Bill C-443 (Historical)

National Health and Fitness Day Act

An Act to establish a National Health and Fitness Day

This enactment designates the first Saturday of June in each and every year as “National Health and Fitness Day”.
It also provides that the Government of Canada is to encourage local governments to recognize the first Saturday in June, in each and every year, as National Health and Fitness Day and to make their health, recreational, sports and fitness facilities available to Canadians at a reduced rate or free of charge.

Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it really is a privilege for me to speak to Bill C-43, Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2.

I was thinking that if I were asked by some of the wonderful people in the riding I represent—volunteers like Randine Hardy, Mary Ann Smith, or Tom Dalimor, or some of our wonderful youth who take leadership positions, like Andrea Choo or Yuan Kim or Ania Salehirad—what a budget implementation act is, I would go back to a question of mission and values. I would say that a budget implementation act is like a rudder steering the ship of government. The budget itself is like the road map, but if we do not understand the mission and values of the government, then it would be hard to put these things in context.

I like to think that this government stands for values that Canadians cherish: freedom, responsibility, equality, compassion, and integrity. We see these values in acts like the budget implementation act. In very specific terms, this act touches upon the economy, on jobs, on responsible resource development, on health, and fitness and volunteers. I will take us through some of these things in the act and am looking forward to questions from my friends.

There are many good things in Canada's economic action plan 2014. There is the promotion of jobs and economic growth, which we see brought forward through the budget implementation act. There is an underlying commitment to return to balanced budgets in 2015, a sense of that responsibility. While we are controlling departmental spending, federal support to Canadians, like seniors benefits, would keep growing. That is essential to some of the leading seniors in the riding I represent, like Brooke Campbell, Garry Sutherland, and Christopher Hebb, who have been bringing me issues about RRSPs and how these can be improved.

We see in this budget implementation act major transfers to provinces for health care, education, and other services that Canadians rely on. These will keep growing to record levels.

There is a focus on connecting Canadians with available jobs, which is key in the sunshine coast and corridor areas of the riding I represent. We see the launching of the Canada job grant so that Canadians can get the skills training they need to get in-demand jobs. There is the creation of the Canada apprentice loan, which would provide apprentices in Red Seal trades access to over $100 million in interest-free loans each year; and there is the launching of a job-matching service, a new service that would match Canadians looking for work with the employers who want to hire them. There would be more paid internships for young Canadians. In fact, $55 million would be invested to create such internships. This is good news for universities in the riding I represent, including Quest University Canada, Capilano University, Vancouver Island University, as well as for academic institutions across the country.

There is also the initiative to help older workers get back to work, with some $75 million invested in this targeted initiative to support these older workers who want to participate in the job market. That is something we often hear about at breakfast tables at the West Vancouver seniors' centre.

Budget 2014 also focuses on ensuring responsible resource development and on conserving Canada's natural heritage. If there is something that matters to British Columbians in addition to creating jobs and spurring the economy, it is ensuring that we preserve our wonderful natural heritage and that we have sustainable investment in the environment and fisheries. Groups like the Future of Howe Sound Society and people who want to ensure that if there is an LNG natural gas project at Squamish Woodfibre, it is done according to international standards of safety and good environmental standards, will be delighted to see the initiatives brought forth in the budget implementation act of 2014.

We see an emphasis on responsible resource development, including an increase in funding for the National Energy Board, to ensure that projects like that one I mentioned are reviewed in a comprehensive and timely manner. There is also tax relief for green energy, encouraging investment in clean energy generation thereby.

I come back to the conservation of Canada's natural heritage. Included in this effort are investments in Canada's national parks and historic canals; expanded tax relief for environmental conservation of lands; and bolstered recreational fisheries. The latter will be of great encouragement to the West Vancouver Streamkeepers and streamkeepers throughout our riding, as well as the Pacific Salmon Foundation, which does a great job in encouraging up to 40,000 volunteers throughout British Columbia.

I would like to touch on steps that our Conservative government is taking related to health and fitness, including the introduction of the children's fitness tax credit and the search and rescue volunteer tax credit.

It is Christmas time. It is a time for gift giving and for thinking of others above ourselves. Our government's job is to think of our citizens first. It is not about creating more bureaucracy, as other parties in the House would like to do. It is about empowering others to be the best they can be. That is where the value of responsibility comes in. It is in tune with that value that our government has recently doubled the children's fitness tax credit to $1,000, effective this tax year. It is also providing a refundable tax credit for the registration of a child under 16 in a sports program or physical activity.

Why is this children's tax credit so important? We have noticed dwindling rates of physical activity, alarming and increasing obesity rates, and climbing cardiovascular and diabetes problems. The economic costs of these issues are huge. The Public Health Agency of Canada is telling us that it costs $7 billion a year to deal with the consequences of inactivity relating to cardiovascular and diabetes problems. We are now facing the terrible situation where children will die at a younger age than their parents. This will be the first time in history that has ever happened.

I am pleased to see that these government initiatives are supported and bolstered by a bill that I have sponsored in the House, the national health and fitness day bill. We will be speaking to it this coming Monday, December 8, and voting on it for the third time on Wednesday, December 10. It is my hope that this will be a gift from the riding I represent to all Canadians as we approach the Christmas season.

Beside the children's fitness tax credit, I would like to bring to the attention of the House the increase and expansion in the universal child care benefit. This represents a benefit of almost $2,000 for families with children under 6, and $720 a year for parents with children aged 6 to 18. As someone who is passionate about promoting health and fitness for all Canadians, it is my hope that these changes will help parents offset the cost of having their children enrolled in organized sports or other physical activities.

Finally, I would like to emphasize how much the Conservative government shines a light on our volunteers. We have seen an illustration of this through the introduction of the search and rescue volunteer tax credit. Three years ago, the Conservative government introduced a volunteer firefighters' tax credit in recognition of the important role played by volunteer firefighters in contributing to the security and safety of Canadians. I was pleased to advocate for that tax credit on behalf of firefighters throughout the riding I represent.

In the same spirit of recognizing those who play a critical role in emergency preparedness and response, economic action plan 2014 announced a search and rescue volunteer tax credit for ground, air, and marine search and rescue volunteers. This credit would be available to search and rescue volunteers who perform at least 200 hours of service during the year.

I would like to bring this down to one individual, Tim Jones, a hero from the North Shore in the Vancouver area. He led the huge team of search and rescue volunteers in the North Shore, who over 50 years have committed themselves to more than 2,500 search and rescue operations. These people put themselves in harm's way day in and day out, with more than 200,000 hours of selfless effort by them in the North Shore search and rescue team.

Whether it is supporting volunteers, promoting health and fitness, spurring jobs, or creating economic development, these are all consistent with the five key values I mentioned at the beginning. These are the values of freedom, responsibility, equality, compassion, and integrity. I am proud to stand in the House on behalf of the people I represent and to speak on behalf of all Canadians and to support the government's budget implementation act, 2014.

[Alexandre Lavoie, Committee Researcher]

I wish first to remind the committee that only one provision applies to a Senate bill, and that is whether a similar matter has been voted on during the current session.

Bill S-211 seeks to designate the first Saturday in June of each year as National Health and Fitness Day. Another bill, Bill C-443, deals with the same matter; however, it is currently at first reading, has not been voted on yet, and has not even been put on the order of precedence.

Obesity

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague, the marathon-running member for Burlington, has vigorously moved a motion today that goes deep and far in helping Canadians find a way to go from where we are today to becoming the fittest nation on earth. In my remarks I will reinforce what he has told us about the crisis in which we find ourselves today as a nation in terms of the health consequences of the obesity epidemic, and then touch on the economic consequences. Most importantly, I address three audiences today who can unite to reverse the current trend and make us what we can and should be: the fittest nation on earth. Those audiences are fellow parliamentarians, mayors and councillors of our local governments, and most importantly the 35 million people of Canada.

The rates of obesity continue to be high. The most recent Statistics Canada data show that 67% of Canadian men and 54% of Canadian women, ages 18 to 79, are either overweight or obese. Even more concerning is that nearly one in three Canadian youth between the ages of 5 and 17 fall into these categories. These frightening statistics ought to make us all wake up. Put simply, the root causes of obesity are issues that we Canadians must acknowledge, challenge and defeat. We are not talking about fatness; we are talking about fitness. This is not about cosmetic and subjective commentary about how fashionable we Canadians look. This is about when BMI, body mass index, issues lead to chronic diseases.

Obesity is associated with the increased risk of many chronic diseases, including diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Other related problems are sleep apnea, hypertension, osteoarthritis and certain types of cancers, and these diseases are killers. Every year in Canada 67% of all deaths are caused by four major chronic diseases related sometimes to obesity: cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular problems and chronic respiratory diseases. Afflicted by these things, children are increasingly hit by chronic health problems that used to be confined to adults. Our current youth are likely to be the first generation in history to die of natural causes at an age younger than the age at which their parents died.

The obesity epidemic raised by the member for Burlington today is not just a health peril. It is an economic peril, a major factor in balancing our national budget, in being competitive economically and in being a prosperous nation. We Canadians know instinctively that poor health saps our creativity and productivity. However, we would agree that the numbers deliver a staggering message. Canada's public health agency has put a $7 billion annual price tag on health care for cardiovascular problems and diabetes arising from obesity. Canadians are concerned about these spiralling health costs, and we must respond. Indirect costs relating to lack of productivity in the workplace could be even larger.

In a comprehensive approach to making Canada the fittest nation on earth, we should not ignore the harmful role of illegal drugs, prescription drugs that are misused and the misuse of legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco. Canadians were therefore delighted yesterday to hear the Governor General express support in the throne speech for taking significant steps against the misuse of prescription drugs. In conjunction with Michel Perron of the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, the Canadian association of police chiefs and the B.C. association of police chiefs, I have pressed for a national prescription drug drop-off day. Our ministers of public safety and health responded and last year, on May 11, we had our first ever such day to highlight the misuse of prescription drugs. Over three tonnes of unused prescription drugs were collected.

I take great pride in the Orchard Recovery Center from my riding, which spearheaded recovery day in B.C., a day on which brave people publicly highlight their attempts to overcome substance abuse. On its second anniversary, September 8, recovery day had already spread to 18 cities in Canada. I encourage all Canadians to take note and support those in recovery.

We have reached a pivotal moment in our history. In large numbers, we Canadians have lost the way in taking care of ourselves. We must each take that responsibility seriously and encourage others to do the same. While a key to a fit nation starts with personal responsibility, government does have a big role to play and our government has taken strong steps to make a difference.

For example, it was our Conservative government that introduced the children's fitness tax credit, making it easier and more affordable for children to go out and stay active. We built on this success further in budget 2013 through our elimination of tariffs on sports and athletic equipment. Yesterday's throne speech signalled a continuing commitment to turn the tide of obesity in our nation. Standing beside the Minister of Health yesterday, I witnessed first-hand her commitment as she applauded the government's commitment to continue to “work with the provinces and territories and with the private and not-for-profit sectors to encourage young Canadians to be more physically active”.

I applaud the health minister's energetic commitment, but she cannot do it alone. It is my dream that each member of Parliament and senator comes to Parliament Hill believing that the promotion of health and fitness is an integral part of our role. As public figures, we may not be athletic and we may not even be fit, but we can demonstrate our commitment to act as role models to improve our own levels of fitness and to encourage our constituents to do the same.

That is why parliamentarians regularly receive a joint invitation from the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore, the member for Etobicoke North and me, three members of different parties who together invite parliamentarians to join together to put our stickers in the window for fitness. Come join us for a walk or run each Wednesday at 12:15 at the Centennial Flame or a swim on Thursdays at 6:45 a.m. at the Chateau Laurier. We are privileged that Pierre Lafontaine, CEO of Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and Phil Marsh, senior manager of the Running Room, come out regularly to rally us, totally committed to the concept of making Canada the fittest nation on earth.

In addition to these weekly events, I encourage parliamentarians to help me take to new heights of participation some events that I have introduced, to make a statement to the nation. The third annual Bike Day on the Hill will be May 12 and the third annual National Life Jacket and Swim Day will take place on May 25, events produced with the help of Canadian Tire Jumpstart foundation, Canadian Red Cross, Cycling Canada, the Ottawa Bicycle Club and others.

Parliamentarians, we need to start in our own House first, literally: the House of Commons and the Senate. Each of us is a mini-minister of health, there to support the minister herself. In this Olympic year and following the legacy of 2010, I invite every member to join me and our colleagues on Wednesdays and Thursdays to help make Canada the fittest nation on earth.

Our Conservative government has developed a pattern of investing in community projects like sports arenas and fitness centres to encourage healthy living and active lifestyles, including many in the riding I represent. I now ask the mayors and town councillors across the nation how we can, as parliamentarians, work with them to leverage their marvellous community facilities to work together to make Canada the fittest nation on earth.

It is local governments that own and maintain many of the key infrastructures. It is local governments that create programs to involve people in their communities to participate together to become more physically active. We chose the first Saturday in June to be National Health and Fitness Day, when many local governments are already committed to opening their summer facilities for the first time.

I invite all of my colleagues, in both houses, to join with Canadians and approach mayors and councillors across Canada to take part in this growing movement. Ask the communities to mark the day in some way, be it reduced-cost admission to a recreation centre, two-for-one swim time, a demonstration of nutritional cooking or a walk or bike ride for seniors. There is no need for NHFD to be a cost centre. It can be a marketing campaign that produces revenue for each participating municipality.

His Excellency the Governor General participated in National Health and Fitness Day, offering kick-off remarks for Ottawa events and demonstrating considerable prowess on his bicycle.

I have tabled a private member's bill, Bill C-443, to formalize National Health and Fitness Day. I am please to say it has support from 20 members of all parties.

As I bring my remarks to a close, I ask all of our fellow countrymen and countrywomen what we can do to respond to the obesity epidemic. First, we must recognize the key aspect played by the root causes of obesity and that is the lack of participation in healthy physical activity. Second, we need to join together to encourage each other, to encourage our mayors and councillors. Why not set that lofty goal to go on to become the fittest nation on earth?

Sport Matters

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a former president of Rowing Canada Aviron and a board member of the Canadian Olympic Committee, I rise today to speak to the importance of health and fitness.

Fitness and active choices can easily be integrated into our day. It is for this reason I am proud of organizations such as Sport Matters, which promote healthy living and the value of sport and physical activity. I am particularly pleased that Sport Matters supports all forms of athletics, from the playground to the podium. It values recreational activities just as much as the gruelling fitness regimens of elite athletes. Having seen young school children grow and develop into Olympians who represent Canada on the world stage, I know the importance of fitness at all levels.

I wish to also acknowledge my colleague, the member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country and his Bill C-443, national health and fitness day act. His legislation will serve to ensure a day for all Canadians to be reminded of the importance of health and fitness.

National Health and Fitness Day Act

[John Weston, Conservative, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-443, An Act to establish a National Health and Fitness Day.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce my private member's bill, an act to establish a national health and fitness day.

The bill encourages local governments to open the doors of their facilities on a complementary basis on the first Saturday of June each year. It will benefit Canadians by encouraging participation in healthy physical activities at a time when obesity-related conditions such as diabetes are taking an increasing toll on our health and economy.

My bill enjoys broad support in this House, from the member for Sackville—Eastern Shore and from members of the Conservative Party, the NDP, the Liberal Party and the Green Party.

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