Debates of April 20th, 2016

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Prime Minister for his leadership in Paris and for attending the upcoming Earth Day signing at the United Nations.

However, our current target does not reflect that leadership. Our current target does not meet the climate urgency and emergency situation we face. In fact, it is still the weakest target in the G7. It is still the target of the previous government. It is urgently required that we ratchet up our target.

Will the Prime Minister please reassure Canadians that we plan to put in place a tougher target and soon? That would be leadership.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for her question and for her hard work on the environment, including with us in Paris.

When we talked about and actually got to an agreement, the talks were about increasing ambition of targets for countries like Canada and countries around the world as we move forward.

We are working with the provinces, municipalities, industry, business, and with individuals to make sure that we continue to build a strong economy while protecting the environment in a way that for 10 years the previous government was unable to do.

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 of five finalists for the 2015 Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing: Greg Donaghy, Norman Hillmer, Andrew Nikiforuk, John Ibbitson, and Sheila Watt-Cloutier.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Earlier today the House of Commons in the United Kingdom voted unanimously to recognize that Christians, Yazidis and other ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria were suffering genocide at the hands of ISIS. On March 15, U.S. House of Representatives also unanimously declared that genocide was taking place in Iraq and Syria by ISIS.

In light of this and after discussions that have taken place among all parties, I hope you will find unanimous consent, Mr. Speaker, for the following motion: That the House declare that ISIL is responsible for atrocities such as genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, against ethnic and religious groups, namely, but not limited to, Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims in Syrian and Iraq, and that it strongly condemn these atrocities and call for an independent investigation and for perpetrators to be brought to justice.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

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

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Pam Goldsmith-Jones, Liberal, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I would like to ask for unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House declare that ISIL is responsible for atrocities, war crimes and crimes against humanity of a genocidal nature against ethnic and religious groups, namely, but not limited to, Christians, Yazidis and Shia Muslims in Syria and Iraq, and that it strongly condemn these atrocities and call for an independent investigation, including into possible genocide, and for perpetrators to be brought to justice.

[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.

The House resumed from April 19 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Political Fundraising Activities

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

It being 3:15 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion relating to the business of supply.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

Vote #39

Business of Supply

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I declare the motion lost.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Please forgive me. I noticed some confusion at the Table. I did intentionally abstain. I do not approve of the fundraising, but I thought the business of supply was too much of a—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I thank the member, but this is not a point of order.

Canadian Human Rights Tribunal

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I have the honour to lay upon the table, pursuant to subsection 61(4) of the Canadian Human Rights Act, the 2015 annual report of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal. This report is permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

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 seven petitions.

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 1

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-15, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2016 and other measures.

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

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the reports of the Canadian delegation of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the joint meeting of the Ukraine-NATO Interparliamentary Council, the subcommittee on NATO partnerships, and the subcommittee on transatlantic economic relations, Kyiv, Ukraine, June 8 to 9, 2015; and the 61st annual session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Stavanger, Norway, Oct. 9-12, 2015.

Canadian Heritage

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage entitled “Main Estimates 2016-2017”.

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the House do now proceed to the Orders of the Day.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

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

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.