David Anderson

[Petitions, December 10th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition today with respect to concerns about the international trafficking of human organs. The petitioners point out that there are two bills currently before the House of Commons and the Senate, the other place. They urge the Parliament of Canada to move quickly on the proposed legislation to prohibit Canadians from travelling abroad to acquire human organs removed without consent or as a result of a financial transaction, and to render inadmissible to Canada any and all permanent residents and foreign nationals who have participated in this abhorrent trade.

[Natural Resources, December 7th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, my constituents are sick and tired of the current Liberal government. They are sick and tired of exploding deficits. They are sick and tired of tax hikes. They are sick and tired of attacks on our way of life. How much further are these Liberals prepared to go to alienate Canadians before they realize the damage they have done? When will they kill Bill C-69, the bill that will kill energy development in Canada?

[News Media Industry, December 7th, 2018]

Madam Speaker, within the next year there will be a national election. One of the first things corrupt regimes around the world do to hold power is to undermine, bribe or pay off the media. Canadians have never expected that to happen here.

However, 10 days after Torstar Corporation, one of Canada's largest media conglomerates, appealed for federal subsidies, a $355,000 sole-source contract was awarded to pay Toronto Star reporters to attend and report on public meetings of the Commons finance committee and the Senate banking committee. The Liberals did this, despite the fact that committee meetings are monitored by 43 other media organizations on Parliament Hill.

Really, did those Liberals not see a conflict in gifting an inflated contract to the largest newspaper chain in the country in an election year? Then again, it is the same government that is handing out $595 million in taxpayer money to media outlets. How far will the Prime Minister go to buy the next election?

[Petitions, November 29th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, we have a petition here from people who are concerned about the increase in international trafficking in human organs where organs are removed from victims without consent.

There are two bills before Parliament dealing with some aspects of this issue. The undersigned urge the Parliament of Canada to move quickly on the proposed legislation so as to amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to make these kinds of acts illegal.

[Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, November 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to get my colleague's comments.

The Liberals are crying crocodile tears, as I think they are called. They are bragging about all of the things they have done, when they are actually not that interested in union members. We have seen the Liberals raise taxes. We see the minister talking this morning about how Canadians are waiting for help, but they are certainly not going to get it from the government.

The Liberals are talking about how small businesses are going out of business. I do not think the postal strike is the reason small businesses are going out of business, after three years of this government's leadership.

We did make some moves on unions. I think they were good ones. We expected unions to report their spending and to hold secret ballots for union certification so that members could have their rights protected.

I just want to again ask the member about the Liberal government's failure to take responsibility. The minister mentioned earlier that she is worried about Black Friday and that she is going to get this done by Saturday. Why do the Liberals always leave Canadians a day late and a dollar short?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 19th, 2018]

With regard to Correctional Service Canada: (a) how many individuals convicted of first-degree murder are in a minimum-security institution; (b) how many individuals convicted of second-degree murder are in a minimum-security institution; (c) how many individuals convicted of manslaughter are in a minimum-security institution; (d) of those individuals referred to in (a) through (c), how many of these convictions involved a child as a victim; (e) of those individuals referred to in (a) through (c), how many individuals are located in an Aboriginal healing lodge; (f) how many individuals are currently serving time in Aboriginal healing lodges; and (g) of the individuals in (f) how many are non-Aboriginal?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 19th, 2018]

With regard to the Prime Minister’s comments on September 26, 2018, that “Conversations I've had with Cuban leadership over the course of my tenure have always included human rights and a push for better respect for democracy”: (a) what are the details of all such conversations, including (i) date, (ii) with whom the conversation was held, (iii) specific topics raised; and (b) what are the details of any specific commitments which the Prime Minister received from the Cuban leadership related to human rights or democracy, including (i) date of commitment, (ii) who gave the commitment, (iii) summary or contents of commitment?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 19th, 2018]

With regard to the Prime Minister’s trip to the United Nations in September 2018: (a) what is the complete list of world leaders with whom the Prime Minister had official meetings; (b) what topics were discussed at each of the meetings in (a); (c) what was the government’s objective or reason for each meeting in (a); and (d) what was the date of each meeting in (a)?

[Questions on the Order Paper, November 19th, 2018]

With regard to inmates at the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge: how many inmates have been unlawfully at large since 2008?

[Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act, October 30th, 2018]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-418, an act to amend the Criminal Code (medical assistance in dying).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour today to table the protection of freedom of conscience act. The purpose of this is to protect the rights of health care professionals who conscientiously object to participation in medical assistance in dying, making it an offence to intimidate or try to force a health care professional to be involved in this activity. It also makes it an offence to fire or refuse to employ a health care professional for refusing to take part, either directly or indirectly, in the provision of medical assistance in dying.

I believe it is time to stand up for the doctors and health care providers who are not willing to leave their core ethics behind when they are at a patient's bedside. Access to medical assistance in dying and the right to conscientious objection are not mutually exclusive.

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