canadian prescription drug strategy that reduces the amount Canadians pay for their medications; to transfer enough funding to provinces and territories to enable them to consistently ensure high-quality home and long-term care services; to have a pan-Canadian human-health-resources strategy to improve access to primary care in urban and rural communities; and to improve living conditions to include access to food, housing, a living wage, and social and mental health services, especially to allow better living conditions for aboriginal people.

Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Kitchener—Waterloo Ontario

Conservative

Peter Braid ConservativeParliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure and Communities

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Questions Nos. 436, 443, 445, 453, 462, 464; as well as a revised response to Question No. 444, initially tabled on May 15, 2014.

Question No. 436Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

With regard to costs and expenses related to appointments to the Supreme Court of Canada: (a) what accounts for the difference in costs between appointment processes; (b) who and what entities submit costs for reimbursement; (c) are any costs rejected for reimbursement and, if so, (i) on what basis, (ii) who makes the determination, (iii) what criteria are used in making the determination; (d) what reimbursement requests were rejected for the appointment processes of (i) Justice M. Rothstein, (ii) Justice T. Cromwell, (iii) Justice M. Moldaver and Justice A. Karakatsanis, (iv) Justice R. Wager, (v) Justice M. Nadon; (e) in the breakdown of appointment process costs provided in the answer to Q-239, how are the following categories defined (i) Travel and Telecommunications, (ii) Information and Printing Services, (iii) Legal Services, (iv) Translation and Professional Services, (v) Rentals, (vi) Miscellaneous Supplies, (vii) Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment; (f) what types of costs are included under the headings (i) Travel and Telecommunications, (ii) Information and Printing Services, (iii) Legal Services, (iv) Translation and Professional Services, (v) Rentals, (vi) Miscellaneous Supplies, (vii) Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment; (g) who bears the costs incurred in the following categories and, if costs are shared, with which entity or entities are they shared: (i) Travel and Telecommunications, (ii) Information and Printing Services, (iii) Legal Services, (iv) Translation and Professional Services, (v) Rentals, (vi) Miscellaneous Supplies, (vii) Acquisition of Machinery and Equipment; (h) why are there no “Information and Printing” costs associated with Justice Cromwell’s appointment; (i) what was the maximum budget set for the appointment processes reported in the government’s answer to written question Q-239; (j) what accounts for the greater costs of “Translation and Professional Services” for the appointment of Justice Wagner relative to the reported costs provided in the government’s answer to written question Q-239 for other Justices; (k) what accounts for the great increase in rentals costs for “Rentals” associated with the appointment of Mr. Justice Wagner compared to other Justices reported in the answer to Q-239; (l) what ensures transparency with respect to the costs incurred in judicial appointments; (m) who assess the reasonableness of costs incurred, and how; (n) who assesses the legitimacy of expenses, and how; (o) are receipts that are related to the appointments process consultable and, if so, (i) by whom, (ii) how, (iii) under what circumstances; (p) who ultimately approves the expenses and what is the role of Treasury Board in this regard, if any; and (q) is there a maximum budget set for an appointment process and, if so, (i) what is it, (ii) how and when was it determined?

Question No. 436Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Central Nova Nova Scotia

Conservative

Peter MacKay ConservativeMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the administrative support services were provided by the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs. The costs and expenses in 2011, 2012, and 2013 were within a similar range with variations due to a multitude of factors, including the location of meetings, the need for rental accommodations, the volume of translation services, the urgency of the requests for translations, et cetera. For the appointment of Judge Thomas Cromwell, costs and expenses were lower, since the Supreme Court of Canada selection committee had fewer meetings and there was no ad hoc Parliamentary committee. We are unable to comment on the costs associated with the appointment of Judge Marshall Rothstein, since most of the expenses incurred predate the election of this government.

With regard to (b), entities that submit costs for reimbursement include translators and interpreters, the executive director for the Supreme Court of Canada selection process, the directors of research, the constitutional expert appearing before the ad hoc Parliamentary committee to introduce the nominee, and legal researchers.

With regard to (c) and (d), to the best of our knowledge no costs were rejected. The Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs ensures costs reimbursed are reasonable and within market rates.

With regard to (e)(i) to (e)(vii), the categories listed are in keeping with accounting expenditure classifications established by the Receiver General of Canada and defined using government-wide object codes. Members may refer to the following link: http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/pceaf-gwcoa/1415/7-eng.html#sec7.2.

With regard to (f)(i), they are defined as travel costs, taxis, and courier services. With regard to (f)(ii), they are defined as printing costs, audio-visual services, and electronic subscriptions. With regard to (f)(iii), they are defined as legal research fees. With regard to (f)(iv), they are defined as translation costs, temporary help services, and management fees. With regard to (f)(v), they are defined as photocopier rental and copy usage fees. With regard to (f)(vi), they are defined as office supplies. With regard to (e)(vii), they are defined as purchase of a multi-functional printer/scanner/fax machine.

With regard to (g), the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs was tasked with providing administrative support to the Supreme Court of Canada selection committee by the Minister of Justice, relying on paragraph 74(1)(d) of the Judges Act, and was asked to provide such services within its existing budget.

With regard to (h), there were no information and printing costs associated with the appointment of Judge Thomas Cromwell, since there were few meetings of the Supreme Court of Canada selection committee and there was no ad hoc Parliamentary committee meeting to review his nomination.

With regard to (i) and (q), the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs was asked to submit a budget for the selection process and was then asked to absorb same within its overall operating budget. The budget submitted for the 2013 appointment process was $325,000.

With regard to (j), the translation and professional services for the Judge Richard Wagner appointment were higher since more decisions had to be translated from French to English, whereas for other appointments decisions submitted by candidates were already available in both French and English.

With regard to (k), the increase in rental costs for rentals associated with the appointment of Judge Richard Wagner compared to other justices is the rental of photocopier/multi-functional equipment for one year versus using external printing services or purchasing the equipment.

With regard to (l), general information regarding judicial appointment is published on the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs’ web site in its quarterly financial reports and the departmental performance report.

With regard to (m) and (n), the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs is responsible for the assessment of the reasonableness of the costs incurred and legitimacy of expenses.

With regard to (o), receipts that are related to the appointments processes are consultable for audit purposes and records are maintained in keeping with retention guidelines established by Library and Archives Canada.

With regard to (p), the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs approves expenses within its existing authorities and appropriations.

Question No. 443Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC

With regard to the Youth Employment Strategy: (a) what are the sub-program and sub-sub-program activities within the program architecture; (b) how much was expended annually by each sub-program and sub-sub-program since 2006-2007; (c) how many clients were served annually by each sub-program and sub-sub-program since 2006-2007; and (d) how many applications were not approved in each fiscal year since 2006-2007 (i) due to lack of funding, (ii) due to applicant not meeting the eligibility criteria?

Question No. 443Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley Nova Scotia

Conservative

Scott Armstrong ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the Youth Employment Strategy, or YES, offers three programs. The Skills Link program helps young people who face more barriers to employment than others develop basic employability skills and gain valuable job experience to assist them in making a successful transition into the labour market or to return to school. They could be youth who have not completed high school, single parents, aboriginal youth, young persons with disabilities, youth living in rural or remote areas, or newcomers. The Career Focus program helps post-secondary graduates transition to the labour market through paid internships and helps to provide youth with the information and experience they need to make informed career decisions, find a job, and/or pursue advanced studies. The summer work experience program provides wage subsidies to employers to create summer employment for secondary and post-secondary students. The summer work experience program includes Canada Summer Jobs, or CSJ. The CSJ provides funding for not-for-profit organizations, public sector employers, and small businesses with 50 or fewer employees to create summer job opportunities for students.

The following federal departments and agencies are also part of the YES: Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada; Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; Canadian Heritage; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; Environment Canada; Industry Canada; the National Research Council; Natural Resources Canada; and Parks Canada.

With regard to (b) and (c), this information can be found at the following link: http://www.esdc.gc.ca/eng/publications/dpr/index.shtml.

With regard to (d), the department does not track the number of rejected applications based on the reasons mentioned in the question.

Question No. 444Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

With regard to Finance Canada: during the period from fiscal year 2005-2006 to fiscal year 2012-2013 inclusively, what was the average interest rate paid each year on total government borrowing, including but not limited to the issuance of bonds and treasury bills, and any borrowing from financial institutions?

Question No. 444Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

North Vancouver B.C.

Conservative

Andrew Saxton ConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, The government publishes annually, in the Public Accounts of Canada, the average interest rate for each major category of outstanding market debt, including marketable bonds, treasury bills, retail debt, Canada bills, and foreign currency notes, along with the average rate on total market debt.

This information is available in PDF format from Library and Archives Canada through the following links:

For 2005-06, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2006/v1pa06-e.pdf, table 6.10, page 6.10.

For 2006-07, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2007/P51-1-2007-1E.pdf, table 6.10, page 6.10.

For 2007-08, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2008/49-eng.pdf, table 6.10, page 6.9.

For 2008-09, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2009/49-eng.pdf, table 6.10, page 6.9.

For 2009-10, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2010/v1pa2010e_revised.pdf, table 6.9, page 6.9.

For 2010-11, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2011/Vol1pa2011e_revised.pdf, table 6.8, page 6.9.

For 2011-12, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2012/49-eng.pdf, table 6.8, page 6.9.

And for 2012-13, http://epe.lac-bac.gc.ca/100/201/301/public_accounts_can/pdf/2013/2013-vol1-eng.pdf, table 6.8, page 6.9.

Question No. 445Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Liberal

Scott Andrews Liberal Avalon, NL

With regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and more specifically the decision to extend the cod fishery in NAFO division 3Ps: (a) what requests were received by DFO from industry, including but not limited to processors, unions, licensed harvesters and provincial governments, to support an extension to the 2014 closing date including (i) name, (ii) how the support was commnicated, (iii) date the support was received, (iv) rationale provided to support an extension; and (b) what advice was requested and received to support or argue the extension from within DFO, including (i) name, (ii) position, (iii) rationale to support or oppose?

Question No. 445Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Egmont P.E.I.

Conservative

Gail Shea ConservativeMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the requests ranged from permitting a certain percentage of overall fleet quota to be harvested during the closure through permitting certain gear types to continue to fish through the closure to permitting certain areas to continue to be allowed to be fished and varying the closure period depending on fish quality. With regard to (a)(i), the fleets were represented by the following groups: the Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council, or GEAC; the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, or FFAW; and the Fixed Gear Offshore Harvesters association, or FGOH. The following individual licence-holders were in attendance: Miawpukek First Nation, from Conne River; Icewater fisheries; and Ocean Choice International, or OCI. With regard to (a)(ii) and (a)(iii), the requests were presented at a meeting chaired by DFO officials held on February 19, 2014, in St. John’s, at which all fleet sectors engaged in the 3Ps cod fishery were in attendance. With regard to (a)(iv), all fleet sectors requested some form of flexibility on the existing closed period in support of efforts that would increase market opportunities for the industry and in light of the fact that less than one-half the total quota has been taken in recent years.

With regard to (b), DFO’s science branch advised that the latest 3Ps cod science assessment has indicated the stock may have recovered to its upper stock reference point. This latest advice indicates significant strength in the recovering stock, which may warrant additional flexibility in the closure in the interest of further market development for the industry. Science is engaging in co-operative science work with France in respect of St. Pierre et Miquelon on the efficacy of closures and conducting additional scientific research into the reproductive behaviour of the stock throughout the season.

Question No. 453Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:25 p.m.

Bloc

Jean-François Fortin Bloc Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC

With regard to page 255 of the English version of the Economic Action Plan 2014: what are the specific items and costs totalling $3.1 billion in deferred spending under the National Defence Capital Funding?