Debates of May 14th, 2014

International Trade

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, today I announced that we are placing 25 of Canada's best trade commissioners on the front lines to help increase exports by small and medium-sized businesses.

We are embedding our trade commissioners within a variety of industry associations. This will help us better understand the specific export needs of those sectors of our economy.

However, we are not stopping there. Next week I will lead my fifth trade mission to China and in June another trade mission to Africa.

These are just some of the examples of how our Conservative government is promoting Canada's economic interests all around the world.

Public Safety

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, according to a report from Global News, public servants are being forced to decide in a matter of minutes whether someone getting on a plane is a security risk even though they are already on the no-fly list.

Incredibly, if someone on the no-fly list shows up at an airport, the airline then has to contact Transport Canada, and a government official then makes a last-minute decision on whether or not to let that person board the plane.

This is not a good way to keep Canadians safe. Can the minister tell us when the no-fly list became the maybe-fly list?

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.

It is very important for us to make sure that everything is safe before a passenger boards a plane headed to Canada. That is why we put measures in place. We want to continue putting measures in place and hope the opposition will support us.

[Brent Rathgeber, Independent, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in February the RCMP made the unilateral decision to reclassify the Swiss Arms Classic Green carbine as a prohibited firearm.

The Minister of Public Safety continues to blame this arbitrary decision on unelected bureaucrats; however, we now know that the RCMP had flagged issues to the minister's office regarding this firearm on numerous occasions, yet the minister failed to act and feigned outrage, insisting he had not been briefed.

If the decision of the unelected bureaucrats is so unacceptable, why not draft legislation to limit their discretionary powers? When will the minister stand up for law-abiding gun owners by tabling firearm legislation with clearer definitions?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to sit with a party that has committed to correct the Liberal mistakes of the past and make sure that law-abiding citizens are being respected.

That is what this government is committed to and it is what I am committed to, and that is why I have brought forward amnesty for those people who have been affected by this classification issue. That is why we are moving forward to make sure that law-abiding citizens who are gun owners are respected in this country.

Government Response to Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 10 petitions.

A message from His Excellency the Governor General transmitting supplementary estimates (A) for the financial year ending March 31, 2015, was presented by the President of the Treasury Board and read by the Speaker to the House.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

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 Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, respecting their participation at the 58th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, held in New York, New York, United States of America, March 11, 2014.

Official Languages

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Official Languages in relation to the study of the main estimates, 2014-15.

Holidays Act

[Dan Harris, NDP, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-597, An Act to amend the Holidays Act (Remembrance Day).

Mr. Speaker, it is with pride and purpose that I rise today to introduce my private member's bill, an act to make Remembrance Day a national statutory holiday.

Similar versions of this bill have been introduced by the NDP member for Hamilton Mountain and by former Conservative MP Inky Mark. Petitions supporting this position have also been submitted by the member for Sarnia—Lambton.

Others were presented in 2010 and 2011 by the hon. member for Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel.

It is time to reaffirm our commitment to our veterans.

At a time when the number of veterans of past wars dwindle, we are faced with the changing face of veterans, and 40,000 brave young women and men who have earned our gratitude and thanks.

It is time, on the 100th anniversary of the start of the war to end all wars, to rededicate ourselves to all those who have faithfully answered their country's call and come to help those in need.

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

Agriculture

[Dave MacKenzie, Conservative, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the privilege of presenting a petition today dealing with Bill C-18.

Canada Post

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to present a petition in regard to Canada Post, signed by many residents of Winnipeg North.

The essence of the petition is best said in the card that I received, explaining the petition:

I want to let you know I am upset the...government approved Canada Post’s plan to end door-to-door mail delivery and drastically increase stamp prices. This decision will have a serious impact on me, my family, friends and community. It will also hurt people with disabilities and seniors.

This is a petition that I take great pleasure in tabling today. I would ask the Prime Minister and the government look at what Canada Post is doing, and reverse the decision.

Democratic Reform

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition from constituents in my riding of Wellington—Halton Hills.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to undertake public consultations to consider alternative voting systems and, in particular, to consider a form of proportional representation.

Canada Post

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Mr. Speaker, this is a petition, once again, regarding Canada Post.

Outrage has been displayed in many of the small communities in my riding regarding the downgrading of postal services. This one comes from the communities around Indian Bay. There are several signatures to show that they are highly dismayed with the reduced hours and diminished services of Canada Post in their community.

Agriculture

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of presenting two petitions today.

The first is from a group of Canadians calling on Parliament to refrain from making any changes to the Seeds Act or to the Plant Breeders' Rights Act through Bill C-18.

Abortion

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

In the second petition, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners point out that chemical abortions represent the unjust killing of innocent pre-born children. They call upon the federal Minister of Health to immediately intervene with Health Canada to ensure that the RU-486 application is definitively rejected.

Democratic Reform

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

Mr. Speaker, we know at this point that Bill C-23 has gone through the House, but I continue to receive petitions from people across Canada asking for the bill to be more substantially reworked in order to meet the purpose of a fair elections act.

I table these petitions today from the residents of Nepean.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 406, 410, 412, 419, 422 and 424.

Question No. 406

[Lise St-Denis, Liberal, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, QC]

With regard to contracts under $10,000 granted by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority since January 1, 2013: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values if different from the original contracts' values?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, given the large amount of information available solely in language of origin, it is not feasible for the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority to produce the documents requested in the time period required.

Question No. 410

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

With regard to contracts under $10,000 granted by Transport Canada since January 1, 2013: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values if different from the original contracts' values?

[Lisa Raitt, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, given the large amount of information available solely in language of origin, it is not feasible for Transport Canada to produce the documents requested in the time period required.

Question No. 412

[David McGuinty, Liberal, Ottawa South, ON]

With regard to contracts under $10,000 granted by the National Capital Commission since January 1, 2013: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values if different from the original contracts' values?

[John Baird, Conservative, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the information regarding contracts under $10,000 granted by the National Capital Commission since January 1, 2013, was kept by the NCC only in the language in which the contract was issued.

Given that the information must be provided to Parliament in both official languages, and given the size of the information, it is still in the process of being translated. A supplementary response containing the information in both official languages will be tabled in Parliament by May 30, 2014.

Question No. 419

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

With regard to contracts under $10,000 granted by Correctional Services Canada for Southern Ontario since January 1, 2013: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values if different from the original contracts' values?