Debates of Nov. 6th, 2013

Presence in Gallery

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Veterans' Week

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

There have been consultations among the parties. Therefore, before the hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs rises to make a statement, I would invite all hon. members to rise for two minutes of silence to commemorate our veterans.

[A moment of silence observed]

[Julian Fantino, Conservative, Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by first recognizing the important anniversary we are observing this year.

On July 27, 1953, a ceasefire was finally brokered on the Korean Peninsula. With the beginnings of the Korean War armistice, two bitter foes agreed to put down their weapons. Sixty years later, we still remember the more than 26,000 Canadians who served courageously on land, at sea and in the skies during some of the most brutal and bloodiest fighting of the Korean War. Approximately 7,000 Canadians continued to serve there after the fragile ceasefire was reached and, as we sadly remember, 516 brave Canadians made the ultimate sacrifice so the world might one day know peace.

Despite all of this, the Korean War has long been viewed by many as the forgotten war and that is why our government sought to correct this wrong by making this year, 2013, the Year of the Korean War Veteran. We all respect the official record of this place. Every word we speak in the House is captured indefinitely by Hansard, and this is why at the end of my speech I will table, in both official languages, a list of every Canadian who perished in the Korean War. I do so with the hope that all Canadians will know the names of those who made the ultimate sacrifice, that their names will be enshrined in Hansard for future generations to come.

It is truly an honour to rise this afternoon to deliver my first Veterans' Week statement as Canada's new Minister of Veterans Affairs. At the outset, I want to thank the Prime Minister for the privilege of serving Canada's veterans and their families, serving those who have served our country so bravely and so well. Our men and women in uniform have an incredible sense of duty and commitment to service above self. We recognize the toll their service takes on their families, the extra responsibilities and duties their loved ones assume on the home front each day, the constant fear that comes with not knowing how loved ones are doing or even where they are. This reality is unique to our military families and as I salute them for their contributions, I ask all Canadians to do likewise.

It is these realities that have motivated me to stand in the chamber today to thank all of our military families for sharing their loved ones with us. We truly are a grateful nation and we remember fondly the devotion and sacrifice of the men and women who have chosen to demonstrate their love of country by wearing the maple leaf.

I have been privileged to travel far and wide to meet with some of our veterans and see the respect and gratitude they have earned around the world. Even more profoundly brought home to me time and again is the sense of altruistic patriotism shown by the veterans themselves, proud, honourable and distinguished Canadians, past, present and, no doubt, future, truly the best Canada has to offer.

I cannot say how proud I felt to be a Canadian when I accompanied our Korean War veterans on their return visit to the Korean Peninsula in July. Let me also assure everyone that South Korea is a nation that continues to honour and remember the great sacrifices of the Canadian men and women who protected their freedom some 60 years ago. I felt equally privileged to be with Canadian veterans and Canadian armed forces personnel in Sicily to mark the 70th anniversary of Operation Husky and the Italian campaign that liberated my native Italy from the tyranny and oppression of the day.

Just as important, I have been meeting veterans and their families here at home, in their communities, from coast to coast, in places like Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, London and Sarnia, in Fredericton, Halifax, Charlottetown and Vancouver. These men and women, as well as their strong and supportive families, represent the very best of what it means to be Canadian.

It is tempting to say that we are fortunate people, or to believe that fate has looked kindly upon us, but Canada did not become a great nation by accident. This prosperous and democratic country that we love, this way of life we hold so dear, is owed in large measure to the generations of men and women who have courageously stood up and put themselves at risk to defend our shared ideals and values. They have stood up for Canada, for our core beliefs of democracy, human rights and respect for the rule of law. They have stood up for a caring and conscientious peace-loving people, and that is why we are here today.

We appreciate that Canada is a precious gift, made by many who have served and continue to serve at home and abroad: on land, at sea and in the air. We are their heirs to peace, security and quality of life that we can never take for granted. We never will.

This Veterans' Week, we come together as a proud nation to honour the more than two million Canadians who have worn our nation's uniform during times of peace and war, and to remember the 118,000 brave men and women who have paid for our freedom with their lives.

Whether these are profound memories and personal reflections of sacrifices, or in any way those we can tribute today, be they in Europe or elsewhere where our soldiers are buried, at the cenotaphs or services of remembrance, Canadians will never forget.

One such profound recent reminder was at the Royal Canadian Legion General Wingate Branch, No. 256, in Toronto. While honouring the sacrifice of Canadian Jewish World War I heroes, Mr. Murray Jacobs, past president, captured the significance of the day when he said something that was reflective of the weather, the temperature, and the inclement conditions we were under there. He said, “We are reminded that the rain is really teardrops as we remember our fallen brethren”.

That is our history, our proud military heritage, which predates our nation itself. This is who we are. It is a history that our government is proud to honour, revere and commemorate.

Next year, we will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War, as part of our plans leading to the celebration of Canada's 150th birthday in 2017. We are determined to ensure future generations of Canadians never forget the people and events that shaped our nation, that they never forget the terrible loss of life or the scale of the devastation, destruction, sacrifice and trauma that the tragedy of war brings.

It is indeed regrettable that after all these years we still cannot claim world peace in our time. A new generation of Canadian men and women have instead known the horrors of modern-day war, and fighting during the Afghanistan and Libya campaigns. Canadians are still serving in the cause of peace and freedom, from Cyprus to the Golan Heights, to the Sudan and the Congo. They are continuing to serve in the proud traditions of those who came before them, defending Canada with honour, courage and distinction.

As we return to our communities, and as we await with great anticipation for the return of the final group of personnel from Afghanistan, and as we prepare to gather at local cenotaphs and memorials, I ask all Canadians to make this Veterans' Week a time of reflection and gratitude. Let us make it a time to remember those to whom we owe so much, those who sacrificed, those who have given us what we can never fully repay, those upon whose shoulders this and future generations of Canadians stand.

Lest we forget.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs and the government for their kind remarks on Veterans' Week.

I would like to highlight the names of some veterans and their families throughout this country who have given so much. They are not only Canada's heroes, but some are my personal friends. There is Major Dan Gagnon, who served so bravely in Rwanda, and Major Tom Wilson, who retired after 36 years of valiant service. Between the two of them, they have 72 years of proud military tradition in the Canadian military.

Lily Snow, Helen Rapp, Louise Richard and Nichola Goddard, Nichola having paid the ultimate sacrifice, are brave women who served side by side with the men who served so bravely in all the wars and conflicts that Canada has entered into.

There is Murray Brown of the RCMP. We must not forget about our RCMP and their families, who serve so bravely, not only internationally but at home as well. There are great people, such as, Medric Cousineau and his campaign for service dogs, Michael Blais with the Canadian Veterans Advocacy, and veterans advocate Sean Bruyea.

Also worth noting are the Royal Canadian Legion and many organizations that advocate, not only for remembrance of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but for those who are still with us.

I would also mention Mr. Peter Lahey of the International Transport Workers' Federation, who is going to Liverpool on November 10 to lay a wreath on behalf of all seafarers and merchant mariners throughout the world.

I congratulate Mr. Nathan Greenfield, an author who wrote a fantastic book called The Forgotten. He has written about prisoners of war and those who escaped various conflicts when they were in prison in World War I and World War II.

However, there is one person who stands out. That is Mr. Ed Carter-Edwards, of Smithville, Ontario. He is now 95 years old. I swear, if Canada were at war tomorrow, he would be the first one to sign up. He was in the bomber command that was shot down over Europe. He and his colleagues were in the Buchenwald concentration camp, which went against the Geneva Convention. Somehow he ended up surviving to tell us the story of what happened. Recently, in a book signing at the Armoury in Ottawa, he told a bunch of new officers of the Canadian military about the tremendous experiences of what he went through. When doing so, one could have heard a pin drop. This is one of Canada's true national heroes. He is about five feet tall, but as tough as they get. I personally want to salute Mr. Ed Carter-Edwards, on behalf of all of us in the House of Commons, and all Canadians, for his tremendous fighting spirit and efforts in reminding us of the price of war.

I also want to congratulate the Government of Canada for making this the year of the Korean veteran. We would like to say to all of those who served in Korea, and their families, that the Korean War is forgotten no more. I am very proud that the minister presented the 516 names into Hansard today, so that all Canadians will be able to look upon them as true Canadian heroes, as well as those who have served and sacrificed, were injured, and eventually came home.

We truly will not be able to have peace in Korea until North Korea and South Korea become a unified country. I hope that all of us will be alive when that gracious day comes.

On behalf of the leader of the New Democratic Party and all of my colleagues from coast to coast to coast, we say to each and every veteran who has served, their families, and those who will serve and become veterans in the future, that there is a gravesite in Brussels from World War I. When the individual passed away, the family put something on the gravesite. It states, “This Canadian left his home so that you can live in yours”. I am a Dutch-born Canadian. I know that the minister is from Italy. We know all too well about the liberation that was made possible by what Canadians did so that our families and our countries could be free.

On behalf of all of us, we say God bless to our veterans and their families. May God have mercy on the souls of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

[Jim Karygiannis, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am truly humbled to speak on behalf of my leader and the Liberal Party of Canada as we honour the men and women who have answered the call to serve their country. A lot of them are here today and we need to recognize them, and a lot of them are now missed as members of Parliament.

Throughout our history, young Canadians have enlisted to fight for freedom in faraway lands. They have answered the call to serve in two world wars, and the Korean War, as peacekeepers and as peacemakers. They have left home, their mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, their sweethearts and their wives and children. They have gone to fight for freedom and justice. They have gone to fight for those who are oppressed and persecuted. They have gone to keep warring sides apart and to maintain shaky peace treaties. They have gone to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

I cannot imagine facing what each of them has faced. I cannot imagine the rush of adrenalin as they face the enemy or come under fire. I cannot imagine seeing their comrades being killed or wounded, and I cannot imagine the horrors they have witnessed.

In 1914, young Canadians from across the country enlisted to fight in Europe. By the end of the First World War, 619,636 had gone to war. George Herald Baker, a member of this House of Commons, was one of the 66,000 who did not come home. Through the blood of our soldiers, Canada won its place at the treaty table.

Unfortunately, the war to end all wars did not end all wars. Once again, between 1939 and 1945, 1.1 million young Canadians went off to war, and 45,400 did not make it home. There were 54,000 Canadians who came home with physical wounds, and countless others came home with psychological wounds.

Between 1950 and 1953, 26,791 Canadians served in the Canadian Army Special Force, in Korea. There were 1,516 young Canadians who did not come home and 1,042 were wounded.

Since the Korean War, more than 1,800 Canadians have fallen in the line of duty. They were serving on peacekeeping missions and other foreign military operations, on domestic operations and training. The 158 Canadians who have fallen in Afghanistan are included in this number. Others have returned home with physical and mental wounds.

These men and women exemplify the best of what it means to be a Canadian: strong, caring and compassionate, with a sense of justice and a willingness to defend and protect the weak and the helpless.

In 2005, I had the privilege of visiting two DART camps, one in Sri Lanka, after the tsunami, and one in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan. In Pakistan, I watched as a young Canadian doctor spoke to an injured child in his own language. I heard about doctors and medics who put on their boots, strapped their medical supplies to their backs, climbed the mountains, and delivered medical care to those who were too injured to make it to the DART hospital.

In 2006, I had the opportunity to go to Vimy Ridge and saw the soaring monument to the 3,598 Canadians who lost their lives during that four-day bloody battle. I saw the landscapes that still bear the scars of the exploding shells. I saw the trenches where our soldiers lived and died.

At the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month each year, we remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

However, every day of the rest of the year, every time we see a veteran or a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, we should stop and take a moment to shake their hands and say, “Thank you for your service. We are in your debt”.

Lest we forget.

[Claude Patry, Bloc, Jonquière—Alma, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Remembrance Day is an opportunity for each of us to realize that we owe a debt to veterans and their families.

We have a duty to teach future generations about those who put what was best for their country ahead of what was best for them. We all have to appreciate that, without the sacrifice of our veterans in the two great wars, our democratic way of life would not be what it is today.

In the same breath, we must recognize the extraordinary courage of today's troops, some of whom have sacrificed their physical or mental health to defend our values. On this Remembrance Day, we have a collective duty to honour the soldiers and their families. We must ensure that their legacy lives on.

We have been commemorating this day to preserve the memory of our veterans and demonstrate solidarity with them and their families for nearly 100 years. Canada's commemorative symbol is the red poppy and France's is the blue cornflower or bleuet de France. Red and blue were the colours of the trenches in those days.

Remembrance Day has a special meaning to the people in my region. Together we remember the heartbreak of watching soldiers departing and the emotional homecomings. Every day, I run into men and women who have a direct or indirect connection with the military base in my region, CFB Bagotville, who have ties with the soldiers who go overseas but remain close to their hearts.

Every day I see the joy on the faces of children and their family members. Sometimes I reflect on the sacrifice of soldiers and their families, their courage and bravery. I thank our Canadian soldiers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very honoured to join the other parties in paying tribute to the Canadian citizens who make sacrifices overseas.

I want to start by reminding us that when we wear these poppies, we are financially supporting the work of the Royal Canadian Legion. I want to publicly thank the Royal Canadian Legion for the amazing work they are doing.

They are providing much-needed assistance to our veterans in post-traumatic stress disorder assistance, they are providing housing, and they are stretching themselves to meet needs. I am deeply indebted to them for their work. I encourage people to remember to wear the poppy, and when one falls off to be sure to put more money in the box before they pick up their next one.

This is important work they are doing.

The Green Party and I are very aware of the huge sacrifice that soldiers must make to defend our Canadian values.

We have seen many generations go to war. We can think of their sacrifices, and on days like this—indeed, in weeks like this—we pay homage. However, we have, as non-combatants, the very real risk of trespassing the line between remembering and honouring the sacrifice of the fallen and glorifying war. We know that those who have served and those who have been in battle will be the last ones who would ever want us to do that.

One of my closest friends is someone who fought and served in the Second World War. Despite an age difference, I can say that I feel I am one of his contemporaries, although he is 92. Farley Mowat served in the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, known as the Hasty Ps. In his book And No Birds Sang, he recounts in grim, evocative detail what it was like in the Sicily campaign. He speaks of that period and says:

I came back from the war rejecting my species. I hated what had been done to me and what I had done and what man did to man.

It is in that spirit that we should all recommit ourselves to find the way forward to peace, and in doing so, do it in the name of every son, brother, father, mother, sister, and child who has gone to war without coming back. We do it to say that we are committed to a path to peace, knowing that it is not an easy path and knowing that we do it to honour those who have sacrificed so much so that we have the liberty to try.

Peace remains a realistic dream, but we will have to work hard to achieve it.

Today, with all of us gathered on one of those days when we are truly joined in spirit and in purpose, we say, “Never again. Lest we forget.”

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian section of ParlAmericas respecting its participation at the 32nd ParlAmericas meeting of the board of directors and the 10th plenary assembly in San José, Costa Rica, on August 20-24, 2013.

National Day of the Midwife Act

[Peggy Nash, NDP, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-548, An Act respecting a National Day of the Midwife.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a private member's bill entitled “an act respecting a national day of the midwife”.

I am very pleased to be able to present this important legislation. I would like to thank my NDP colleague, the member for Hochelaga, for seconding the bill and for supporting efforts to promote midwifery and maternal health in Canada.

Access to quality maternity care close to home not only contributes to maternal and newborn health but also strengthens our communities and our families.

Just yesterday, I and my NDP colleague from Vancouver East, the official opposition health critic, hosted a panel on maternal and child health in Canada. We heard repeatedly about the vital role midwives and midwifery services play in the maternity care system in all provinces and territories of Canada. Midwives provide safe, accessible, cost-effective services and quality health care. They are key to decreasing infant mortality and morbidity across Canada, including in rural, remote, and aboriginal communities.

The International Day of the Midwife is observed in over 50 countries around the world. Declaring May 5 as national day of the midwife in Canada would increase public awareness of the contribution midwives make to our communities.

This week the Canadian Association of Midwives is holding its annual national conference here in Ottawa. It is the perfect opportunity for us to recognize the essential role midwives play in ensuring a continuum of care throughout pregnancy, birth, and beyond for the health and welfare of mothers and their babies.

Therefore, I encourage my colleagues on all sides of the House to support this bill.

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

Financial Administration Act

[Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-549, An Act to amend the Financial Administration Act (unlegislated tax measures).

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to table my private member's bill today to amend the Financial Administration Act for unlegislated tax measures. The bill would amend the Financial Administration Act to provide that the Minister of finance table each year a list of tax measures that the government publicly announced its intention to legislate but that have not been legislated.

The objectives of the bill are to ensure our tax laws are clearer, improve the efficiency of implementing those tax laws, and assist the taxpayer in the understanding of those tax laws. In short, it would help to address the many problems created for individuals, small and medium-sized businesses, tax professionals, and the Canadian Revenue Agency that result from a huge backlog of unlegislated tax measures.

I want to thank the member for West Nova, a former provincial finance minister, very much for seconding the bill. I ask for the support of all members of the House to make sure this happens for tax fairness across Canada.

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

International Trade

[Frank Valeriote, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table two petitions on behalf of constituents in Guelph who are concerned about the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. Petitioners are concerned about domestic changes to Canadian sub-federal procurement rights, copyright, telecommunication and cultural rules, the delivery of postal services, banking and financial regulations, and investment protections.

My constituents are asking that the Government of Canada exclude sub-federal governments and their public agencies, including municipalities, from any Canada-EU procurement agreement or procurement chapter within the agreement. They are also calling on the federal government to hold nationwide consultations on the agreement.

Mining Industry

[Chungsen Leung, Conservative, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition from constituents of my riding. It is to regulate Canadian mining companies operating abroad.

Shark Finning

[Fin Donnelly, NDP, New Westminster—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise in this place to present a petition from thousands of Canadians who say that measures must be taken to stop the global practice of shark finning and ensure the responsible conservation and management of sharks.

They call upon the Government of Canada to immediately legislate a ban on the importation of shark fins to Canada.

Climate Change

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition on climate change, our most pressing environmental issue and perhaps the defining issue of our generation. It will profoundly affect our economy, health, lifestyles, and social well-being. It requires moral responsibility and intergenerational responsibility. How we respond will define the world our children and their descendants grow up in.

The petitioners call for the government to table a comprehensive climate change plan, commit to attaining the greenhouse gas emission reduction goals that are supported internationally, and contribute its fair share to fill the megatonne gap, the shortfall between existing mitigation commitments and the emission reductions necessary to prevent dangerous climate change.

Health

[Françoise Boivin, NDP, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present three petitions in the House. Two of them have to do with health and the petitioners urge the government to maintain our public health care system and guarantee access to the same quality of care across the country by providing a federal transfer to the provinces and territories.

Canada Revenue Agency

[Françoise Boivin, NDP, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition has to do with enabling certain Canadians to obtain paper copies of the documents needed to fill out tax returns. These individuals tend to be older, do not always have access to the Internet or are not very familiar with the Internet.

Mining Industry

[Jean-François Larose, NDP, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I am presenting a petition for Development and Peace regarding mining companies abroad. As we know, there is a lack of transparency and accessibility, which has some very serious consequences. We are hearing more and more complaints that Canadian mining companies around the world show a lack of respect. Development and Peace would like the government to bring in an ombudsman who would have significant investigative powers.

The Environment

[Bruce Hyer, Independent, Thunder Bay—Superior North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from people in British Columbia who are concerned about Kinder Morgan and Enbridge's pipelines, which would result in a greatly increased number of tankers on the west coast, including supertankers that have not been there before.

The petitioners are concerned about the movement of oil. They are concerned that spills are inevitable, that tar sand materials are toxic and virtually impossible to clean up, and that spills would be devastating to local industries, including tourism and marine ecosystems.

They would like to see a permanent ban on crude oil tankers on the west coast to protect fisheries, tourism, coastal communities, and natural ecosystems.

Gender Parity

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition concerning the House of Commons. This petition seeks changes to the Financial Administration Act in order to have equal representation of men and women in federal crown corporations. That is the intent of my Bill C-473, which many Canadians support.

Housing

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today with a petition from residents of Saanich—Gulf Islands, from Saltspring Island, from Mayne Island, from North Saanich, and from Sidney.

The petitioners are calling upon the government to heed the advice of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and put in place a national affordable housing strategy. In particular, I would love draw the attention of the Minister of Finance to the request to reform the tax treatment of the building of rental housing units. In the past, we had incentives for developers. We need to bring those back and create the full spectrum of affordable housing.

Research

[Ted Hsu, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Kingston and the Islands there are chunks of the city where Statistics Canada has suppressed data on things such as jobs, employment and housing conditions, because the data quality is not good enough.

I have the honour to present a petition from my constituents that calls upon the Government of Canada to respect the right of Canadians to have access to good statistical information, citizens as well as legislators, and asks the government to adequately fund basic research and free scientists to speak openly on all taxpayer-funded research, apart from subjects with legitimate national security restrictions.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

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

[The Acting Speaker, Mr. Bruce Stanton]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Motions for Papers

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.