House of Commons Hansard #223 of the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-55.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is completely correct about what she just alluded to.
What I fail to understand is that we have a charter and it is very easy to check whether a bill is unconstitutional before introducing it and moving on. There are people who can check this out from a legislative standpoint.
I cannot understand why it took two bills, Bill C-30 and Bill C-55, to achieve this result and for people being wiretapped to be protected, like our system.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, as we know, Bill C-55 is of great interest to me, particularly because it reveals and illustrates the extent of the Conservative government’s failure. The government always wants to move too quickly without showing any concern for our country’s most democratic and most important documents, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Constitution.
On this topic, I would like my hon. colleague to explain how the failure of Bill C-30 and the recent introduction of Bill C-55 show that it is important, when drafting a bill, to take the time to ensure that it is consistent with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and Canada's Constitution.
The fact that the Conservative government wanted to do everything in its power to push through Bill C-30, even though it respected neither the substance nor the spirit of the charter, is indicative of the government's lack of interest in and sensitivity to the importance of Canadian institutions.
That is the question I would like to ask my hon. colleague, particularly in view of omnibus bills like C-38 and C-45, which were put together very quickly and did not comply with the prescribed time limits.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, indeed, the government needs more respect for this process in drafting bills and in implementing bills that become laws.
Yes, we must also give police officers the tools to take action when they have reasonable grounds to believe that a situation is urgent. Yes, this is necessary if there are reasonable grounds to believe that immediate interception is important. We must also inform people who are under surveillance, but there is a process to follow.
If we want this country to remain a democracy—something we are proud of—we must be very careful about what we are doing. We cannot act based on panic and put innocent people under surveillance without warrants.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, first of all, today's discussion on Bill C-55 gives me another opportunity to congratulate the government for scrapping its ridiculous Bill C-30. The infamous Bill C-30 claimed to solve all the world's problems, but it showed that the Conservatives are unable to come up with a well-thought-out policy. It has now been replaced by the much more balanced Bill C-55.
The NDP feels that Bill C-55 is a suitable response to the court's demands, because it:
(a) requires the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and the Attorney General of each province to report on the interceptions of private communications made under section 184.4;
(b) provides that a person who has been the object of such an interception must be notified of the interception within a specified period;
(c) narrows the class of individuals who can make such an interception; and
(d) limits those interceptions to offences listed in section 183 of the Criminal Code.
Of course, we in the NDP support this bill. However, I would like to point out a couple of things to this House. First of all, the Conservatives are forcing us to pass this bill in record time because the Supreme Court gave them until April 13 to amend the legislation. Yet the Supreme Court issued that request a year ago. So why did the minister wait until 20 sitting days before the Supreme Court's deadline to introduce the bill? That is not the most responsible way to treat such an important bill, nor is it a responsible way to govern.
Once again, the Conservatives are clearly trying to do whatever they can to project an image of competence and rational planning, but what we are really seeing in this House is the exact opposite.
The press release on this bill issued by the Minister of Justice states that, “the introduction of this legislation is part of the government’s plan for safe streets and communities....”
The Conservatives must really take Canadians for fools. Everyone knows that this bill is the result of a request from the Supreme Court. They did not really have a choice, and this is not the result of government policy. In fact, the government revealed its policy in Bill C-30, which was not at all what Canadians wanted, and the government had to back down.
It is nice to see that a good plan has been put forward, since the previous plan was so flawed.
In addition, the minister has the audacity to ask for our unconditional support of this bill.
I am sorry, but I am proud to say that my NDP colleagues and I will never give our unconditional support to a bill without thoroughly studying it first. We know just how irresponsible this government can be and we have seen its lack of respect for laws and justice. We also know that it is not very good at prior consultation.
Contrary to this government's irresponsible attitude, the NDP always wants to study anything, like this bill, that will have an impact on society, unlike the minister who views the formalities and procedures for complying with the Constitution and charter as luxuries. The NDP and I are aware of the public's concerns about wiretapping. We understand that very well, given that this government bases its position on vengeance and punishment rather than on justice.
After a rigorous study, we believe that this bill complies with the Supreme Court's decision. It even goes beyond that and strikes a genuine balance between personal freedom and public safety. This is a refreshing finding, particularly when we see how the Conservatives improvise here in the House from day to day. So this is a breath of fresh air, and the result of everything the public has done to combat Bill C-30. That was utterly incredible.
This also shows that, when the public mobilizes, it can force the government to do its job right.
The power to wiretap in emergencies is important for police officers. That is an undeniable fact. However, it is also true that these kinds of measures must be subject to an oversight and accountability mechanism.
Some Conservatives indiscriminately accuse us of trying to block the bill. I would like to remind them that the NDP submitted no amendments to this bill in committee because it was well drafted. The process was diligently followed. We examined the bill and we realized that the work had been well done and that no corrections had to be made. A number of amendments should normally be brought forward to make a bill acceptable from both political and constitutional standpoints. We in the House are often unsure whether bills are lawful.
In conclusion, although we deplore the way in which the debate was disrupted, the NDP has ensured that Bill C-55 respects, as far as possible, the rule of law, the Constitution and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The NDP will therefore support the bill.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
Françoise Boivin NDP Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed listening to my colleague's speech.
Indeed, the members of the committee carried out an extremely serious review of Bill C-55 since it has to do with intrusion into privacy. It is clearly an extremely important issue.
It is a tad ironic that, under normal circumstances, the government should have conducted this kind of review before being forced by the Supreme Court of Canada to do so. Since this morning, I have said again and again that the reason Bill C-55 is before us is because the Supreme Court of Canada gave the government a grace period of one year to amend section 184.4 of the Criminal Code, which is unconstitutional.
Section 4.1 of the Department of Justice Act obligates the Minister of Justice to carry out such an exercise before introducing any government legislation, so someone, somewhere, dropped the ball.
My colleague is right to say that public pressure played a big role. Having said that, the bill complies with the Supreme Court decision.
My time has run out and I am not sure that my colleague will have the time to respond. The court, therefore, forced the government to act. Unfortunately, that seems to be too frequently the case.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
NDP
Mylène Freeman NDP Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Gatineau for all the work that she does as the justice critic for the official opposition. I am sure that she will make an excellent Minister of Justice in a couple of years.
Indeed, she works very hard to ensure that her bills are balanced. The Conservatives do the exact opposite. My colleague from Gatineau is completely blown away by the fact that the Minister of Justice does not know how to draft legislation. I congratulate her, therefore, on her excellent work and thank her for it.
We will support this bill.
Motions in AmendmentResponse to the Supreme Court of Canada Decision in R. v. Tse ActGovernment Orders
Conservative
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
Order, please.
There will be three minutes for the hon. member to finish questions and comments after question period.
The Speaker Conservative Andrew Scheer
It is my duty to inform the House that a vacancy has occurred in the representation, namely Peter Penashue, member for the electoral district of Labrador, by resignation effective Thursday, March 14, 2013.
Pursuant to paragraph 25(1)(b) of the Parliament of Canada Act, I have addressed my warrant to the Chief Electoral Officer for the issue of a writ for the election of a member to fill this vacancy.
LaVar Payne Conservative Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand today to talk about an announcement I made on February 14 on behalf of our hard-working Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. I announced at the annual general meeting of the Alberta Sugar Beet Growers in Lethbridge that our government will invest $600,000 to help study the viability of using sugar beets in the production of sustainable alternatives to petrochemicals. The funds will also be used to provide business advice concerning the creation of a value chain related to the commercialization of these alternatives.
As Alberta Sugar Beet Growers President Rob Boras said, “This funding will allow us to bring leading-edge green technology and significant outside investment to Alberta”.
The Alberta Sugar Beet Growers is an important part of our area and it continues to contribute to the diversification of the local economy. I am proud of our Conservative government and its continued support for my riding in beautiful southeastern Alberta.
Craig Scott NDP Toronto—Danforth, ON
Mr. Speaker, recently the Conservatives voted down an NDP bill to create a national housing strategy and resorted to spreading manifestly false information that placed a ridiculous price tag on this non-spending bill.
In my riding of Toronto—Danforth, constituents understand the facts. They are concerned about substandard housing, unaffordable rents, job insecurity and homelessness in our city. The people of Toronto—Danforth understand that good-quality housing is not only a key component of poverty elimination, but also a social determinant of health. They also understand that homelessness costs the Canadian economy $4.5 billion each year, such that a housing strategy is nothing but fiscally responsible.
Investing in people is sound economic policy. For example, we must work with other levels of government to promote co-operatives, such as the successful Riverdale and Bain co-ops in my riding.
New Democrats will continue to put forward practical solutions to ensure everyone has a safe, secure and affordable place that they can call home.
Gerald Keddy Conservative South Shore—St. Margaret's, NS
Mr. Speaker, community theatre enriches the lives of both those who take an active part in it and those in the community who benefit from attending the live theatre productions. In South Shore—St. Margaret's, we have been enjoying the wonderful performances of the South Shore Players for 20 years.
The South Shore Players offers its members the opportunity to showcase their talents and creativity and is helping to build the social and cultural foundations of our communities. This year's playbill is the culmination of many months of hard work by directors John Letson and Liesje Wagner Letson as well as the cast and crew.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the many dedicated volunteers, both past and present, who make these performances possible. I congratulate all those involved with the South Shore Players on their 20th anniversary and on seeing their efforts reach this incredible milestone.
Frank Valeriote Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, early last Thursday morning, while most of Guelph was asleep, Constable Jennifer Kovach was on duty and responding to a call when her cruiser collided with a Guelph transit bus and she was killed.
Twenty-six-year-old Constable Kovach was born and raised in Guelph. Her family is well known for its commitment to public service. Her mother, Gloria Kovach, is a long-time Guelph city councillor and her father, Bill, is a retired Guelph EMS paramedic.
Joining the force was a dream of Jennifer's and she was four years into a promising career as a member of the Guelph Police Service. Guelph Police Chief Bryan Larkin said, “Jennifer didn’t come to work, she came to make a difference in the city of Guelph”. Her family has lost a loving sister and daughter. Guelph has lost a hero.
As a parent, I cannot imagine the anguish of losing a child. The hearts and prayers of every parliamentarian in the House go out to her family and her colleagues in this terribly difficult time.
I ask my colleagues here to join with me in celebrating her life and mourning Guelph's loss.
Susan Truppe Conservative London North Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, last week the city of London welcomed the world. The 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships were seen by millions around the world and generated a boost to our city's economy.
Londoners of all ages flocked to Budweiser Gardens to view the impressive sound and light display. Of course, the performance on the ice at Budweiser Gardens located in my riding of London North Centre was phenomenal. Patrick Chan skated his heart out as he won a gold medal. Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford impressively won a bronze in the pairs program, and London's very own Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir won a silver in the ice dance.
The Government of Canada is the single largest contributor to sport in Canada and supports participation and excellence from playground to podium. We were proud to deliver $2.2 million for this event.
I would like to congratulate all of Canada's skaters for once again making us proud. I would also like to thank the city of London, Tourism London and Skate Canada and its hundreds of volunteers for hosting such an impressive event.
I am proud to be a Londoner.
François Choquette NDP Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, 2015 will be a big year for Drummondville.
We were pleased and proud to learn recently that Drummondville will host the 50th Quebec Winter Games in 2015.
This major sporting event will showcase our beautiful region to the entire province of Quebec. Not only that, but the Quebec Games will also certainly help promote physical activity, sports and the outdoors.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the members of the bid committee. Their outstanding commitment helped mobilize the people of Drummond. All of the community members involved played a key role in making the bid successful.
With the 200th anniversary of the City of Drummondville, the hosting of the Quebec Winter Games and the victory of the first NDP government in the history of Canada, 2015 will be an emotional year.
Dear colleagues in the House of Commons, in 2015, Drummondville will be the place to be. I hope you will join us for the 50th Quebec Games.
James Rajotte Conservative Edmonton—Leduc, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize two constituents, Wendy and John Taekema, who have been involved with local growing to support the Canadian Foodgrains Bank for the past 14 years. Their local group rents 280 acres of land just south of Leduc, and in 14 years the growing project has contributed just over $1.1 million to this program.
John and Wendy even went to Kenya and Rwanda to see the impact of their local growing project and distribute food to drought-stricken people near Voi, Kenya. The Kenyans were very thankful for the food provided by the Canadian Foodgrains Bank with the help of CIDA.
John and Wendy also spent two nights in a small village in Rwanda providing pineapple seeds for a local growing project, teaching better farming practices and enabling the village to become a model for others to follow. As they stated to me, they affirm the work of CIDA and sincerely hope that CIDA will continue to have an emphasis on food security, particularly for supporting smallholder farmers.
I thank the Taekemas for taking the time to share this success story with me and congratulate the Canadian Foodgrains Bank program for the valuable work that it does internationally.
Bryan Hayes Conservative Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, for the first time since 1985, when skip Brad Jacobs was born, a team from northern Ontario will represent Canada at the world men's curling championship.
I would like to congratulate my riding of Sault Ste. Marie's skip Brad Jacobs, third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden for their outstanding performance in winning the 2013 Brier and for being the first ever Brier champions to come out of the Soo. The Jacobs rink won its final six games, becoming only the second rink since 1995 to come out of the 3-4 game to win the Brier. In the playoffs it defeated Team Newfoundland and Labrador 6-5 and Team Ontario 9-7, culminating in a resounding 11-4 victory in the final over Team Manitoba.
At age 27, Brad Jacobs is the second-youngest skip to win the Brier and also won the Hec Gervais award as Brier playoff MVP. Brad Jacobs' Team Canada rink will now represent Canada at the world curling championship starting on March 30 in Victoria, B.C. I know all MPs in the House will be cheering Team Jacobs on to victory.
Anne-Marie Day NDP Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
Mr. Speaker, students at Chabot school in Charlesbourg were given a wonderful opportunity to learn about politics and democracy. I rise here today to tell the House about it.
This public school offers an international education program, and students learn about the workings of our political institutions. Every year, the students elect a representative to their student parliament. This parliament is sworn in at a public ceremony that is open to students, teachers, family and political representatives.
This year's parliament includes as many girls as boys, which sets a fine example for our federal institutions. As a parliamentarian, I was called upon to meet with the students and tell them about my role as an MP. I am always pleased to see how informed and smart these sixth graders are.
I would like to congratulate the students, their teachers—Marie-Cécile Maltais and Stéphane Robitaille—as well as the school principal, Odette Boulay.
Kelly Block Conservative Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK
Mr. Speaker, attacking Canada's national interests on the world stage was not the only thing the leader of the NDP was up to last week. He was also busy repeating his pledge to destroy hundreds of thousands of jobs in Canada by raising taxes on job creators.
The NDP leader needs this massive new tax to help pay for the $56 billion in reckless spending that he is proposing. Of course, the NDP leader is also counting on $20 billion in new revenue from his job-killing carbon tax, which would increase the cost of gas, groceries and electricity for everyday Canadians and businesses alike.
The NDP's plan to kill hundreds of thousands of jobs and raise the cost of basic household goods are two clear reminders that Canadians cannot afford the risky economic theories of the NDP.
Isabelle Morin NDP Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Speaker, in his book The Sacred Balance, David Suzuki reminds us of the following:
The elements that have sparked life onto this planet and continue to fuel it—air, water, soil, energy, biodiversity—are sacrosanct and should be treated as such.
David Suzuki helps us to understand how privileged we are to live in a country like Canada, which has between 15% and 20% of the world's fresh water. Fresh water is precious, and not just in developing countries. Water is sacred because it gives life, and nothing can live without water.
What have we allowed to happen to fresh water in Canada? We let polluting industries discharge toxic waste into our water; we privatize water and sell it in small bottles; we waste water without giving it a second thought.
The United Nations has designated March 22 each year as World Water Day. It is important on that day to make Canadians aware of responsible water consumption practices.
Today, I raise my glass of water to water.
Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, last week the NDP leader went to Washington and attacked Canada's national interests. Let me share with the House his reaction to the trip.
The National Post said that the NDP leader “remains an eastern politician whose understanding of the country is limited”.
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall said that the NDP leader was “betraying Canadian interests” and that what the NDP was doing “is being quite destructive”.
Alberta Premier Alison Redford stated, “I think it’s really unfortunate he would advance this political agenda at a time when getting this project through matters so much to Canadians”.
The opposition leader is even offside with his Saskatchewan NDP leader, who supports the Keystone project.
Therefore, not only is this project important to my constituents in Calgary Centre, it is clearly important to the future prosperity of all Canadians.
While the NDP leader panders to his extremists in his caucus who oppose all development, our Conservative government continues to focus on jobs, economic growth and long-term prosperity.
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Roger Smith, who is retiring from CTV after a distinguished career as a respected and much liked journalist. He first joined the National Press Gallery in 1977, when you were not even born, Mr. Speaker, and I was nine years old.
Roger went on to have an extensive career in foreign capitals. From his front-row seat, he interpreted complex and fast-moving world events in a way that Canadians trusted and very much admired.
His recent assignment was to cover federal politics from Ottawa. He travelled with party leaders in six different national elections and easily made friends in all political parties. His warm sense of humour made him fun to travel with.
I met Roger when I was a young assistant in Mr. Chrétien's office 15 years ago, and I have considered him a friend ever since.
We wish Roger and his wife Denise Chong and their family well as Roger says goodbye to the National Press Gallery, where he has left a distinguished record and mark that will be remembered for a long time.
Roxanne James Conservative Scarborough Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are angered and in a state of shock over the actions of the NDP leader. This past weekend the leader of the NDP met with convicted cop shooter Gary Freeman, a man who was convicted of attempted murder in the U.S. after repeatedly shooting a young Chicago police officer. The officer, Terrence Knox, was left permanently paralyzed and suffering from the effects of the shooting until his recent death.
Rather than face due justice, Gary Freeman evaded the law for several years by fleeing to Canada and living here illegally under a false name. This is the man with whom the Leader of the Opposition chose to meet. Sadly, and it is telling, that the NDP leader has never met with the family of the victim. Instead, he went on national television yesterday to shamefully dismiss the repeated shooting as a mere scuffle.
Canadians are getting fed up seeing the NDP stand up time and time again for the rights of criminals over the rights of victims and their families.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, last week the leader of the official opposition travelled to Washington, D.C. to meet key decision makers from Congress, the Canadian American Business Council and the Congressional Budget Office. These are meetings about shared priorities on the economy, peace and security and the environment.
However, back in Ottawa, what did the Conservatives do? They made up baseless new attacks on the NDP. Ten years ago to this very day, I remember the Prime Minister, then the Canadian Alliance leader, went to America to criticize the Canadian government's decision to stay out of the war in Iraq. Now they have the gall to claim the Leader of the Opposition is being disloyal. Really?
Canadians deserve better. Therefore, while the Conservatives put their well-connected friends ahead of the concerns of Canadians, we in the NDP will continue to do our job for the millions of Canadians who disagree with the reckless choices of the Conservatives.
Wladyslaw Lizon Conservative Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON
Mr. Speaker, while our government is focused on the priorities of Canadians, jobs and economic growth, the NDP is out of touch and pushing an ideological agenda.
Just last week, the leader of the NDP travelled to Washington to advocate against Canadian interests and Canadian jobs. This is just another incident in the NDP's long history of trashing Canada while abroad.
The NDP leader's ideological agenda does not stop there, though. While the NDP leader travels abroad to talk down Canadian jobs and the Canadian economy, he is busy scheming up a new $20 billion job-killing carbon tax here at home, which would kill jobs and stall economic growth. It would raise prices on everything for Canadians, from gas to groceries to electricity.
Canadians know that the NDP's ideological agenda advocating against Canadian jobs abroad and scheming up a new $20 billion job-killing carbon tax here at home would be disastrous for the Canadian economy.
Thomas Mulcair NDPLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, with each new Conservative budget, the Conservatives' well-connected friends benefit, while time after time the priorities of Canadians are ignored.
The Prime Minister has not listened to Canadians. He is plowing ahead with cuts to pensions, health and EI, while gutting environmental legislation along the way. He is ignoring the serious threats facing our economy.
Will this budget once again be filled with corporate giveaways for the Conservatives' buddies, or are they going to start finally doing something for the average Canadian?