Debates of Feb. 13th, 2017

Natural Resources

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

Mr. Speaker, we had a very good meeting in the north last week with both Premier Taptuna and Premier McLeod. As the member knows, there is no active drilling occurring in the Beaufort Sea.

The measures announced by the Prime Minister in the Joint Arctic Leaders' Statement, including establishing Canadian Arctic waters, is indefinitely off limits to new oil and gas licences, to be informed every five years by science-based reviews. Canada will consult with the existing licence holders in the Beaufort Sea on their interests and their future plans.

Foreign Affairs

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the revelations of the new leader of Canadian diplomacy outraged the Belgian media, which ran headlines such as “Crocodile tears mislead Wallonia”, “The drama minister”, “Fake tears guilt the Walloons”.

Guilt trips, hypocrisy, crocodile tears, my goodness, it feels like the 1995 love-in in downtown Montreal.

Is that what Canadian diplomacy is going to look like under the Liberals from now on?

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, Canada appreciates its relationship with other countries and international governments around the world. We continue to have conversations with diplomats and our international counterparts. We are proud of the role that Canada plays around the world.

Public Safety

[Rhéal Fortin, Bloc, Rivière-du-Nord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Public Safety said that “proper and appropriate treatment for all people from Canada seeking to enter the United States...is a priority for this government.”

Some priority. Five days later, a Quebec athlete from Sherbrooke, a regular at international competitions, is denied entry at the border.

How many Quebeckers need to be turned away at the border because of the colour of their skin, the sound of their name, or the god they pray to before this government starts to take action?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I share my hon. colleague's concerns with respect to the situation.

We are working very hard to ensure that all Canadians receive fair and proper treatment when they travel abroad. At the same time, every country makes its own decisions as to whom they admit on their territory. I would encourage anyone who feels they were wrongly denied entry to the United States to use every recourse available to them at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

[Michel Boudrias, Bloc, Terrebonne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, fancy words and lofty principles change nothing. What we want to know is what real measures have been implemented to ensure that no Quebecker, regardless of their religion, is unfairly targeted at the Canada-U.S. border.

What we want to know is who did the minister speak to, what did he ask of the U.S. authorities, and can he guarantee that none of our citizens will be victims of discrimination at border crossings?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his question.

One of Canada's top priorities is to ensure that all Canadians can travel and work without experiencing problems.

I encourage whoever has had problems at the border to speak with the U.S. authorities.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am noticing that we are developing a bit of a bad habit in this hallowed place. Right after question period, we tend to take a lot of time chatting and visiting. To respect this place, immediately after question period we should take our talk outside the chamber so that we can proceed immediately to orders of the day.

You are doing an excellent job, Mr. Speaker, and you can only get as much order as we give you. If you would be willing to immediately call this place to order, that would send a strong signal.

I would encourage all of my colleagues, immediately when question period is over, to leave the chamber if they need to chat or to sit and give this place the respect it deserves and listen to what is going on next.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I thank the hon. House Leader of the Opposition for her intervention. It seems to have had a silencing effect already.

Public Accounts

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to the 16th report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, entitled "Report 4, Drug Benefits—Veterans Affairs Canada, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada".

Contraception

[Irene Mathyssen, NDP, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition in support of free prescription birth control.

Twenty-four per cent of Canadians do not have access to subsidized drug plans, meaning that they have to pay out of pocket for medications like contraception. Fifteen per cent of sexually active Canadians do not use contraception at all. It has been proven that subsidized contraception has been cost beneficial in a number of jurisdictions, including the U.S. and Great Britain, and reduces the cost of unintended pregnancy.

With that in mind, these petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion No. 65, which calls on the federal government to work with the provinces to cover the full cost of prescribed contraception.

Public Accounts

[Alexandra Mendes, Liberal, Brossard—Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts:

The 19th report, entitled “Report 3, The Governor in Council Appointment Process in Administrative Tribunals, of the Spring 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada”.

I am also tabling the 20th report entitled, “Special Examination Report - Atlantic Pilotage Authority, of the Fall 2016 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada”.

150th Anniversary of Confederation

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

Mr. Speaker, commemorative medals have been issued by the Government of Canada on significant milestones in our country's history to recognize the contributions of everyday Canadians to their communities, contributions that mean so much to many but too often go unnoticed and unrecognized. A medal was issued for our Confederation in 1867, the diamond jubilee of Confederation in 1927, the centennial in 1967, and the 125th anniversary of Confederation in 1992. However, as part of the Liberal war on history, there will be no medal honouring the country-building contributions of Canadians on the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Tradition is being ignored, and community-leading Canadians are being forgotten.

The petitioners from across Canada call upon the Government of Canada to respect tradition, recognize deserving Canadians, and reverse its decision in defence of a commemorative medal for the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

Product Labelling

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions to the House today. The first is from constituents primarily in the Toronto area.

The petitioners call upon the government for mandatory labelling of any consumer products, including genetically modified organisms.

Homelessness

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

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, is from residents of Vancouver Island. The petitioners hope that the House of Commons will put together a plan to confront the crisis of homelessness. They in particular point to the national affordable housing program as envisioned by the Canadian Federation of Municipalities.

Gun Violence

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition that was organized and prepared by a constituent, Joan Howard. The petition asks that Parliament create and support a national program for helping loved ones of murder victims, fund and promote programming that diverts young people away from gangs and crimes, take steps to ensure equal access to opportunities for young people across Canada, and strengthen and enhance the Canada Border Services Agency's ability to stop gun smuggling.

Joan Howard has been a tireless advocate on these issues since she lost her son, Kempton Howard, to gun violence on December 13, 2003. I would like to thank her for her work on this petition and for her advocacy.

Food Labelling

[François Choquette, NDP, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising in the House to present a petition signed by dozens of people.

For some time now, Health Canada has been allowing the sale of genetically modified salmon, which has caused quite an outcry in the riding of Drummond and in other areas of the country. People want mandatory labelling of GMOs. That is what they are calling for. In that regard, my colleague from Sherbrooke and I are holding a conference on the mandatory labelling of GMOs on February 28 at 7 p.m. at Hotel and Suites Le Dauphin. Everyone in the Drummond area is invited to attend.

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 the supplementary response to Question No. 674, originally tabled on January 30, 2017, could be made an order for return, that return would be tabled immediately.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 674

[Matt Jeneroux, Conservative, Edmonton Riverbend, AB]

With regard to relocation costs for exempt staff moving to a location outside of the National Capital Region, since January 1, 2016: (a) what is the total cost paid by the government for relocation services and hotel stays related to moving these staff to a location outside of the National Capital Region; and (b) for each individual reimbursement, what is the (i) total payout, (ii) cost for moving services, (iii) cost for hotel stays?

(Return tabled)