Debates of March 23rd, 2015

Mental Health

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

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting two petitions today on behalf of my constituents.

The first petition calls on the government to take immediate action to increase investments in mental health services for members of the Canadian Forces and the RCMP.

Agriculture

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on the government to respect the rights of small family farmers to store, trade and use seeds.

[Alexandre Boulerice, NDP, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to present a petition signed by some young activists from Development and Peace I met with a few weeks ago.

They are quite concerned about small farmers, especially in the south, being able to use their own seeds. These farmers are up against industrial companies that are patenting all kinds of things. They are calling on the federal government to take international action and to protect the rights of small farmers.

[Maxime Bernier, Conservative, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured, pursuant to Standing Order 36, to present four petitions signed by my constituents in Beauce.

The petitioners are calling on the Canadian government to protect the rights of small farmers in the global south to preserve, use and freely exchange seeds, which would enable them to combat hunger and poverty in these countries.

Canada Post

[Jasbir Sandhu, NDP, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I join other members of the House in presenting a petition on cuts to our postal service that have been taking place all across Canada.

Petitioners are calling on the government to reverse its decision to eliminate home delivery for millions of urban customers and slashing rural hours, which would unfairly impact seniors and people with disabilities.

My constituents from Surrey North would also like to voice their concerns in regard to the postal cuts that have been happening across the country.

Agriculture

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today I table a petition signed by many constituents of Winnipeg North.

The petitioners call upon the government to adopt international aid policies that would support small family farmers, especially women, and recognize their vital role in the struggle against hunger and poverty. It deals in good part with the importance of the farmers in the global south to preserve, use, and freely exchange seeds.

The Environment

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to rise today to present two petitions.

The first is a petition with respect to the inaction of our federal government to address climate change and the impacts of climate change on the day-to-day lives of Canadians. The federal government withdrew from Kyoto. It cancelled the home retrofit program, which helped cut emissions and the energy bills of families. It failed to deliver the public transit strategy to get cars off the road.

The petitioners feel that the NDP is the only party with a plan to protect the environment and grow the economy.

Mental Health

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is on behalf of constituents in my riding of Newton—North Delta and the surrounding areas.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to create a ministry for people with disabilities and mental health issues. They feel there are very limited after-hour and weekend programs offered to those with disabilities and mental health issues.

Like these petitioners, I want to see real leadership on mental health. We need to work with communities to fight stigma, bolster recovery, ensure better access to treatment, and reduce disparities in support and services across the country. The New Democrats recognize the importance of ensuring that Canadians who live with mental illness have access to the support they need.

Pensions

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

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from residents in my riding who are concerned about retirement security and the fact that fewer than 40% of all employees are covered by a workplace pension plan. They believe, as do we on this side of the House, that every Canadian deserves a safe, secure, fully portable and predictable pension.

The petitioners therefore call upon the Government of Canada to work with the provincial and territorial governments to increase pension benefits under the Canada and Quebec pension plans, and implement a fully funded plan to phase in increases without delay.

Visas

[Ryan Leef, Conservative, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table a petition on behalf of members in my community calling upon the Government of Canada to secure a 10-year visa deal with China.

Agriculture

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by dozens of citizens from B.C. and Ontario.

The petitioners call upon the federal government to support investments in modern agriculture, including plant biotechnology, as a way to combat food shortages around the world. They note that with rapid population growth, the world would require double the current amount of food production in just 50 years. They also note that safe modern plant breeding techniques would provide groundbreaking research jobs for Canadian scientists and that Canada could continue to be a world leader in science innovation.

I urge the federal government to carefully consider this petition.

Air Transportation

[Adam Vaughan, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of the residents of the riding of Trinity—Spadina and other ridings in the downtown core of Toronto. The petition deals with the tripartite agreement that regulates jet and airplane use on the Toronto waterfront.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to refrain from reopening and amending the tripartite agreement governing the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and the Toronto Port Authority to allow jet aircraft. This is an issue that runs counter to the $1.5 billion investment to make the Toronto waterfront more beautiful.

These petitioners ask the federal government not to allow jets that would destroy that investment, unbalance the extraordinary beauty of Toronto's waterfront and industrialize it unnecessarily.

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. 1015, 1016 and 1019.

Question No. 1015

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

With regard to the Department of National Defence: (a) when did the department implement parking fees for employees at CFB Halifax; (b) why did the department implement parking fees for employees at CFB Halifax; (c) are employees at any other military base in Canada charged parking fees; (d) if the answer in (c) is affirmative, what are those bases and their fee structures; (e) if the answer in (c) is negative, what are the reasons for which parking fees are not being charged elsewhere; (f) what other options were considered before parking fees for employees at CFB Halifax were implemented and why were these options rejected; (g) what geographic area was used to determine fair market value for parking spaces at CFB Halifax; and (h) what were the total costs associated with installing payment infrastructure at CFB Halifax?

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

Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), the date was October 1, 2014.

With regard to (b), the department implemented parking fees in order to be compliant with Defence administrative order directives, DAODs, 1004-0 and 1004-1, and Treasury Board custodial parking policy.

With regard to (c), parking fees are not uncommon across Government of Canada properties and assets, including properties of Public Works and Government Services Canada, Canadian Heritage, Public Safety Canada and Environment Canada, all in accordance with Treasury Board guidelines. CFB Halifax is the first base to fully implement these directives.

With regard to (d), the question is non-applicable.

With regard to (e), most bases in Canada are located in remote locations where fair market value, FMV, for parking has been or will undoubtedly be assessed at $0.00. For DND establishments located in commercially developed centres, it should be expected that appropriate charges for parking will be established in the near future.

With regard to (f), as the current parking fee structures comply with the DAODs and Treasury Board policy, no other options were considered.

With regard to (g), the fees for parking spaces at CFB Halifax were determined through a fair market value study conducted by an independent contractor hired through Public Works and Government Services Canada.

With regard to (h), the total incremental costs associated with installing payment infrastructure at CFB Halifax amount to approximately $460,000.

Question No. 1016

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

With regard to the Department of National Defence (DND): (a) when did DND become aware of complaints from Private Wallace Fowler, Service No. R29083886, regarding racism and discrimination experienced at CFB Borden, CFB Esquimalt and CFB Trenton; (b) what action did DND take to address these complaints; (c) what assistance or support was offered to Mr. Fowler and his family to deal with the emotional, financial and professional impact of their experiences; and (d) under what category was Mr. Fowler released from the Canadian Armed Forces, and how was that category determined?

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

Mr. Speaker, in accordance with the Privacy Act, DND is not authorized to disclose the personal information of Mr. Fowler unless we obtain his consent or there is legal authority to release such information.

Question No. 1019

[Jinny Sims, NDP, Newton—North Delta, BC]

With regard to temporary foreign workers: (a) how many workers will reach the end of their four year eligibility period in 2015, broken down by (i) total, (ii) month when their eligibility will end; (b) how many workers will reach the end of their four year eligibility period on April 1; and (c) how many workers are expected to receive an exemption from the four-year rule because of the deal concluded with the Alberta government allowing workers to stay if they have an immigration application being processed?

[Chris Alexander, Conservative, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, insofar as Citizenship and Immigration Canada, CIC, is concerned, with regard to (a) and (b), CIC is currently unable to provide the precise number of temporary foreign workers, TFWs, who would reach the end of their four-year eligibility in 2015. Without exit controls in place, it is impossible to determine how many foreign workers remain in Canada at any given time. Also, for the reason noted in (c), and because TFWs currently in Canada may choose to avail themselves of some of the pathways to permanent residency for which they may be eligible, any estimate would be purely speculative and potentially inaccurate.

With regard to (c), it is not possible to provide concrete data, as the number of individuals who could qualify for the exemption from the four-year rule will depend on who the province intends to nominate, and who is found eligible. CIC has worked closely with the Alberta government in the design of this initiative to emphasize the temporary nature of the entry of temporary foreign workers into Canada, while providing flexibility to individuals the Province of Alberta intends to nominate for permanent residence, and will continue to do so during implementation. It is important to note that the temporary foreign worker program is intended to address temporary labour and skills shortages and to ensure Canadians are given the first chance at available jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to long-term prosperity and economic growth.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 950 to 952, 954 to 957, 959, 960, 965 to 970, 975 to 977, 983 to 986, 991, 992, 994, 995, 997, 1000, 1003, 1004, 1006 to 1012, 1017, 1018 and 1020 to 1030 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Speaker, Conservative, Andrew Scheer]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 950

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

With regard to the 11 billion dollars in new investments in science, technology and innovation (STI) since 2006 identified in Seizing Canada’s Moment: Moving Forward in Science, Technology and Innovation 2014 and in the Economic Action Plan 2014, broken down by fiscal year from 2006 to 2014 inclusive and by federal department or agency: what was (a) the set of STI initiatives, projects, programs to which funds were allocated; (b) the amount of funds allocated to each of these initiatives, projects, programs; and (c) the amount and year of disbursement for each of these initiatives, projects, programs?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 951

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

With regard to government funding allocated in the ridings of Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, Louis-Hébert, Louis-Saint-Laurent, Québec and Beauport—Limoilou, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, any other government entity or program in fiscal years 2004–2005 to 2014–2015 inclusively : (a) what is the total amount of this funding ; (b) how many full-time and part time jobs were created as a direct result of this funding; (c) what are the total budget cuts both in dollars and as a percentage of the total budget; (d) and how many positions were cut between May 2011 and today; and (e) how many full-time and part-time employees were hired between May 2011 and today?