Debates of Sept. 20th, 2023

Government Employees Compensation Act

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-357, An Act to amend the Government Employees Compensation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill in support of the Union of Safety and Justice Employees' long-standing call to ensure more federal public safety personnel have access to workers' compensation for mental health-related injuries so that federal public safety personnel do not fall through the cracks anymore.

Dr. Rosemary Ricciardelli highlights that hundreds of dedicated federal parole officers who supervise Canada's highest-risk offenders are experiencing untenable levels of occupational stress and compromised mental health. My bill would fix the current inequitable system for federal government employees whose benefits and entitlements depend on the province where they live. We must ensure all federal government employees are treated equitably.

I would like to thank my seconder, the excellent MP for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie.

This bill supports the long-standing call of the Union of Safety and Justice Employees to ensure that more federal public safety personnel have access to workers' compensation for mental health-related injuries. The bill will correct the current inequitable system for federal government employees, whose benefits and rights depend on which province they live in. These employees must be treated equally.

I want to thank David Neufeld, the union president, who is here today, and Nancy Peckford and Kristy Howard, from the union, as well as Penny Bechbumb from Legislative Services.

I hope all members will support this bill.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Procedure and House Affairs

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the good people of the riding of Waterloo are looking forward to this report. If the House gives its consent, I move that the 47th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs presented to the House earlier this day be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

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)

U.K. Pensions in Canada

[Brad Vis, Conservative, Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC]

Mr. Speaker, petitioners in Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon who paid into the U.K. social security regime are asking the Government of Canada, in any negotiations related to a Canada-U.K. free trade agreement, to address the discriminatory practice of freezing U.K. pensions in Canada. These citizens paid into the U.K. pension and are asking the Government of Canada to address this discrepancy on a social-security-related matter during any future free trade agreement.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by Canadians who are urging the government to use all tools available to it, including invoking the notwithstanding clause, to override the Supreme Court's Bissonnette decision, which gave judges the discretion to apply consecutive parole ineligibility periods to killers convicted of multiple murders. The effect of this decision has been to significantly slash the sentences of some of Canada's worst killers.

Menstrual Leave

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week is Gender Equality Week, and the fight continues for women's rights. Whether it is for political freedom or equal access to health care and reproductive rights, equity has still not been achieved.

Today, I table a petition related to state-funded paid leave for people who suffer from painful periods. Women, and all people who menstruate, continue to manage any pain during their menstrual cycle while having minimal accommodations at work. For those who experience painful periods, this has a negative effect on their health and the ability to have equity at work.

The undersigned petitioners are supportive of designated time off, three to five days a month, to manage period pain. This is not only a matter of compassion but also an equitable workplace strategy. By recognizing this, governments and employers can create a more inclusive and fair work environment.

Old-Growth Forests

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually today on behalf of petitioners in Saanich—Gulf Islands who are concerned with the fate of old-growth forests.

The petitioners have identified and raised to the House assembled the need to pay attention to a risk to a specific endangered species of plant, specifically of lichen that is found only in the old-growth forest of yellow and red cedars. It is down to a very small remaining population on Vancouver Island. It is the old-growth specklebelly lichen.

The petitioners call on the federal and provincial governments, of course in this case, the federal government, to pay attention to this threat under the Species at Risk Act, and for the Minister of Environment to take steps to preserve this very endangered, rare old-growth forest lichen.

Justice

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this petition is calling on the Government of Canada to use all of its tools to respond to the Bissonnette decision, including invoking the notwithstanding clause.

One of the most important things to Canadians is that when the justice system does not work, it fails Canadian people. We are seeing this time and time again. We want to ensure that there are consecutive sentences going forward. We are asking that the Minister of Justice look at invoking the notwithstanding clause and override the Bissonnette ruling.

Chemical Ban

[Jeremy Patzer, Conservative, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present a petition signed by the great people of Cypress Hills—Grasslands, who have been facing consecutive years of drought.

One of the many ways the Liberal government has made life difficult for farmers is that it banned strychnine for dealing with out-of-control gopher populations. The petitioners are calling on Health Canada to reverse the decision and support the province of Saskatchewan and the province of Alberta, which have both spoken against this, because there is already sound scientific evidence proving that strychnine is effective and also safe to use when used properly.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise today to present a petition on behalf of Canadians from coast to coast asking the government to use all the tools it has at its disposal to respond to R v. Bissonnette, including invoking the notwithstanding clause.

The Bissonnette case overruled section 745.51 of the Criminal Code, making it easier for those who commit murder to get parole. This flies in the face of the will of the House and, of course, the common sense of the common people, the Canadians who signed this petition. They ask the government to correct this injustice.

Air Transportation

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I table today a petition dealing with members of, in particular, our Indo-Canadian community who have recognized the growth in that community here in Canada and want to see more direct flights from Canada going into, ideally, India. I know that many of my constituents would like to see a direct flight going from Winnipeg to India. The petitioners want to make sure the House is aware of that and to pass on their concerns to airlines and international airports here in Canada.

Fossil Fuel Subsidies

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a petition on behalf of those who recognize that we are in a climate crisis. They recognize we are spending at least $4.8 billion a year on fossil fuel subsidies. Recent estimates actually have it much higher, at more like upwards of $20 billion a year.

The petitioners recognize that by subsidizing fossil fuels, we are making it cheaper to produce and consume more fossil fuels. As a result, the petitioners call for the Government of Canada to immediately end all fossil fuel subsidies, both international and domestic, to all corporations, buyers, sellers and users of fossil fuels.

Chemical Ban

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by various Canadians from across the Prairies who would like to highlight one of the decisions Health Canada has made that puts the livelihood of livestock farmers at risk in our country, and that is the banning of strychnine. Strychnine, when used properly, is not something that puts wildlife populations at risk. However, this ban is leading to an out-of-control, year-over-year increase in the population of gophers.

The petitioners are asking for the government to use common sense to trust farmers and ranchers with the safe usage of strychnine, and restore the ability for farmers across the Prairies to properly use this chemical for the management of gopher populations.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise for the 10th time on behalf of the people of Swan River, Manitoba to present a petition with respect to the rising rate of crime. The people of Swan River are fed up with the Liberals' soft-on-crime policies that have allowed crime to haunt the community. Folks are forced to increase their security by barring the windows and installing alarms on their doors. Business owners are forced to ask themselves whether they can even afford to stay in business among the crime and chaos. We cannot expect rural communities to thrive when the local economy is held hostage by the same repeat offenders.

The people of Swan River demand that the Liberal government repeal its soft-on-crime policies that directly threaten their livelihoods and their community. I support the good people of Swan River.

Freedom of Expression

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to table a number of petitions on behalf of my constituents and other concerned Canadians.

The first petition deals with the issue of political discrimination and the growing fear some Canadians have that they will face discrimination in the workplace, including, perhaps, bullying, risk of employment consequences, etc., on the basis of their political views.

While the Canadian Human Rights Act provides protection for Canadians against certain kinds of discrimination, there is not protection against discrimination on the basis of political views. That is why I have tabled Bill C-257, a bill that would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination to the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Petitioners support Bill C-257, which is great, and they have prepared this petition, which I am, on their behalf, presenting to the House. The petition asks the House to support Bill C-257, which would ban discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity and defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

I will refrain from expressing a personal view on that petition at all. I just wanted to share the views of petitioners. I know my friend from Winnipeg North is watching closely to ensure that the rules are observed.

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from constituents concerned about proposals to legalize the killing of children in Canada under the so-called MAID regime. They note in particular that one of the witnesses at a previous committee was calling for the legalization of euthanasia for babies.

The petitioners call on the government and the House to strongly oppose any effort to legalize the killing of children in Canada.

Charitable Organizations

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition deals, similarly, with an issue involving discrimination on the basis of political views. It references a 2021 platform commitment from the Liberal Party of Canada to politicize charitable status determination, that is, to deny charitable status for certain pro-life organizations. The petitioners note this would jeopardize the charitable status of hospitals, houses of worship, schools, homeless shelters and other charitable organizations that do not agree with the Liberal Party on matters of conscience.

The petitioners note this would apply a values test for charitable status, similar to what we saw with the Canada summer jobs program, and jeopardize the good work of organizations that are not doing anything controversial but simply wish to be sincere about the private convictions of those involved in the organization.

The petitioners call on the House 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, as well as to affirm the right of Canadians to freedom of expression.

Falun Gong

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition today concerns the discrimination against and persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in the People's Republic of China. The petitioners note that Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline that consists of meditation, exercise and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance. The petitioners go on to explain a decades-long campaign of violence and persecution that has targeted Falun Gong practitioners. They also note the work of David Matas and the late, great David Kilgour on uncovering the campaign of forced organ harvesting targeting Falun Gong practitioners.

The petitioners call on the government to strengthen its response to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, to do more and to stand with them and other victims of violence at the hands of the Communist regime in Beijing.

I commend these petitions to the consideration of my colleagues.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the revised response to Question No. 1621, originally tabled on September 18, could be made an order for return, this return would be tabled in electronic format immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No.1621—

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

With regard to wrapping or other advertising expenditures for the exteriors of buildings since April 1, 2019, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, or other government entity: (a) what is the total amount spent on wrapping or advertising, broken down by individual building; and (b) what are the details of all wrapping, tarp, or similar type of advertising on government buildings, broken down by individual building, including the (i) vendor, (ii) description of good or services provided, (iii) date, (iv) amount, (v) file number, (vi) address of the building, (vii) message on the wrapping or the summary of advertising campaign?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Is that agreed?