Debates of April 19th, 2024

Decorum in the House

[Branden Leslie, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Madam Speaker, I would like to add that, as you move forward in your deliberations on this, given we had a historic event happen earlier this week with historic corruption once again in this country, combined with the numerous ethics violations, “corruption” is the appropriate word for the Prime Minister.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I think that is more of a point of debate. I want to remind members that, if they are raising points of order, it should actually be a point of order and not debate.

The hon. member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin is also rising on a point of order.

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

Madam Speaker, as I am listening to this, today in question period we heard Liberal members repeatedly refer to Conservative members of Parliament as “mean” and “cruel”. If we are going to go down this road, I am sure we could scour the record of the member for Kingston and the Islands for all sorts of language that he has used that we might not agree with.

I would just urge the Chair, as the office is deliberating on this list, that the list of things we cannot say in the House of Commons be as short as possible and that we have latitude to engage in our democracy freely and passionately on behalf of our constituents. I am concerned that we are going down a road where we have way too many things that we are not able to talk about freely, and I do not think that our democracy is helped by that.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I appreciate that point of order as well. I do appreciate all that was contributed today. We will certainly take it all under advisement.

The hon. parliamentary secretary is rising on a point of clarification.

Oral Questions

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence)]

Madam Speaker, in consideration of my response to the member for Nunavut during question period, I want to clarify for the record that we have invested close to $1.2 billion across the three territories in housing and have supported over 18,000 units. In budget 2024, we would be investing an additional $918 million in housing in the territories.

Environment and Climate Change

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and in accordance with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Agreement between the United Nations as Represented by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Government of Canada Regarding the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, including in the Marine Environment (INC-4)”, done at Nairobi on April 4.

Public Safety and National Security

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

The first is the 11th report, entitled “Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts”. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

The second is the 12th report, which is in relation to the motion adopted on Monday, April 15, and it is entitled “Modification to the National Occupational Classification of Firefighters.” Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the 12th report.

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to rise today to present a petition from Canadians and people from the Nipissing area who are concerned about upcoming changes in legislation related to medical assistance in dying, or MAID.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.

Electoral Reform

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today on behalf of petitioners in the riding of Perth—Wellington.

The petitioners request that the government institute a citizens' assembly on electoral reform.

U.K. Pensions in Canada

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to present a petition.

I want to first thank the Canadian Alliance of British Pensioners, in particular Ian Andexser, who is a constituent in my riding.

Over 113,000 British pensioners living in Canada are currently receiving a frozen U.K. pension. In the last two years, the U.K. state pension has increased 18.6% to keep up with inflation, yet British pensioners in Canada are receiving a 0% increase. Canada annually indexes the CPP for Canadians who live in the U.K., so there is no reciprocity. Recently, the U.K. sought the support of Canada to join the CPTPP, which was willing given, yet Canada has requested an end to this one-sided arrangement five times in the last 10 years.

Overall, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada who receive a U.K. pension, or who will be eligible to draw a U.K. pension in the future, call upon the Government of Canada to seek a meeting with officials in the U.K. government to negotiate a stand-alone social security agreement to include the upgrading of U.K. pensions.

Human Rights

[Anita Vandenbeld, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to table petition e-4758.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada, particularly IRCC, to develop a list of laws that are known, in repressive regimes such as Russia, to be used to persecute human rights defenders, democracy activists and political dissidents. The petitioners are concerned that such laws, if they are deemed to have a Canadian equivalent, could be used to make someone inadmissible to Canada on the basis of a conviction just for defending human rights.

I would like to thank my constituent, Maria Kartasheva, who is a new Canadian citizen, for bringing forward this petition to make sure that what happened to her never happens to anyone else.

Pornography

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I bring forward a petition to the attention of the chamber. It has been spearheaded by the St. Michael's Catholic Women's League, based out of Ridgetown, though many other Canadians have signed it.

The petitioners want to draw attention to the fact that the depiction of sexual violence and access to it, particular for young people, is far too easy in this country. It is not protected by any effective age verification methods, so they want to make the House fully aware that this is an important health and public safety concern.

Therefore, they are encouraging us to adopt Bill S-210, which would protect young persons from exposure to pornography.

Human Rights

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the petition I am tabling is for the Government of Canada to apologize to Black Canadians for its role in chattel enslavement in Canada. Specifically, four items are noted in the petition: first, chattel enslavement was initiated over 400 years ago to assemble a cheap, ready and usable workforce that was dehumanized and dispersed globally; second, in colonial Canada, King Louis XIV's Code Noir became law in 1743 and required both indigenous and Black slaves brought into the French colony to be considered the possessions of those who purchased them; third, Great Britain further supported the practice of chattel enslavement after the French in 1759; and fourth, following the Slavery Abolition Act of 1834, and after the Dominion of Canada was created in 1867, systemic racism continued, thereby perpetuating the practice of discriminating beliefs in societal institutions, organizations and legislation, which treated Black people as marginal and inferior.

Therefore, these petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to finally do the right thing and apologize to Black Canadians for the centuries of mistreatment and racism in Canada. I thank Elise Harding-Davis for bringing this petition forward.

Air Transportation

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, just recently, WestJet announced new international flights, along with some domestic flights, one of which is direct to Ottawa, but it is encouraging when international airlines expand services, and that is what this petition is all about.

Petitioners are asking to have airlines take a look, along with the government, at ways in which we can enhance direct flight services to Europe, in particular to India. Ideally, we would speak to WestJet and others to encourage them to consider looking at those direct flights from Winnipeg to India.

Medical Assistance in Dying

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to present a number of petitions on behalf of residents of the North Okanagan—Shuswap and other Canadians.

The first one states that, whereas Canadians with mental health issues should be provided with treatment and support, and mental illness can be complex and include suicidal thoughts and symptoms, the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to reverse the law extending eligibility for MAID to people with mental illness as their sole medical condition.

Pornography

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

Mr. Speaker, the next petition I have is, again, signed by residents of North Okanagan—Shuswap and Canadians. It states that sexually explicit material, including demeaning material and material depicting sexual violence, can easily be accessed on the Internet by young persons. The petitioners, therefore, call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill S-210 to protect young persons from exposure to pornography.

Natural Health Products

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

Mr. Speaker, the final three petitions, and I have risen numerous times on this issue, are presented because people are concerned about the way the Liberal-NDP government has overreached into their lives, especially when it comes to access to natural health products. The petitioners call upon the Minister of Health to work with the natural health products industry and adjust Health Canada's cost revenue recovery rates to accurately reflect clear operations and be run smoothly.

Abortion

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising to present a petition with nearly 2,000 signatories, who are calling on the government to uphold and protect abortion rights in Canada.

Conservative members have presented anti-abortion legislation, and with the rise of anti-abortion legislation in the United States, Canadians must be vigilant in upholding this vital right. The lives of women and gender minorities rely on access to safe and legal abortions.

Homelessness

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I also rise to present a paper petition that constituents have signed on the mistreatment and discrimination facing people who are experiencing homelessness and the unhoused population.

While government is funding NGOs, petitioners are calling for housing-first solutions and are concerned about the violence this population faces from police and other people with more power. The petitioners call on the House of Commons to implement a federal law against the discrimination of homeless people in Canada and to make it illegal to confiscate their property.

Canadian Air Transport Security Authority

[Laurel Collins, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition with well over 500 signatures. The right to bargain is a constitutional right. The petitioners are calling on the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to cease interfering with industrial relations and all contractors, to meet their duties as an employer and to reverse the decision by CATSA to disqualify 27 screening officers at the Victoria airport. These workers were unjustly terminated without due process. The petitioners are asking for justice.

Climate Change

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

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first petition is on behalf of constituents who are calling to the attention of the government the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which has warned us repeatedly that rising temperatures over the next two decades will bring widespread devastation and extreme weather.

The petitioners are 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 achieving the necessary targets that Canada has set to reduce emissions by 2030.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I am presenting today is from farmers primarily from the riding to the north of mine, which is Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston. They are bringing to the attention of the government that the abattoir that was located at the Joyceville Institution was shut down a number of months ago. As a result, there are no longer options to utilize an abattoir within the local area of Kingston. As such, these farmers have to bring their cattle to abattoirs that are a much further distance away.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to explore all options to ensure that the abattoir located at the Joyceville Institution is reopened to address the issues noted above.

Foreign Affairs

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am tabling two petitions today on behalf of constituents in my riding.

The first petition calls on the federal government, which has already issued sanctions against the Russian Federation, to also name the Russian Federation as a foreign state supporting terrorism and to list it as a state sponsor of terror under specific legislation related to terrorism and the State Immunity Act.

Single-Use Plastics

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is very dear to my heart, because I am a member of the Calgary Co-op.

The Government of Canada has made illegal single-use plastics across the country as of December 2023, including the Calgary Co-op's 100% compostable shopping bags. This is despite the fact that the Calgary Co-op states that its bags contain no plastic, including no plastic in the ink, and that those non-plastic bags are engineered to break down at the local composting facility that the City of Calgary owns within a 28-day time frame. There is no waste and no plastic.

The Calgary Co-op says that its bags are truly popular with its members and are often reused as bin liners for household organic waste, constituting a second use. The Calgary Co-op has successfully kept over 100 million plastic bags out of landfills with the use of its compostable shopping bags. It is also signalling to the Government of Canada that this is an unnecessary ban that sends signals to stifle the adoption and development of environmentally responsible products.

Therefore, the petitioners are asking that the Government of Canada recognize that compostable bags do not constitute single-use plastics and are therefore worthy of an exemption from this ban.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand at this time, please.