Debates of Oct. 24th, 2023

Public Accounts of Canada

[Anita Anand, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table today, in both official languages, the “Public Accounts of Canada 2023”. The Auditor General of Canada has provided an unqualified audit opinion on the Government of Canada's financial statements.

Auditor General of Canada

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

It is my duty to lay upon the table, pursuant to subsection 8(2) of the Auditor General Act, the report of the Auditor General of Canada to the House of Commons entitled “Commentary on the 2022-2023 Financial Audits”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(g), this document is deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts.

Foreign Affairs

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaties entitled “Convention on Social Security between Canada and the Republic of Tunisia”, done at Djerba on November 18, 2022, and “Amendment to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal”, adopted at Geneva on September 22, 1995.

Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise with the honour of presenting, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, entitled “Foreign Interference and the Threats to the Integrity of Democratic Institutions, Intellectual Property and the Canadian State”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

While I have the floor, I want to state how important this study is and what the committee heard. I want to mention the courage of the witnesses who came before our committee, in particular Pascale Fournier, who spoke truth to power, and members of our Chinese diaspora who deal with threats, intimidation and fear on a daily basis. They came before our committee to tell their stories. I hope that this report reflects those concerns accurately. More importantly, the report states what needs to be done in the recommendations to the government to deal with these threats of foreign interference, particularly by the Chinese Communist regime in Beijing.

While I am standing, I also want to thank the Clerk, the analysts, the technicians, all the witnesses and all members of the committee for putting their hearts and souls into the issue of threats as a result of foreign interference. This is a very important issue for our country. I present this report on behalf of the committee.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I thank the hon. member for presenting the report. Having been a member of that committee and that study prior to taking the Chair, I am glad the hon. member thanked the many people who were involved in it.

The hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes.

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent that the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics presented to the House on Tuesday, October 24, be amended by appending an amended dissenting opinion of the official opposition.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

It is agreed. The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

[Michael Barrett, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to present the supplementary opinion from the official opposition for this important report from the standing committee. The comments of the chair are with respect to thanking our analysts, the clerk and the witnesses. Everyone who participated is incredibly important.

This is a very important report about a very important subject. Of course, there were some recommendations that the Conservatives did not concur with, which is why we have added a supplemental to the report.

There is important context included in this, and the official opposition wants it to be noted that an audit of the Trudeau Foundation is an important component that should be considered by the government and undertaken.

The official opposition rejects the 16th recommendation included in the report.

Aquaculture

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition of great concern to residents of Saanich—Gulf Islands. People throughout this region have a deep concern for the fate of our wild Pacific salmon. The subject of the petition is the report of Mr. Justice Cohen on the fate of the salmon. The report came out during the time it was commissioned, when Stephen Harper was prime minister; it has been in front of us now for close to a decade, which is extraordinary to people in the region.

Briefly, the petition deals with the ongoing crisis of wild Pacific salmon. The petitioners note that the report of Mr. Justice Cohen has been in front of the government now for many years. There is a commitment to get the toxic salmon factories, known as salmon aquaculture operations, along the areas of Vancouver Island, particularly near the Discovery Islands' channels, out of the water. This would be done to remove the wild salmon stocks that are contaminated with diseases and viruses from the so-called farms.

The petitioners ask that the government move rapidly to enact all recommendations of the report of Mr. Justice Cohen and do so without further delay.

Public Safety

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I hope you will grant me some grace, given the gravity of the petition I am presenting today.

The petition arises from events that happened on September 16, 2021, with the horrific and preventable murders of Mchale Erica Busch, age 24, and her baby son, Noah Lee McConnell, age 16 months. The murders occurred in the victims' apartment building in Hinton, Alberta, perpetrated by a known registered sex offender. The family had no idea that this individual was living there, and the offences happened a short 10 days after they moved in.

This petition has been signed by almost 22,000 Canadians, who are asking for the Government of Canada to do the following: require mandatory reporting by convicted sexual offenders to the nearest police station upon any change of residence; clarify that failure to report as required is an offence for which an arrest warrant shall be issued; and create a specifically designated offender classification for persons convicted of sexual assault offences against children where a sentence of more than two years is imposed, for offenders convicted of two or more violent sexual offences, or for offences involving the abduction of women and/or children.

We have a responsibility to this family and all victims of sexual violence in this country. I look forward to the government responding to this petition.

Climate Change

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to submit a petition, in both official languages, on behalf of the residents of Nickel Belt and Greater Sudbury region.

I am tabling a petition calling on the federal government to move forward immediately with bold emission caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in achieving an interim and science-based target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The petition states that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades, if left unabated, will bring widespread devastation and extreme weather.

Public Safety

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise for the 17th time on behalf of the people of Swan River, Manitoba, to present a petition.

The people of Swan River have had enough of the Liberals' soft-on-crime policies that allow criminals to run rampant in the community without fear of jail. Members of this small community do not recognize their once-safe town. Businesses are now forced to use a community group chat to alert each other to armed robberies, so the next business down the street can be prepared.

The petitioners are calling for action before it is too late. The people of Swan River demand that the Liberal government repeal its soft-on-crime policies, which directly threaten their livelihoods and their community. I support the good people of Swan River.

Justice

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by Canadians, calling on the government to use all tools at its disposal, including invoking the notwithstanding clause, to override the Supreme Court's unjust Bissonnette decision. This struck down a law passed by the previous Conservative government that gave judges the discretion to apply consecutive parole ineligibility periods to persons convicted of multiple murders, to take each victim into account.

The consequence of the Supreme Court decision has been to significantly reduce the sentences of some of Canada's worst killers. It has been more than a year, and the Liberal government has sat on its hands and done nothing.

The petitioners are calling on the government to take action.

Climate Change

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I actually have three petitions to present. The first one is similar to one that my colleague just introduced, and it has to do with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's most recent warning.

The petitioners are specifically calling on the Government of Canada to move forward immediately with bold emissions caps for the oil and gas sector that are comprehensive in scope and realistic in terms of achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.

Remote-Controlled Model Airplanes

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition has to do with the subject of transportation.

This primarily comes from the Model Aeronautics Association of Canada. I know a number of petitions like this have been presented in the past. This one calls on the Government of Canada and, specifically, the Minister of Transport to review the decision of Transport Canada to cancel the MAAC members' exemption of part IX of the Canadian Aviation Act. It calls on the government to reinstate the exemption to MAAC members or remove fixed-wing RC models from the category of remote-piloted aircraft systems, as listed in the CAA.

Child Support

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition with 210 signatures from Canadians who are calling for the government's attention to a request about the way child support is determined in Canada.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to consider using household income instead of personal income in all cases, not only in undue hardship instances, as the standard for calculation of receiving child support in cases of joint and/or shared custody. This would allow for a common standard throughout departments.

Aquaculture

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table this petition on behalf of residents from Hornby Island, Denman Island and Deep Bay on Vancouver Island.

The petitioners are calling on the government to postpone licensing further shellfish aquaculture facilities located near herring spawning and rearing habitat in Baynes Sound until a full ecosystem-based assessment is completed on the impacts of this industry's activities on the herring stock, and that they also establish a record of effectively managing their gear and equipment and pay for the cleanup of tonnes of plastic debris. Further, they ask for the development of a co-management plan for Baynes Sound and Lambert Channel with first nations; this should be area-based and ecosystem-based, recognizing the first nations' unceded traditional territories.

Health

[Mel Arnold, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to present four more petitions on behalf of the residents of North Okanagan—Shuswap and Canada who are concerned about the current NDP-Liberal government's overreach into their lives.

The petitioners call on the Minister of Health to work with the natural health products industry to adjust Health Canada's cost-recovery rates, to accurately reflect the size and scope of the industry and to implement changes only once the self-care framework is adjusted.

We heard about this many times from residents over the summer, and I am very happy to present four more in a series of petitions that have been coming to me from residents who are concerned about the overreach of the current government.

Justice

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting a petition on behalf of Canadians who wish to draw to the attention of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada concerns in regard to the Bissonnette decision by the Supreme Court.

As a result of that decision, some of Canada's most heinous mass murderers who had their parole eligibility period reduced will now, in some circumstances, be able to apply for parole after only 25 years. It is an unjust decision putting the interests of some of the worst criminals ahead of the rights of their victims.

The petitioners wish to urge the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to invoke the notwithstanding clause with respect to the Bissonnette decision.

Health Care Workers

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it a pleasure to table today a petition signed by many residents of Manitoba. They are calling on the Government of Canada to work with the provincial jurisdictions in dealing with, in particular in this case, health care professionals, specifically nurses in the province of Manitoba, and the important role that Ottawa plays in working with the provinces to address credentials being recognized, the shortage of health care workers and so forth. It is a pleasure for me to table the petition.

Justice

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I too, along with many of my Conservative colleagues, rise today to present a petition related to the legal system in this country. Specifically, the petitioners draw to the attention of the Minister of Justice the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in R. v. Bissonnette that struck down section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, which allowed parole ineligibility periods to be applied consecutively for mass murderers. As a result of this decision, many of Canada's most heinous killers are being let out of prison long before they should be.

Therefore, the undersigned petitioners from across Canada urge the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada to invoke the notwithstanding clause and override this decision to ensure that justice is actually served within our justice system.

Pornography

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the petitioners who signed this petition are concerned about the ease of access to online sexually explicit material, including violent and degrading material. They are concerned that this is a public health crisis and a public safety concern. Petitioners note that a significant portion of commercially accessible sexual material has no age-verification software in place. Petitioners note that many serious harms associated with access to this type of material include favourable attitudes toward sexual violence and the harassment of women.

As such, the petitioners are calling for the quick passage of Bill S-210, the protecting young persons from exposure to pornography act.

Provincial Jurisdiction

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I have today comes from Canadians across the country who are concerned about the Liberal government's decision to put themselves in place of parents and provinces. The petitioners support the Leader of the Opposition's comments when he said that the Prime Minister should butt out of these kinds of decisions. The petitioners want to support Premier Blaine Higgs and his policy 713.

The petitioners note that in the vast majority of cases, parents care about the well-being of their children and love them much more than does any state-run institution. The role of the government is to support families and respect parents, and not to dictate how they should make decisions for their children. Therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to butt out and let Canadians raise their own children.

Charitable Organizations

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition I have comes from Canadians from across the country who are concerned about the Liberals' interference in charitable status. They note that in the Liberal platform, there was a values test on charitable status and that this could jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters and other organizations. They also note that the Liberals previously used a test to discriminate against groups that were applying for the Canada summer jobs grant.

The petitioners are asking the House of Commons to protect and preserve the application of charitable status rules on a politically and ideologically neutral basis, without discrimination on the basis of political or religious values and without the imposition of another values test. They also ask for affirmation of their freedom of expression as Canadians.

Women's Shelters

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition I have is signed by Canadians from across the country who are concerned that women's shelters are seeing increased demand and that the high cost of living and the housing crisis have made it harder for women and children fleeing violence to find a place to live.

At this time, they note that the Liberal government has dramatically increased spending on bureaucracy and consultations but is cutting $145 million of funding for women's shelters. The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to restore the funding for these women's shelters.