Debates of May 18th, 2017

Opposition Motion—Autism Spectrum Disorder

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly the main issue of the debate today. If the federal government cancels the support it should give to all the organizations, we will miss this tremendous opportunity to work together.

This is what Canada is all about. Canada is a magnificent country of 35 million people, but we must work together to achieve the goals we have to address, especially in this situation.

The member from Edmonton was crystal clear a few minutes ago about the reality in different provinces. He said he was very lucky that his children were born in Alberta, because in Quebec, it would have taken four full years to address the issue. That is not the case in Alberta.

How can we help people in Quebec? It is by getting information from Alberta, by working together, and by sharing the experiences. That is exactly what we want. That is exactly what we ask of the government. We hope that a few hours from now, the Liberal members will address this issue with their hearts.

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague to provide some information.

Will the approach proposed by this partnership, which is made up of people living daily with autism, help us save money in health care costs? This $19-million investment would actually be cost-effective, because it would help us save money through a better exchange of information about practices that might help families and patients.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleague from Quebec for her speech. I believe that she has, and demonstrates, a great deal of maternal social conscience when it comes to these issues.

One thing is certain; every day that we do not work together to combat autism spectrum disorder is another day lost. In the 10 provinces and three territories, 500,000 Canadian children are struggling with ASD. These children need attention, and what is lacking is the shared experiences from coast to coast to coast.

Now more than ever, this is a non-partisan issue. This is a Canadian issue and it is about helping our children. Let us hope that our colleagues across the way show some compassion.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received as follows:

Rideau Hall

Ottawa

May 18, 2017

Mr. Speaker:

I have the honour to inform you that Ms. Patricia Jaton, Deputy Secretary to the Governor General, in her capacity as Deputy of the Governor General, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 18th day of May, 2017, at 10:32 a.m.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Wallace

The schedule indicates the bill assented to Thursday, May 18, 2017 was Bill C-37, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and to make related amendments to other Acts.

Food Labelling

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

Mr. Speaker, this government, like previous ones, wants to prevent us from knowing what is in our food.

Yesterday, the Liberals, like the Conservatives, voted once again against the bill to make GMO labelling mandatory. Many, many times in recent years, the Bloc Québécois has introduced bills similar to yesterday's bill. People want to know what they are eating. I think that is reasonable.

We are already having a hard time getting Ottawa to support our agrifood industry. Just think of our cheese producers or farmers, who rely on supply management and who have been abandoned by the Liberals. Just think of our fishers.

Not only is the supply of Quebec products decreasing, but now we will no longer know whether what we are eating was modified in a laboratory.

The 40 ghost members, including the Prime Minister, would rather defend Monsanto than Quebec consumers. That is shameful.

Ottawa Champions

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with summer just around the corner, I rise today to welcome the president of the Ottawa Champions baseball team, David Gourlay, who is here in the gallery.

The Champions begin their third season this evening with the goal of defending their title as Can-Am League champions.

I am very proud to have the Champions in Ottawa—Vanier, as they support local businesses, such as the Clocktower Brew Pub, Kichesippi Beer, and Gabriel Pizza, and ensure local at-risk youth are employed with quality, summer jobs.

The Champions also raise funds for local charities, such as the Miracle League of Ottawa, supporting children with physical and intellectual disabilities in enjoying the game they love.

The Champions are organizing two international series this season, which will include a special game for Canada Day and the first professional all-star game in Ottawa.

I urge all colleagues in this place to join with me and cheer, Go, Champs, go.

Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair

[Dianne Lynn Watts, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in the House to pay tribute to the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair. This world-famous event will attract approximately 100,000 people over this May long weekend to celebrate the 71st year of the rodeo and the 129th year of the country fair.

Attendees will witness world-class rodeo athletes compete for over $300,000 in prize money in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, and ladies barrel racing.

With Canada's 150th anniversary just around the corner, this year's rodeo will have no shortage of Canadian superstars. Of course, we cannot forget the fan favourite, the Mutton Bustin competition, and the amusement park for the kids.

I invite everyone to join me at the Cloverdale rodeo parade Saturday morning, which will be featuring community floats, drill teams, and marching bands. Grab a pair of cowboy boots and join me and the South Surrey-White Rock Youth Council at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

The hon. member for Don Valley West.

Agnes Macphail

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Don Valley West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Agnes Macphail, the first woman elected to this House of Commons, and celebrate the Bank of Canada's special commemorative $10 bill honouring her.

Agnes Macphail was elected to Parliament in 1921, in the first election where women had the right to vote. She spent 19 years here working to improve the living conditions of labourers and farmers.

In 1943, she was elected to the Ontario legislature for York East, part of my riding of Don Valley West, and lived on the corner of Millwood Road and Donegall Drive in Leaside. She fought for, and won, Ontario's first equal pay legislation, in 1951.

Next week, as part of the 150th anniversary of our Confederation, I will join students at Leaside High School to honour the phenomenal achievements of an organizer, activist, feminist, role model, and Leasider: Agnes Macphail.

Children and the Future

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I know that I will likely soon have to answer the question, “Mom, why do you do the job you do?” I could answer that I do this job so that my daughter and her friends will have a future that I am proud of and that gives them hope.

I want my daughter and all of the other little girls in the world to have the same opportunities in life as boys. I want all indigenous children to have access to the same quality of education as my child does. I want my children to be able to go fishing on our beautiful lakes without being too afraid to eat the fish they catch.

When it comes time for my daughter to choose a profession, I want her to still have access to good quality jobs instead of living in insecurity. When it comes time for her to leave home, I want her to be able to find affordable housing. When it comes time for her to have her own children, I want her to be able to properly support them.

There are many other reasons why Mom does this job, and all of them come down to making the world a better place. It is not always easy, dear daughter, but we must never give up.

Teeyan

[Ramesh Sangha, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every year at the onset of the monsoon, the Teeyan festival is celebrated by women with their maternal kith and kin.

On this Mother's Day, Punjabi media tycoon Sukhi Nijjar of Watno Dur organized a thriving Teeyan event at the Powerade Centre in my riding. At the Powerade Centre, more than 7,000 women of all different ages, in traditional costumes, came out to demonstrate that mothers are the pillar of strength in the family. I congratulate Sukhi Nijjar on his vision and success.

“Be content and have a smile on your face, even if you are having a bad day”, says 106-year-old supercentenarian mother for all seasons Dorothy Gardner. I am lucky to have Dorothy in my riding. Keep on walking.

Achievements in Markham—Unionville

[Bob Saroya, Conservative, Markham—Unionville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a brilliant young man from my riding of Markham—Unionville. Aidan Aird is the founder of two not-for-profit organizations and has won many top awards at the Canada-Wide Science Fair.

Aidan has received two global distinctions for his charity and science-related work. More notably, in 2016, Aidan was celebrated as the 360°kids volunteer of the year for his efforts to support homeless teens in York Region.

Most recently, Aidan was awarded the STEAM Horizon Award, which is a $25,000 scholarship, and the $100,000 Schulich Leader Scholarship from the University of Toronto. Aidan will be attending U of T's prestigious engineering science program and plans to major in aerospace.

To Aidan Aird and his incredible family, Markham—Unionville and Canada are proud of you. Congratulations.

Canadian Armed Forces and Flooding

[Yves Robillard, Liberal, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, like other places in Quebec and across Canada, Laval was struck by terrible flooding. This awful situation, which I saw first-hand, did, however, showcase the exemplary sense of duty of our military personnel. I also witnessed this sense of duty when I was part of the Canadian delegation sent to France to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Our soldiers are just as united today as they were in the past, in all branches of the forces that are assisting their fellow Canadians today.

I will be with my constituents this weekend for the big cleanup in Laval. Please join me, and let us draw inspiration from the solidarity and resilience of the members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Indigenous Affairs

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the work of reconciliation with our indigenous peoples is one of the most critical issues facing Canada today. In my riding of Oakville North—Burlington, I recently hosted a free screening of We Were Children. The film portrays the profound impact of residential schools and forces us to take a long, painful look at our nation's past.

After the movie, we had an emotional panel discussion, led by three very special guests, Sherry Saevil, Stephen Paquette, and Elijah Williams, who shared their own journey of reconciliation.

I also recently had the pleasure of announcing funding for Conservation Halton's restoration of one of the longhouses at Crawford Lake, a truly special place where Halton residents learn about our indigenous people. In the coming weeks, I will be hosting my youth council there to take part in a blanket exercise.

In my community, we will continue to seize the opportunity of Canada's 150th anniversary to support each other along the path of truth and reconciliation with our indigenous brothers and sisters.

Crimean Tatars

[Kerry Diotte, Conservative, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today is the 73rd anniversary of the Soviet regime's brutal deportation of the Crimean Tatars. On May 18, 1944, Soviet forces ripped Crimean Tatars from their homes. They packed them onto cattle cars and sent them on a long, dark journey to central Asia. Thousands died. It was an attempt to eradicate a small nation from the very face of the earth. In other words, it was genocide.

Today Crimean Tatars face renewed peril at the hands of Vladimir Putin's illegal occupation. Once again they face attacks on their freedom of speech, their faith, and, in many cases, their lives. The same evil ideology is at play in the Soviet regime's attempt to destroy the Crimean Tatars and in modern-day Russia's theft of Crimea from Ukraine.

The Liberal government must do more to stop this Russian aggression.

Underwater Vehicle Competitions

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Speaker, two weeks ago, students from all across Newfoundland and Labrador competed in the MATE underwater remotely operated vehicle competition at the Marine Institute in St. John's. I stand today to recognize the outstanding achievements of O'Donel High School and Mount Pearl Senior High, which finished first and second in the competition respectively. The competition between the two schools from my riding was a nail-biter, with the teams finishing less than one point apart.

Next month, the two schools and a team from Memorial University will travel to the international MATE competition in Long Beach, California, to compete against teams from all around the world. Teams from 10 countries will be competing against our two teams from Mount Pearl, Newfoundland.

This is yet another example of people from my province punching robotically well above their weight.

Manito Ahbee Festival

[Doug Eyolfson, Liberal, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, it is my pleasure to extend greetings and a warm welcome to all who are participating in and attending the 2017 Manito Ahbee Festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Named after one of the most important traditional indigenous gathering sites in Turtle Island, the Manito Ahbee Festival brings together people from across Canada and around the world to experience the very best in indigenous music, art, and culture.

Starting with the lighting of the sacred fire, this wonderful celebration offers all Canadians the opportunity to honour and develop a deeper understanding of indigenous culture and heritage and to celebrate its importance in Canada's multicultural mosaic.

Those who have asked themselves what they can do in this time of reconciliation and healing can consider this their official invitation to Manito Ahbee.

I wish to commend everyone involved in making this event such a significant success and offer my best wishes for an enjoyable and memorable festival for all.

Dan Jorgensen

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Dan Jorgensen. Dan loved adventure, and after his retirement he spent his time enjoying the thrill of rushing water, riding his motorcycle, and jumping out of planes. He was doing what he loved last week, kayaking in Manitoba, when he lost his life.

Dan was the kind of person who stood up for what was right, even if it was not easy. As a police officer, he uncovered suppressed evidence during a murder trial, which led to the resignation of a number of senior officers and justice being served. Dan earned the trust and admiration of many and went on to become the chief of police in Kenora.

Danny, as his family knows him, was also my cousin. He always had a big story, a strong opinion, and a knack for never being at a loss for words. Danny brought energy and passion to everything he did, including his efforts to help the homeless and less fortunate in the Kenora region.

Danny loved his family and his community. His passing leaves a big hole in that community and in our family. Danny Jorgensen, you will be missed.

Crimean Tatars

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today, May 18, we commemorate the 1944 forced deportation campaign conducted against Ukraine's indigenous Crimean Tatars under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

There are still people alive today who remember the day when the entire population of Tatars was given 30 minutes' notice to leave. Most would never see their homes again. There were 240,000 who were deported, and nearly 100,000 of the exiled men, women, and children loaded onto cattle cars died en route or shortly after their arrival in the Urals, Siberia, and central Asia.

Ukraine's Crimean Tatars have been returning to their homeland over the decades. However, today we should recall this tragic history and think of them currently experiencing the heavy hand of Russian occupation, exile, and worse.

Wineries in Essex

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am so proud of the many wineries in my region of Essex. From planting to processing to retail, our local wineries create a complete supply chain and a distinct brand for our regional agricultural, tourism, and retail sectors.

I was disappointed to see the Liberal budget unfairly target wineries with a 2% increase to the excise tax that will be tied to the consumer price index.

Wineries in Essex are small businesses, and the Liberals still have not fulfilled their election promise to reduce the small business tax rate. The jobs created by wineries are rooted to the community by the very vines that grow in the fields in Essex. Our fertile soil, mild temperatures, and longer growing season are all key components to the stellar wineries from Aleksander, D'Angelo, Black Bear, Colio, Mastronardi, North 42 Degrees, Sprucewood Shores, CREW, Cooper's Hawk, Muscedere, Oxley, Viewpointe, and Pelee Island, just to name a few of the more than 20 wineries in Essex.

I call upon the government to help create the next generation of specialists and keep them on the land and on family farms to help this sector grow and thrive, just like the grapes on the vine.

Turkey

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

Mr. Speaker, since the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, allegations state that 180 media outlets have been shut down, 120 journalists have been arrested, over 3,500 judges and prosecutors have been dismissed, and over 27,000 people have been arrested and detained in Turkey. Even a Canadian was arrested for tweeting negative comments about the president, and is awaiting an appeal from the courts. Reports from the Kurdish province speak of persecution and of elected officials being jailed, and the list goes on and on.

Last week, I met with Turkish Canadians who told me that the long arm of the Turkish government is reaching foreign soil. They introduced me to a wife whose husband was arrested in Saudi Arabia and is now being held in a Turkish jail. That is one of the many stories we hear of people who are crying out to the rest of the world for help and are increasingly being isolated and left on their own.

We must call on the Turkish government to answer these allegations and hold it accountable for its actions by standing up for those who have been ignored.

Sri Lanka

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, eight years ago today, the 26-year-old armed conflict ended in Sri Lanka, yet peace has not been achieved on the island. The scars of this war remain deep within the hearts of Tamils around the world as a result of the 100,000 lives lost, the occupation of over 65,000 acres of land, the fate of Tamils who surrendered, the thousands of Tamils who were abducted by government and paramilitary forces, and the numerous Tamils who languish in prisons under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The Sri Lankan government stands accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Human rights violations continue daily, with Tamils living in fear of the occupying military. Even today, they are barred by the state from mourning their loved ones.

I met many of the victims last July during my visit to the island. They seek answers, which can only come from a fair, independent, and internationally mandated process of accountability. I want to reaffirm our commitment to seek truth, justice, accountability, and peace.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, many Liberals claim that closing the Vegreville Immigration office was to “manage middle-class taxpayer dollars responsibly”, and to “spend tax dollars wisely”, and to “save money”.

Yesterday, Global News exposed all that was a massive Liberal deception. The facts reveal this cold-hearted decision will actually cost taxpayers millions.

The minister can fix his predecessor's mistake. Will he reverse it now?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, sadly, about 20% of the available positions at the current location are vacant. The move will address the staffing challenge, allow for an expansion of immigration operations and create additional jobs for Alberta. In fact, the new centre will accommodate 312 employees and will effectively double the capacity of the existing system.

We recognize the relocation has an impact upon staff and family, and we will continue to make every effort to minimize those impacts.

[Shannon Stubbs, Conservative, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this is actually all nonsense. Just last week, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities claimed that the Liberals were closing the office because they “want to be responsible for how they use taxpayers dollars”, but Canadians now know the truth.

Rural Liberal MPs, the NDP and federal public service workers everywhere should be outraged. If this can be done to Vegreville, this can happen anywhere.

The Liberals covered it up for months, falsely claimed staff were not up to the job, and are devastating a small town in the process.

How can Canadians possibly trust anything the Liberals say?