Debates of Sept. 23rd, 2016

Health

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a state-of-the-art hospital in Ottawa, and we understand the need, from the community, to make a decision quickly.

It is because we believe in transparent, rigorous, evidence-based decision-making that the minister has asked the National Capital Commission to lead a site review. That site review will take into consideration 12 federal land sites across the city.

We encourage Canadians to get involved in this process, which was launched September 22. We are confident in the NCC's ability to lead a thorough study in order to provide the government with the best recommendation possible.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois managed to get a stay for the Haitian and Zimbabwean refugees who were facing deportation, most of whom were refugees from the earthquake in Haiti.

Still today, many of those refugees have not received an answer. They are in dire straits. Many of them no longer have work permits, access to health care services, bank services, or even a telephone.

Will the Minister of Immigration commit to adopting a comprehensive solution to give these refugees permanent residence before the beginning of October? This is urgent.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, we have already taken the initiative.

I held a press conference with my Quebec counterpart in the Haitian community a few months ago. We encouraged them to come forward, and we were ready to accept all Haitians who had the proper documents. We did everything we could to welcome those Haitians.

The Environment

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in Paris, the government committed to fight climate change, which is great.

Today, the Liberals are backtracking and adopting the same greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the Conservatives, who at one time refused to even acknowledge that climate change exists.

The government will not even come close to achieving its targets, as weak as they are, without killing the energy east pipeline project.

Does the government realize that we cannot reduce greenhouse gas emissions by increasing them? That seems obvious to Quebeckers.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.

Our government knows that growing our economy and protecting our environment go hand in hand. The federal government, together with the provinces and territories, recognized in Vancouver that we need to come up with an ambitious plan for meeting our international obligations today and in the future.

I am working very hard with my counterparts, including Quebec's environment minister, to come up with a plan. The previous government had a target, but it did not have a plan and emissions went up.

We are serious—

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

Order.

The hon. member for Repentigny.

Natural Resources

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, here is a new argument.

Yesterday, first nations in Canada and the United States signed a treaty to fight the tar sands expansion and distribution of tar sands oil. Like Quebeckers, they realized that the fight against climate change is urgent.

The government says it wants to take action, but it has again refused to say no to energy east, a pipeline that will increase production of bitumen by 40%. There is no social licence for the project: first nations and the Quebec nation oppose it.

Will the government finally abandon this toxic project?

[Jim Carr, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that the government is committed to establishing a nation-to-nation relationship with indigenous peoples. She also will know that we have been moving across the country, deliberately and seriously, talking to indigenous leaders about real accommodation, as energy projects are now in front of the regulatory process. In all provinces of Canada, we will be looking very carefully at the impact of these developments on indigenous communities. The conversations and the consultations have been meaningful, and we hope for accommodation.

Foreign Affairs

[Bill Morneau, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

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 “Convention Between the Government of Canada and the Government of the State of Israel for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income”, signed in New York on September 21, 2016. An explanatory memorandum is included with the treaty.

Income Tax Act

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-301, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act and to make a related amendment to another Act (registered retirement income fund).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Elgin—Middlesex—London for seconding this important piece of legislation.

This bill would remove the mandatory minimum withdrawal requirements from registered retirement income funds, enabling seniors to save their hard-earned money for when they need it most and manage their savings as they see fit. Seniors should not be penalized for saving their money for retirement. This is why I look forward to the support of all my hon. colleagues for this particular legislation that would help our seniors.

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

Animal Welfare

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present three identical petitions signed by thousands of Canadians from across the country from Vancouver to Halifax.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact legislation to ensure that dog and cat fur is banned from importation and sale in Canada. The signatories note that the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and the EU already have legislation in place with regard to cat and dog fur. Specifically, the EU's ban came into effect in 2009 and the U.S. has had a ban since 2000.

I would like to thank Ariel Lang from my riding of Beaches—East York and the Canadians Against Trade of Dog and Cat Fur for preparing this petition and gathering these signatures.

My private member's bill would ban the importation and sale of cat and dog fur.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to present another petition signed by Canadians who are calling on members of Parliament to support Bill C-241, which seeks to amend the Excise Tax Act to refund 100% of the GST paid by Canadian school authorities.

Immigration

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions on the same subject, the British home children. The citizens who have signed these petitions are asking the House for an unequivocal, sincere, and public apology to the home children and their descendants.

Over 100,000 of these children, orphaned or destitute, were sent from Britain to Canada between 1869 and 1948 to provide indentured labour to Canadian farms and households. The U.K. and Australia have already issued such an apology and last April I tabled a motion in the House for Canada to do the same.

I am happy to present these petitions that support that motion, to issue an apology to these Canadians who were often victimized under the guise of protection.

Public Safety

[Arif Virani, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today in the House to table election petition e-308 on behalf of the residents of my riding of Parkdale—High Park.

When the former Conservative government enacted Bill C-51 in 2015, the outcry across this country was loud and strong. Canadians understand the need to combat terrorism, but they will never allow this fight to trump our fundamental rights and freedoms.

There must be a balance. That is exactly what this petition seeks. Residents in my riding and across the country want a comprehensive review of Bill C-51. They want their privacy protected, and they want Canadian security agencies to always operate within the confines of the Charter of Rights.

This petition gathered 2,607 signatures. None of that would have been possible without the hard work of an important advocate in my riding, Mr. Matt Currie from Stop C-51.

I will continue to work with advocates like Mr. Currie to strengthen the constitutional rights and protections of all Canadians.

Justice

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

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to stand today and present more petitions on behalf of Cassie and Molly's law.

These petitions are from the NDP riding where Cassie lived prior to her death and prior to the loss of her child while pregnant. These signatures are representative of tens of thousands that have already been presented to this House, and represent Canadians from all walks of life, as affirmed by a Nanos poll, which showed that 97% respondents in that poll were pro-choice and that the majority of those pro-choice individuals agreed that there is a need for this law in Canada.

Physician-Assisted Dying

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am tabling a petition today signed by many constituents of Winnipeg North.

This petition deals with Bill C-14. Just to provide assurances to those who have signed this petition, many of the issues raised in the petition were in fact debated through the process. I look forward to having another debate on it in a few years.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Madam Speaker, there are two supplementary responses to Question No. 147, originally tabled on June 14, 2016, which could be made an order for return, and this return would be tabled immediately.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Carol Hughes]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 147

[Martin Shields, Conservative, Bow River, AB]

With regard to each Minister’s office, including costs paid out of the Minister’s office budget or other government funds, from November 3, 2015, to April 22, 2016: what was the total cost spent on (i) wine, spirits, beer and other alcohol, (ii) bottled water, (iii) soft drinks, (iv) potato chips, nuts and other snacks. (v) coffee, cream, non-dairy creamer, sugar and related supplies, (vi) food, other than food included above?

(Return tabled)

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Carol Hughes]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-4, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code, the Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, the Public Service Labour Relations Act and the Income Tax Act, be read the third time and passed.