Debates of Oct. 21st, 2013

Justice

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians should be concerned by the opposition NDP leader's comments. If we were to follow his plan and go back to the Liberal-style justice system, the consequences would be dire. For example, multiple murderers could be paroled after only 15 years, if Pierre Trudeau's faint hope clause were reinstated; judges would not have the option of extending the sentences of multiple murderers; and the age of consent would again be lowered to 14, putting children at risk. These are just a few examples.

The fact is that when it comes to cracking down on violent offenders and keeping Canadians safe, there is only one party in this country that will do that, and that is the Conservative Party.

Rail Transportation

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this summer, Lac-Mégantic experienced an unprecedented rail catastrophe.

Unfortunately, that was not the only accident involving trains and dangerous goods. Most recently, there was an accident this weekend, forcing the evacuation of more than 100 Albertans.

Municipalities want to know what is in the cars that are crossing their territory and they want to be involved in developing emergency plans. Will the government finally listen to what they have been calling for?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I have met with municipal leaders across the country this past summer.

We have developed a good, close working relationship with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. The president and CEO actually said that the FCM applauds the federal government's response to the tragedy in Lac-Mégantic and to the rail safety recommendations that emerged from it.

We will continue to work on these matters with our stakeholders and our partners.

Public Safety

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in rural communities, the first responders to a disaster are often the volunteer firefighters, as was the case in Lac-Mégantic.

In the Speech from the Throne, the government claimed it intended to work with the provinces to develop a national disaster mitigation program. In the last session, I introduced Bill C-504 to make firefighters available to respond to emergencies.

Will the Conservatives give me today the unanimous consent required to pass my bill?

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, indeed I am very pleased that my colleague noted this important measure in the government's throne speech.

As a government for Canada and the provinces, we have a responsibility to take action in anticipation of natural disasters. That is why we intend to put forward an infrastructure program to reduce and mitigate the impacts of disasters.

International Trade

[Ron Cannan, Conservative, Kelowna—Lake Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, a key part of our government's economic agenda is to open new markets around the world to increase Canadian-made exports.

I am pleased to announce the plan has achieved real success. In less than seven years, Canada has concluded new free trade agreements with nine countries. We are continuing to pursue new agreements with the largest and most dynamic markets in the world.

Can the Minister of International Trade please update the House about the latest success on the trade front?

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday we made history.

Our Prime Minister reached an agreement with the EU on the most comprehensive trade deal Canada has ever signed. It will boost Canada's economy by $12 billion a year, the equivalent of creating 80,000 new jobs or adding $1,000 to the average Canadian family's income every year.

It means better priced European goods. It means more choice for Canadian consumers. It gives businesses in every sector and region of our country access to a consumer market of 500 million people. This deal is historic for our government. It is historic for Canada. It is a great deal for Canada.

National Defence

[Dany Morin, NDP, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, some 4,800 National Defence employees will soon be “restructured” and redeployed. However, the Conservatives are hiding information.

What consequences will this restructuring have on the military base in my riding? How many jobs will be affected at the Bagotville base as a result of this so-called renewal strategy?

[James Bezan, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, we are very concerned about everyone who will lose their jobs.

With the changes that are happening with the roll-down of operations in Afghanistan, we have gone through a renewal, looking at all our strategic assets and all our operations. We want to make sure that we are investing all our capabilities into our front lines by making sure that we are not investing in unnecessary practices and procedures at this point in time so that we can increase the readiness of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Intergovernmental Relations

[Jean-François Fortin, Bloc, Haute-Gaspésie—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Ottawa has decided to attack the Quebec National Assembly's Bill 99, which states that only Quebeckers can decide their future.

By challenging this bill, the federal government is going after the recognition of the Quebec nation and its inalienable right to self-determination. The saddest part is that all the federalist parties in Ottawa agree that the power, authority and legitimacy of the Quebec National Assembly should be reduced, saying that Quebec is not big enough to decide its own future.

The Conservatives can no longer claim that it is the sovereignist government in Quebec that is stirring up trouble. How will they justify this direct attack on the Quebec nation?

[Paul Calandra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and for Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, this is a matter that is before the courts, but obviously we know that no one wants another referendum.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Maria Mourani, Independent, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have seen an unacceptable lack of safety for women and children in first nations communities. Aboriginal women are seven times more likely to be murdered than other non-aboriginal women in Canada.

A few days ago, the UN Special Rapporteur found that the government must conduct an inquiry into the large number of missing and murdered aboriginal women. Many cases remain unsolved. Last March, the provincial and territorial human rights commissions made the same request.

What is the government waiting for? When will it launch a national public commission of inquiry?

[Bernard Valcourt, Conservative, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, as we have already indicated several times, this is an important issue that the government takes very seriously.

That is why we adopted a seven-point strategy in 2010 that the government is now carrying out in co-operation with the provinces.

We know that this situation is unacceptable. We are of the opinion that governments that do not really want to take action conduct studies and inquiries. We, on the other hand, have decided to act.

Criminal Code

[Mike Sullivan, NDP, York South—Weston, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-541, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda).

Mr. Speaker, events this past summer exposed a huge failing in the Criminal Code, so I am pleased today to introduce an act to amend the Criminal Code, specifically the section dealing with hate propaganda.

This bill would amend the Criminal Code to include persons with disabilities among the groups of identifiable people against whom hate propaganda would be prohibited. By so doing, people with disabilities would have the protection of the law from those who would engage in spreading hatred on the basis of a disability, such as suggesting euthanasia for simply having a disability such as autism. The bill would help affirm that persons with disabilities are a valued part of Canada deserving respect and are able to live in our communities without fear of oppression or hatred.

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

National Urban Workers Strategy Act

[Andrew Cash, NDP, Davenport, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-542, An Act to establish a National Urban Workers Strategy.

Mr. Speaker, it used to be that when a person left school, he or she could get a job, work for the same company for 30 or 40 years, earn enough to raise a family and then be able to retire with a pension. However, all of that has changed. More and more Canadians are working as independent contractors, are self-employed, or free lance or working multiple part-time jobs and a growing number of particularly young workers are working for free as unpaid interns. These are what I call urban workers.

This diverse group of workers have a lot in common. They have no access to a workplace pension, no benefits and no job security. Today, with the tabling of this bill, we would begin to change that.

A national urban workers strategy would lay a new foundation in order to prevent the misuse and abuse of unpaid interns by working with the provinces to fill in the gaps in our laws that leave interns without protection, to increase access to employment insurance for all workers, to bring more fairness to the tax system for the self-employed and for workers with fluctuating incomes and to ensure that all Canadians could retire with a livable pension.

This proposed national urban workers strategy will support all Canadians in big cities, small towns and rural areas who are struggling with the issues of precarious employment. It is time our policies reflect the reality of work in the 21st century and that is why Canada needs an urban workers strategy.

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

Cluster Munitions

[Laurie Hawn, Conservative, Edmonton Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by 26 members of my riding.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to: (a) amend Bill S-10 to close the loopholes and make it clear that no Canadian should ever be involved in the use of cluster munitions for any reason, anywhere, at any time, for anyone; (b) include an explicit prohibition on investment in cluster munitions production in Bill S-10; and (c) add mention of the positive obligations Canada has assumed by signing the convention on cluster munitions to Bill S-10.

Navigable Waters Protection Act

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition that comes from constituents in my riding, from Fort Resolution, Northwest Territories. There are some 200 signatures on this petition, which represents 50% of the population of that community.

The petitioners ask that the Slave River be returned to protection under the Navigable Waters Protection Act. The Slave River, which the community of Fort Resolution is on the delta of, is an important connection in the north. It has been a navigable river for 100 years.

Health

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the brain is the most vital organ in the body. It keeps us alive and makes us human, and if it does not work properly, every aspect of life may be compromised. One in three, or 10 million Canadians, will be affected by a neurological or psychiatric disorder or injury at some point in their lives. For example, autism spectrum disorder affects 190,000, multiple sclerosis affects 93,000 and Alzheimer's disease affects 500,000 people.

The petitioners are calling for 2014 to be the year of the brain and for a pan-Canadian action plan for the brain developed with provincial and territorial ministers of health and stakeholders.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have petitions from constituents in my riding who wish for a moratorium on GM alfalfa. They are concerned that organic farming prohibits the use of genetic modification and that the organic sector in Canada depends on alfalfa as a high-protein feed for dairy cattle and other livestock and is an important soil builder.

The petitioners ask that Parliament impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa in order to allow proper review of the impact on farmers in Canada.

Climate Change

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to present two petitions to the House today.

The first petition deals with climate change. The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to invest in growing our country's expertise in the economics of climate change impacts and adaptation, cost out and model climate change impacts to inform decisions about adaptation policies, allocate scarce resources to programs that help Canadians adapt and invest in generating and disseminating research to inform adaptation decision making at the community, regional and sectoral levels.

Genetically Modified Alfalfa

[Matthew Kellway, NDP, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with genetically modified alfalfa. The petitioners call upon Parliament to impose a moratorium on the release of genetically modified alfalfa in order to allow proper review of the impacts on farmers in Canada.

Canada Post

[Judy Foote, Liberal, Random—Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to present a petition on behalf of the people of Garnish, a small rural community in my riding of Random—Burin—St. George's.

The petitioners oppose the reduction in hours at the Canada Post operation in their community. This is happening throughout rural communities in our country. They ask that these hours be reinstated because they need the service, people in the community depend on the service and of course it will also affect the community economically.

The petitioners therefore ask the government to get involved to try to ensure that Canada Post throughout Canada continues to offer a service that the people are entitled to and that they need and deserve.

Sex Selection

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today and I have literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of petitions that have been signed in regard to the birth of baby girls and the action of abortions that are allowed through sex selection. This has denied millions of girls in Canada and throughout the world the chance to be born merely because they are girls.

The petitioners ask the House of Commons and Parliament present to condemn discrimination against girls through sex-selection abortion and to prevent sex-selection abortions from being carried out in Canada.

VIA Rail

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have hundreds, if not thousands, of petitions to present today. The petitioners are calling on the federal government and the Minister of Transport to back down on cuts to VIA Rail that are resulting in stations being shut down, including the one in Drummondville.

The Drummondville station is the third largest in Quebec, and the number of employees will drop from three to zero. People with disabilities come to Drummondville every week. They use this service and they need assistance. Drummondville is an age-friendly city and we are there to offer services to seniors.

Not long ago, there was a press conference in Drummondville involving a dozen or so organizations from economic, tourist and other sectors to condemn the decision. The public is supporting this common front. The city passed a resolution to keep the Drummondville station open and keep the staff working.

I am presenting this petition today.

Jericho Garrison Lands

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table a petition calling on the Government of Canada to coordinate a full process of public consultation prior to the commencement of any disposal of the Jericho Garrison Lands in my riding of Vancouver Quadra.

These lands are 21 hectares of Department of National Defence lands located in the Point Grey neighbourhood, and they have a mix of trees, green space and historic buildings. They are lands that are significant to the heritage and quality of life of the residents of Vancouver Quadra and the broader community. We know that there is a planned divestment of these lands, but there has been no consultation with the public.

The petitioners therefore call on the government to rectify that and to lay out a plan and a timeline for full public consultation before any active divestment or sale of the Jericho Garrison Lands takes place.