Debates of May 6th, 2016

Taxation

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rate in the entire country. What a big change we have seen in the last 365 days. Just last month, Cameco announced the layoffs of more than 500 workers at its Rabbit Lake mine, which affects, by the way, hundreds if not thousands of small businesses in our province.

We all know first-hand in Saskatchewan that EI is not the solution. We all know we need job creation, not job-killing taxes. When are the Liberals going to reverse their job-killing business taxes?

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Tourism]

Mr. Speaker, we on this side of the House love to talk about small business.

Our government is committed to ensuring tax fairness and to making sure every Canadian pays his or her share. All our measures are meant to encourage and support small business owners. They are creating good jobs for the middle class, and they are growing our economy for the long term.

What small businesses need more than anything is a strong, thriving economy, and that is the kind of environment our government is working to create through smart, necessary, and prudent investments in our economy, in our communities, and in our middle class.

Official Languages

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

Mr. Speaker, French is in decline in Quebec, but the federal government is still giving millions of dollars to lobby groups such as the Quebec Community Groups Network.

For the past 40 years, the federal government has been giving huge amounts of money to anglophone institutions in Quebec that already have more than they need, while failing to provide basic services in French to francophone and Acadian communities.

Does the minister realize that her policy is anglicizing Quebec, proving that independence alone can safeguard the future of French in Quebec?

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the House that our government and our Minister of Canadian Heritage are deeply committed to official languages. This issue is very important to us, and we will ensure that all of our departments and programs uphold that priority to the best of their ability.

Canadian Heritage

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 100 days ago last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage said that she was paying particular attention to funding cuts affecting current events talk shows of the kind unique to Quebec.

More restrictive criteria for the Canadian film or video production tax credit are still threatening their survival. The criteria themselves have not changed; what has changed is how departmental officials have been instructed to apply them.

Will the minister, who is from Quebec, remind her department—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. The hon. Minister of International Development and La Francophonie.

[Marie-Claude Bibeau, Liberal, Minister of International Development and La Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, we remain acutely aware of how important it is to distinguish between matters under federal jurisdiction and those under provincial jurisdiction. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is fulfilling her mandate with the utmost respect for her responsibilities.

Securities

[Gabriel Ste-Marie, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec National Assembly unanimously rejected the creation of a Canada-wide securities commission six times.

All Quebec MNAs from all political parties said no six times. However, yesterday the federal government published a blueprint for legislation concerning the stability of capital markets. Seriously?

For goodness' sake, will the 40 Quebeckers in the government finally step up to the plate and defend the Quebec consensus and Quebec's exclusive jurisdiction?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his question.

Like him, we have two ambitions for Canada: to work together and to work for the well-being of Canadians. For us to work together, provincial jurisdictions must be respected. We announced that this project would be voluntary and that we would listen and fully respect Quebec's jurisdictions. We are prepared to work with the provinces that have indicated that they would like to work separately on the securities project.

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)(b), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition.

The Environment

[Catherine McKenna, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change”, signed in New York on April 22, 2016. An explanatory memorandum is included with the treaty.

Canada Post

[Leona Alleslev, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, under section 150 of the Financial Administration Act, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the Canada Post Corporation 2015 Annual Report.

Status of Women

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Status of Women in which the committee challenges all members of Parliament to complete the online course, Introduction to Gender-based Analysis Plus, from Status of Women Canada before the House rises for the summer.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, “A Report on the Closure of the Comox Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre”.

Falun Gong

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to present two petitions from the people of British Columbia and people from my riding of Chilliwack—Hope.

The first petition deals with the issue of persecution of Falun Gong in China.

Justice

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from people in my riding of Chilliwack—Hope, calling on Parliament to support Molly's law.

Iran

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition about a subject we have been discussing quite a bit this week, the situation with Iran.

The petition specifically calls on the government to ensure that the government of Iran continues to be identified as a state sponsor of terrorism until such time as it stops sponsoring terrorism.

Palliative Care

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a number of petitions today, five petitions from across Canada.

The petitioners are pointing out that it is impossible for a person to give informed consent to assisted suicide or euthanasia if appropriate palliative care is not available.

Therefore, the petitioners are calling on Parliament to establish a national strategy on palliative care.

Physician-Assisted Dying

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petitions, the petitioners are calling upon the Parliament of Canada to enshrine in the Criminal Code the protection of conscience for physicians and health care institutions from coercion or intimidation to provide or refer physician-assisted suicide or euthanasia.

Justice

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, in December 2014, Cassandra Kaake was murdered. She was 31 weeks pregnant with her preborn daughter Molly.

Molly matters. I have a petition from over 100 people from my constituency of Peace River—Westlock and the town of Barrhead who feel our current Criminal Code needs to be amended to ensure that Molly matters.

Physician-Assisted Dying

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to bring a petition to the House of Commons.

Whereas life is sacred unto natural death, it is our duty to provide compassionate hospice care. God is the author of life and death; He will determine when suffering ends; and some can be economically motivated to end life.

The petitioners, citizens of Canada, call upon the House of Commons to continue to prohibit euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Canadian Coast Guard

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to table a petition to the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. This petition amassed 1,310 signatures and calls upon the minister to stop the closure of the Comox Coast Guard. I have spoken at length in the House of Commons on this issue and I will continue to reiterate my full support for the Comox MCTS and the service it provides to our coastal communities.

I want to underline the work of Sara Kalis Gilbert, from Chilliwack, a daughter of a Coast Guard captain. She started a petition on change.org. As of today, it has garnered over 16,000 supporters. I encourage people to sign and share it.

We have the public's support behind us. Would the minister do the right thing?

Justice

[Dave Van Kesteren, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to present a petition for Molly's law.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation to allow a separate charge to be laid in the death or injury of a preborn child when that child's mother is a victim of crime.

Canadians want justice for victims like Molly.

Animal Welfare

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to present a petition today on behalf of the citizens of Revelstoke, in my riding of Kootenay—Columbia, with support from people living in Chilliwack, Agassiz, and Harrison Hot Springs on the Lower Mainland.

It is a fairly long petition, so I will shorten it. The petition states that whereas the vast majority of Canadians support modern and enforceable legislation that protects all animals from deliberate and reckless acts of cruelty, we the undersigned residents of Canada call upon the Government of Canada to modernize the animal cruelty provisions in the Criminal Code to effectively protect all animals from deliberate acts of cruelty.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if Question No. 84 could be made an order for return, this return would be tabled immediately.