Debates of Oct. 5th, 2016

Veterans Affairs

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after a year in office words are no longer enough. Canadians are judging the current government on results, or their absence. Of the over 40,000 Canadians deployed to Afghanistan, 158 made the ultimate sacrifice, including three brave young men from my riding of York—Simcoe. We have a solemn obligation to remember them and their service to our country.

Last winter the veterans affairs minister denied he was cancelling plans for a memorial to those who served in the Afghanistan mission. He said, “rest assured it will be done.” It has been a year now. Where is the Afghanistan war memorial?

[Karen McCrimmon, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to let the members of the House know that just this morning at the veterans stakeholders' meeting, the stakeholders were briefed about the options available for an Afghanistan monument. The discussions are under way, and we will move forward as quickly as possible.

Youth

[Anne Minh-Thu Quach, NDP, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Mr. Speaker, later today we will be voting on the ratification of the Paris agreement, and I cannot help but wonder about Liberal efforts to help our young people.

The Prime Minister promised 5,000 green jobs for young people, but fewer than a third that many have been created. The Liberals promised an EI premium holiday for employers that hire young people, but that measure was not even included in the budget. The youth unemployment rate is still too high.

My question is for the Minister of Youth, who also happens to be the Prime Minister. How does he plan to create green jobs and address youth unemployment?

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question, because it gives me an opportunity to indicate that the number of green jobs under the Canada summer jobs program was well over 2,000, and counting as we do a survey. As well, by providing significant opportunities for young people to gain post-secondary education through our increased grants and our work with them to enhance co-ops and work placements, young people in Canada will finally have a chance to get into the workforce as we need them to.

Status of Women

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, gender-based violence remains a tragic reality for many women and girls in Canada. Statistics show that women continue to be at high risk of being victims of certain forms of violence. Experiencing violence has significant health and social impacts on the abused and their families, and it remains a significant barrier to achieving gender equality.

Could the Minister of Status of Women please tell us what action the government is taking to address this issue?

[Patty Hajdu, Liberal, Minister of Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Scarborough Centre for her question and advocacy. Undeniably, the foundation of gender equality is the ability to live, grow, and thrive free from violence. That is why this government takes gender-based violence so seriously, and why developing a coordinated federal gender-based violence strategy is so important.

Over the summer, I met with colleagues, advocates, and survivors like Paul Lacerte and his daughter Raven, who are the founders of the Moose Hide Campaign, who generously shared their ideas and experiences. We cannot rest until all women and girls have the ability to succeed and thrive.

Labour

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Arva Flour Mill is a small family business without a workplace accident in 197 years. The minister said she was working with the community and the owner. There has been no contact with the owner or the community. The minister said small business has the right to compete and do well. However, it cannot compete and do well if she shuts it down. Will the minister do her job, grant an exemption from the federal labour code, and save the mill?

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, the goal of the labour department is to ensure that Canadians have a safe workplace and can all come home safe and sound. The goal was to ensure that all workplaces are safe. The Arva Flour Mill was inspected by a labour department inspector and found to be deficient in a number of areas. The owners of the mill are working with inspectors and others to rectify the situation.

Indigenous Affairs

[Hunter Tootoo, Independent, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs.

The government has kept its promise and launched a much needed and long overdue national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women. The minister has appointed a commission to lead this inquiry, and although all of its members are extremely qualified, Inuit organizations have said they are concerned by the lack of Inuk representation.

The minister has committed to including the Inuit perspective. Could she explain exactly how the Inuit perspective is going to be considered?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and his advocacy on this.

We have every confidence that the independent commissioners have the background, characteristics, and experience necessary to lead this inquiry and to incorporate the distinct voices of Inuit people. One of the commissioners was raised in Igloolik, speaks fluent Inuktitut, and will bring an important perspective to this commission.

The commission has the power to create regional advisory committees to support cultural differences and distinctions-based approaches, including an Inuit advisory committee.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Leonard “Red” Kelly.

Mr. Kelly is the winner of eight Stanley Cups, was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame, and was member of Parliament from 1962 to 1965 for the riding of York West while playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I would also like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Mr. Andrew Percy, Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse of the United Kingdom.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Pay Equity

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 109, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the Special Committee on Pay Equity's report entitled “It's Time to Act”.

Government Response to Petitions

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, 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 two petitions.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

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 delegation of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association respecting its participation in a mission to France, from July 11 to 14, 2016.

Public Accounts

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, the 15th report, entitled “Report 2: Detecting and Preventing Fraud in the Citizenship Program” of the spring 2016 reports of the Auditor General of Canada.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration entitled “Distress Call: How Canada’s Immigration Program Can Respond to Reach the Displaced and Most Vulnerable”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative members of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration are deeply ashamed of this toothless report that seeks to absolve the government of its responsibility to help victims of genocide, and as such, we offer supplementary recommendations to this report and implore the immigration minister to take action.

National Strategy on Advertising to Children Act

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-313, An Act concerning the development of a national strategy respecting advertising to children and amending the Broadcasting Act (regulations).

Mr. Speaker, many other countries have banned advertising that targets children, but in Canada, Quebec is the only province that, in 1981, passed legislation banning advertising to children and the results have been good. That is the purpose of my bill.

The average Canadian child is exposed to over 20,000 ads a year, and 90% of the food that is marketed to children and youth is unhealthy. Our children are our future. That is why I have developed the bill, working with the Centre for Health Science and Law. The bill is ready to go. The government should just support it because we have done the work for the government.

I hope all members will support this important action to protect our children.

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

[Thomas Mulcair, NDP, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in a moment I will be seeking unanimous consent for an important motion based on the e-petition sponsored by the hon. member for Pierrefonds—Dollard that asks that we, the House of Commons, condemn all forms of Islamophobia.

It is a non-partisan petition signed by more than 66,000 Canadians.

Following discussions, with all parties in the House, I believe you would find consent, Mr. Speaker, for the following motion that the House join the more than 66,000 Canadian supporters of House of Commons petition e-411 in condemning all forms of Islamophobia.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

Justice

[Cathay Wagantall, Conservative, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting 10 more petitions today in support of Cassie and Molly's law. A Statistics Canada study shows that over 60,000 pregnant women were victims of domestic violence in Canada between 2004 and 2009. The Native Women's Association of Canada is fully endorsing Bill C-225, protecting pregnant women and their preborn children, indicating that at least 18 of the missing and murdered aboriginal women and girls were pregnant.

Canadians know a national strategy combatting violence against women will need this law included to be truly comprehensive in addressing violence against women.