Debates of Dec. 9th, 2016

Canada Business Corporations Act

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

Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-24, the Prime Minister boasted of having created a gender-balanced cabinet. However, what we have here is pay equity and not equity in terms of responsibilities.

So Bill C-24 was not about feminism, but rather an appearance of feminism, and that is also the impression we get from Bill C-25. We do not believe that the changes it brings are meaningful.

The NDP wants to propose an amendment to verify whether the “comply or explain” approach would really have the expected effects. We are asking for an audit to be done after five years, and we are not sure whether the government will accept that request.

I would like to hear my colleague’s comments on everything I have just said.

[Guy Caron, NDP, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, these are big questions. I do not think I have time to respond to all of them, but the last one is indeed relevant. The “comply or explain” or “trying to shame” approach is to try and ensure that corporate boards be accountable for diversity or lack of diversity.

In passing, I would note another element that is missing from the bill, and that is a definition of diversity. We want more diversity, but how is that word defined? That is a fundamental question that is passed over. However, “comply or explain” is good only in those cases where there are shareholders or a group of militant shareholders who are really interested in issues related to administration, and who attend general meetings. For companies that have few attending shareholders or those with a high percentage of proxy voting, there will not be much impact on this issue.

It is my impression that in many companies, “comply or explain” will unfortunately not be as important as quarterly performance or major future projects for the next five or ten years. On paper, it seems good to have something like this in the bill, but I am not convinced of the impact it will have. In that sense, I concur with my colleague who wants to re-examine this clause in the next five years to assess its effectiveness, if it is adopted as it stands.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Is the House ready for the question?

[Some hon. members]

Question.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[An hon. member]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

I declare the motion carried. Accordingly the bill stands referred to the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology.

(Motion agreed to, bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

Intergovernmental Relations

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is gathering his provincial counterparts today to talk about the environment, even though he just imposed a pipeline on British Columbia and he is thinking about doing the same to Quebec.

He should also be talking about health care, since Quebec does not accept either his cuts or his conditions. He should also be talking about softwood lumber, since Quebec refuses to be included in another provincialist agreement that only benefits western Canada.

He should be talking about Bombardier, which is still being treated with contempt by this government, when the Ontario automotive industry is going to collect hundreds of millions of dollars more. He should be talking about Bill C-29, which makes it possible for Toronto banks to circumvent Quebec's consumer protection laws and cheat consumers.

Simply put, today's theme is federalism at Quebec's expense, federalism that benefits Canada while preventing Quebeckers from making social choices that reflect who they are. That will be the theme of these meetings for Quebec, until those meetings are called “international relations”.

Accessibility for Persons with Reduced Mobility

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to talk about accessibility. This summer, the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities launched Canada-wide consultations about what an accessible Canada means to people.

The purpose of the consultations is to inform the development of planned new accessibility legislation. Canadians have been sharing their experiences and the challenges they face every day.

I learned from people who participated in the consultations that something as simple as a threshold can be a major obstacle to people with reduced mobility.

I am proud to say that our government is working to make Canada more inclusive and more accessible for all Canadians.

I encourage all members to hold consultations on accessibility in their ridings. They will see for themselves that any improvement, however small, can make a big difference.

Barrie Food Bank

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this Saturday I will be hosting my first annual family skate at the Barrie Molson Centre from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. in support of the Barrie Food Bank. Admission is free, and skaters will enjoy complimentary hot chocolate and candy canes. They will be joined by players from the OHL Barrie Colts. Their mascot, Charlie Horse, will also be on the ice for photos with kids of all ages.

About 2,800 people visit the Barrie Food Bank every month, where 70,000 pounds of food are used and 3,500 children are fed. Some of the items Peter Sundborg and his team are looking for at this time include large diapers, jam, peanut butter, flour, canned vegetables, cereal, sugar, and baby formula.

I will also be hosting my Christmas open house on December 16 and will be collecting food for the Innisfil food bank.

I am pleased to do my small part for those less fortunate, and I encourage all Canadians to do their part to help food banks during this holiday season.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving

[Kate Young, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in recent weeks, London, Ontario, has been saddened by tragedies in our community as a result of drunk driving. As the holiday season is now under way, it is more important than ever that we keep our friends and loved ones safe.

I would like to personally acknowledge the efforts of the London chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and its dedicated core of volunteers, who have worked diligently for many years to keep our roads safe for everyone. These incredible volunteers are continuously educating the public and supporting local victims and survivors. They participate at RIDE checkpoints, make classroom presentations, and support national programs, such as the school assembly program and project red ribbon.

I encourage everyone to call their local police stations if they see any suspicious drivers. I would also like to remind Canadians that keeping our roads safe also means that they should not be reporting RIDE checkpoints on any social media channels. Together we can all make sure our loved ones get home safe over the holidays.

Oil Pipelines

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister broke his promise and betrayed British Columbians by approving the Kinder Morgan pipeline. In doing so, he has given the company control of a 150-metre-wide strip of land from Edmonton to Burnaby. He has empowered Kinder Morgan to use section 73 of the National Energy Board Act, which allows the company to expropriate public land, private land, land from churches, land from schools, municipal land, and even land from first nations' traditional territories and reserve land without consent or social licence.

To add insult to injury, the natural resources minister said he would use the army to help expropriate land and ram this pipeline through our province.

I tabled this week Motion No. 107, which calls on the government not to use military or paramilitary force to help ram this pipeline through our beautiful province. I have been fighting against this pipeline since 2011. My party is against it. What I am calling for is for the Liberals on that side of the House to stand with us and choose British Columbia—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

The hon. member for Willowdale.

Prevention of Genocide

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 68 years ago today, the United Nations officially adopted the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. To honour this momentous occasion, I ask all members of this esteemed House to join me today to mark the second annual International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of This Crime.

As chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Prevention of Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity, I know that all members of this House share an overwhelming passion for human rights, human security, and human dignity and take great pride in the leadership Canada has always demonstrated in advancing social justice around the globe.

St. Thomas Food Bank

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am so honoured to rise in the house today to spotlight one of my incredible constituents. Reese Russell has proven that we are never too young to make a difference. Reese, who is a grade three student at Forest Park Public School, wants to help those who are homeless have a merry Christmas. She was inspired after seeing a homeless man near the Tim Hortons drive-through in St. Thomas. Reese decided she was going to make a difference and started a local campaign to help 10 people within our community. Her classmates, as well as community members, jumped on board, and to date they have prepared over 100 packages to help those in need. She posted a video on her mom's Facebook page that has received over 18,000 views. Local businesses and media are also jumping on board and welcoming donations.

Reese wants everyone in St. Thomas to have a merry Christmas, especially those who are homeless during the holidays. Reese is an inspiration to me and to our great community.

I wish everyone a merry Christmas, especially Reese, who has an incredible heart and love for others.

House of Commons Pages

[Nick Whalen, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the tireless work of the pages does not go unnoticed and is greatly appreciated. Each year, hundreds of young Canadians apply for the opportunity and the privilege of being House of Commons pages, yet I would argue that the privilege is ours.

Today I rise to recognize and congratulate a young woman from my riding who was selected as one of only 40 pages in the House of Commons this year, Emma Wells, who is a graduate of the French immersion program at the Holy Heart of Mary High School in St. John's and is currently studying political science and public administration at the University of Ottawa.

As MPs, we rely on the talented work of pages like Emma to help ensure that our House proceedings run efficiently and smoothly. To all the prospective 2017-18 pages who applied this week, I wish them the best of luck. I ask all MPs to rise and join me and Emma's family in congratulating all of our House of Commons pages on their success and in wishing them success in their future studies.

Haut-Richelieu Chamber of Commerce and Industry

[Jean Rioux, Liberal, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Haut-Richelieu chamber of commerce and industry was named Quebec's chamber of commerce of the year during the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec's annual gala.

The chamber of commerce has been exceptionally active in pursuing its vision and marshalling the support of its members, more than 630 merchants and industrialists, from start-ups to big corporations.

The organization created a youth wing and an industrial committee and organized a number of strategic events, including in the agricultural sector, all of which helped raise its profile.

I would like to congratulate the Haut-Richelieu chamber of commerce and industry on winning this award thanks to the hard work of its employees and its leadership. This recognition speaks to the excellent work the organization is doing to boost economic vitality in the riding of Saint-Jean.

Gate 3:16 Outreach Centre

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Oshawa, ON]

Ho, ho, ho, Mr. Speaker. As we quickly move through the month of December, I want to take this opportunity to say merry Christmas.

Oshawa is already in the Christmas spirit. This year, thousands of people enjoyed Santa's Parade of Lights, and on December 21, I will welcome friends and colleagues to my office, located at 57 Simcoe Street South, Unit 2B, for my annual Christmas open house and food drive. Bring a non-perishable food item and come down and enjoy the food, drink, and Christmas cheer.

This year, Gate 3:16 will be the recipient of the generous food donations that Santa's helpers will bring to the event. Gate 3:16 is an institution in Oshawa that has helped thousands of those in need. During the Christmas season, the need is even greater.

We have all had a busy year, and I recognize the hard work members have done for their constituents and Canadians alike. I want to wish you, Mr. Speaker, all of fellow parliamentarians, their staff, and House officers a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Gender-based Violence

[Karen Ludwig, Liberal, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, December 10 is Human Rights Day, a day when we are reminded to stand up for someone's rights and commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

On December 10, Canada and the world will also mark the end of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. These 16 days remind us of each and every woman and girl who has ever been a victim of violence. We can take action now and throughout the year to eliminate gender-based violence. By working together, we can build a healthy, inclusive society, where all women and girls are treated as equals and gender-based violence is ended once and for all. Let us all stand against gender-based violence. Actions matter.

Governor General's Meritorious Service Medal

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Becka Viau, a visionary, a feminist, an artist, an activist, an innovator, and a mom.

Becka works tirelessly for and with the artistic community on P.E.I. She has been named to receive the Meritorious Service medal for rejuvenating contemporary arts on Prince Edward Island. Her work as a champion of the arts speaks to her love for her community. Her dedication led to her joining forces with the right hon. Kim Campbell and the now Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs when she participated in “A Bold Vision”, an experiment to imagine a Canada designed by 23 women in 2014, as opposed to 23 men in 1864. A force within our community, she ably represented P.E.I. at that table.

I extend warm congratulations to Becka and look forward to being at Rideau Hall in the new year when she receives this prestigious and well-deserved honour.

Persons With Disabilities

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, businesses that ignore disabled customers and employees are missing a global market of 1.3 billion people, a population bigger than any country on earth. That is Rich Donovan's message, and he would know. Cerebral palsy has not stopped him from becoming a dad, an MBA grad from Columbia Business School, and a Merrill Lynch portfolio manager. He also founded Lime Connect, which places disabled people in good-paying jobs at Google, PepsiCo, Bank of America, IBM, TD, and many others. Now Rich's index fund is investing in companies that outperform in the disability market. This fall, Rich became one of U Can 2 magazine's top 50 most influential disabled people, along with the likes of Michael J. Fox.

It takes creativity and relentlessness to overcome disabilities. Rich has turned these qualities into profit through the free enterprise system. In doing so, he empowers people like him to earn better lives and inspires all of us to overcome any obstacle.

Innovation

[Chandra Arya, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in Ottawa's knowledge-based sector, we have over 1,700 technology companies with over 68,000 employees. We have Invest Ottawa, the economic development agency of the city of Ottawa, which has the goal of making Ottawa the most innovative city in Canada.

We also have a new innovation centre, with a $15-million investment from both the City of Ottawa and the Ontario provincial government. The previous federal government did not provide any funding. However, this year, we announced $8 million in support, which will increase the technical and business capabilities available to companies through this innovation centre.

To realize our economic development objectives and create quality jobs, it is necessary for all three levels of government, federal, provincial, and municipal, to coordinate and collaborate with each other.

Andréane Benoit

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House today to congratulate Andréane Benoit, a farmer back home who recently won the 2016 Prix de la relève agricole, or the young farmers' award, presented by the National Assembly of Quebec.

For 12 years now, this young farmer has been operating Ferme avicole A. Benoit, in Sainte-Brigitte-des-Saults. She has also been operating a dairy farm for the past year. During my summer tour of the municipalities in Drummond, I had the opportunity to meet Andréane and her family. I could see that for the Benoit family, farming is in their blood.

Andréane is the fifth generation of Benoits in farming. As a woman in a male-dominated field, Andréane Benoit has worked hard and is an example among so many of our successful entrepreneurs who make a region like Greater Drummondville shine.

Again, congratulations Andréane Benoit, winner of the 2016 Prix de la relève agricole.

CP Holiday Train

[Cathy McLeod, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the CP holiday train is in Airdrie, Alberta, and heading through the Rockies toward my home town of Kamloops.

For 17 years this has been a wonderful family tradition. Regardless of the weather, this beautifully decorated train is greeted by enthusiastic crowds, who enjoy the music, the hot chocolate, the fire pits, and the spirit of the season.

The holiday train is also one of the most important Christmas fundraisers for the local Kamloops food bank, which helps those in our community who need a little extra at this time of year. Over the years throughout North America, the train has collected more than $12 million and 3.9 million pounds of food.

I thank Canadian Pacific. This program brings out the best in our community year after year and represents the true meaning of Christmas.