Debates of June 19th, 2015

Child Soldiers

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as members of their committee on rights and humanity, a number of students at De Rochebelle high school expressed their disapproval of the continued involvement of child soldiers in several armed conflicts around the world.

Consequently, they wanted to speak out against the abysmal psychological and physical condition of these children and raise public awareness about this issue.

To that end, they prepared a petition, which they circulated this spring. They collected 346 signatures. I am pleased to present this petition on their behalf.

LGBTT Community

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I am presenting three petitions that have all been signed by the people of Hochelaga, and which shows just how committed my constituents are.

The first petition calls on the government to support Bill C-448, sponsored by my colleague from Toronto—Danforth, which would repeal section 159 of the Criminal Code and put an end to discrimination against members of the LGBTT community with respect to their consensual sexual activity.

Cost of Living

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on the Government of Canada to implement concrete and effective measures that will make life affordable for middle-class families.

Canada Post

[Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, NDP, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, the last—but certainly not the least—petition, calls on the Government of Canada to reject Canada Post's plan for reduced service and explore other options for updating the crown corporation's business plan.

Thank you and have a good summer.

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. 1,334 and 1,335.

Question No. 1334

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

With regard to the Interprovincial Transit Strategy in the National Capital Region, developed and released in 2013 by the National Capital Commission, the City of Ottawa, the City of Gatineau and the Société de transport de l’Outaouais: what measures have been taken by government departments and other government agencies, since the release of the strategy, to promote or fulfill each of the strategy’s five pillars?

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Democratic Reform]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the interprovincial transit strategy in the national capital region, the transit strategy did not identify measures to be taken by government departments or other government agencies. While the study was led by the NCC, all further actions are considered the responsibility of the municipalities and other parties involved, including the City of Ottawa, the City of Gatineau, and the STO, Société de Transport de l’Outaouais. The municipalities have been moving ahead with certain actions within their respective jurisdictions.

Question No. 1335

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

With respect to the proposed Memorial to the Victims of Communism in Ottawa: (a) was an environmental assessment of the selected site performed and, if so, what was the timeframe to carry out the assessment; (b) what are the names of the external firms or consultants that were consulted for this environmental assessment; and (c) how much was paid to each firm or consultant?

[Diane Finley, Conservative, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), an environmental site assessment was completed for the site, St. Laurent Square, and the final report was submitted to PWGSC on March 13, 2015.

In response to (b), this assessment was undertaken by Franz Environmental Inc.

In response to (c), this firm was paid $70,000 for this work and related environmental reports.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, furthermore, if a revised response to Question No. 1,290 and a supplementary response to Question No. 1,300, both originally tabled on June 16, 2015, as well responses to Question No. 1,147 and Questions Nos. 1,324 to 1,333 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed

Question No. 1147

[John Carmichael, Conservative, Don Valley West, ON]

With regard to questions on the Order Paper numbers Q-654 through Q-1145, what is the estimated cost of the production of the government's response for each question?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1290

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

With regard to hydrocarbon spills in Canada’s waters by commercial entities: (a) how many spills of oil, gas, petrochemical products or fossil fuels have been reported in Canada’s oceans, rivers, lakes or other waterways, broken down by year since 2006; and (b) for each reported spill in (a), identify (i) the product spilled, (ii) the volume of the spill, (iii) the location of the spill, (iv) the name of the commercial entity associated with the spill?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1300

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

With regard to the following telephone services (i) Service Canada’s (SC) “1-800 O Canada”, (ii) SC’s “Canada Pension Plan (CPP)”, (iii) SC’s “Employer Contact Centre”, SC’s “Employment Insurance (EI)”, (iv) SC’s “Old Age Security (OAS)”, (v) SC’s Passports”, (vi) Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) “Individual income tax and trust enquiries”, (vii) CRA’s “Business enquiries”, (viii) CRA’s “Canada Child Tax Benefit enquiries”, (ix) CRA’s “Goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit enquiries” for the previous fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date: (a) what are the service standards and performance indicators; (b) how many calls met the service standards and performance indicators; (c) how many did not meet the service standards and performance indicators; (d) how many calls went through; (e) how many calls did not go through; (f) how does the government monitor for cases such as in (e); (g) what is the accuracy of the monitoring identified in (f); and (h) how long was the average caller on hold?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1324

[Laurin Liu, NDP, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

With regard to government funding for the constituency of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles for each fiscal year since 2007-2008 inclusively: (a) what are the details of all grants, contributions and loans to any organization, body, or group, broken down by (i) the name of the recipient, (ii) the municipality in which the recipient is located, (iii) the date on which funding was received, (iv) the amount received, (v) the department or agency providing the funding, (vi) the program under which the grant, contribution or loan was made, (vii) the nature or purpose; and (b) for each grant, contribution and loan identified in (a), was a press release issued to announce it and, if so, what is the (i) date, (ii) headline, (iii) file number of the press release?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1325

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

With respect to the Action Plan for Women Entrepreneurs identified in the 2015 Budget: (a) what consultations were undertaken for the development of the action plan; (b) for each consultation in (a),(i) what was the date, (ii) what was the location, (iii) what organizations and individuals were consulted, (iv) which briefings or submissions were included as part of the consultation process; (c) what are the specific components of the action plan; (d) for each specific component of the action plan, how much funding was allocated; (e) what is the development cost of the online platform to foster networking; (f) what is the advertising cost for the “Just One Pledge” campaign to encourage mentorship and championing, and what forms of advertising are being considered; (g) what is the process for identifying women who are looking for mentors, and for linking these women with mentors who have taken the “Just One Pledge”; (h) what follow-up and tracking will be undertaken to measure the success of the program, and when will the reporting of results take place; (i) what is the government's definition of an “enhanced” trade mission, and what funding will be provided for such a missions; (j) what is the selection process for companies led by women entrepreneurs for enhanced trade missions; (k) how many enhanced trade missions is the government planning to undertake, and, for each mission planned, (i) to what countries, (ii) what are the goals; (l) what will be the specific criteria required to access the Business Development Bank of Canada’s financing for women-owned businesses; (m) what consultations were undertaken to develop the criteria for financing, and for each consultation, what were the (i) dates, (ii) locations, (iii) organizations and individuals consulted; and (n) what is the timing for the national forum, (i) how many women are expected to participate, (ii) will financing be provided for travel and accommodation, (iii) what funding is being allocated for the forum?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1326

[Bryan Hayes, Conservative, Sault Ste. Marie, ON]

With regard to government funding for the constituency of Sault Ste. Marie for each fiscal year since 2007-2008 inclusively: (a) what are the details of all grants, contributions and loans to any organization, body or group, broken down by (i) the name of the recipient, (ii) the municipality in which the recipient is located, (iii) the date on which funding was received, (iv) the amount received, (v) the department or agency providing the funding, (vi) the program under which the grant, contribution or loan was made, (vii) the nature or purpose; and (b) for each grant, contribution and loan identified in (a), was a press release issued to announce it and, if so, what is the (i) date, (ii) headline of the press release?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1327

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

With respect to the monument The Valiants Memorial, located in Ottawa: (a) what process was used to determine the figures depicted in the monument; (b) what criteria were used to select the individuals depicted in the monument; (c) what criteria were used to determine whether to depict a figure with a bust or a full-body statue; (d) were other figures that are not depicted in the monument considered for inclusion in the monument and, if so, for which figures was this the case; (e) were other figures that are not depicted in the monument selected or otherwise endorsed for inclusion but ultimately not included and, if so, for which figures was this the case; (f) if the response to (e) is affirmative, for each figure what were the reasons provided to prioritize the figures that are depicted in the monument over the figures that were excluded; (g) for each figure depicted in the monument, provide the reasons used to select that figure, including any reasons used to select that figure rather than another figure that was considered for inclusion but that does not appear; (h) for each figure considered but not depicted in the monument, provide the reasons used to justify the rejection of that figure; (i) what criteria were used to determine the citations that accompany each figure depicted in the monument; (j) what sources or materials were used to inform the citations that accompany each figure depicted in the monument; (k) for each figure depicted in the monument, were other citations, in whole or in part, considered; (l) what were the reasons for selecting the site on which the monument is located; (m) were other sites considered for the location of the monument and, if so, what other sites were considered; and (n) if the response to (m) is affirmative, what were the reasons for not selecting each rejected site that was considered for the monument?