House of Commons Hansard #197 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was process.

Topics

The EnvironmentAdjournment Proceedings

8:30 p.m.

Kanata—Carleton Ontario

Liberal

Karen McCrimmon LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith for her advocacy.

Trade is a key priority for our government and for Canadians. Canada's trade with countries in the Asia-Pacific region continues to grow. As these trade volumes rise, our west coast ports, our gateways, experience increased activity. This means that on occasion more vessels are ready to enter the port than there are berths available at terminals.

There is, generally speaking, an effective system for managing these vessels at Canadian port authorities and public ports. In order to ensure the safe and secure movement of marine traffic, ships that are waiting to dock at a Canada port authority or a public port are directed to a designated anchorage within the port's waters, pending the availability of a berth at the appropriate facility or terminal.

Under the Canada Marine Act, Canada port authorities and public ports have the authority to assign and manage anchorage spots within their area of jurisdiction. If a ship arrives at a port but no berth is available at the terminal, the port directs it to wait at a designated anchorage within the port's jurisdiction. From time to time, anchorages within port's boundaries may be full or a vessel may be too large for a port's designated anchorages. In these cases, the vessel would need to anchor outside the port's waters.

In recent years, the west coast in particular has seen an increase in the use of local anchorages due to high volumes of traffic. We are aware this creates significant concern for local communities affected by vessel noise and lights.

The Canada Shipping Act currently does not provide for the Governor in Council or the Minister of Transport to designate, approve, or manage anchorage sites in waters outside of the jurisdiction of Canada port authorities and public ports.

Our government recognizes that the environmental integrity of Canadian waters is essential to the well-being of our marine transportation system. Developing a process to identify and manage anchorages outside of a Canada port authority or public port is one of the many important marine safety initiatives in Canada's oceans protection plan. This work, involving technical experts and stakeholder and community consultation, will help to ensure Canada continues to prosper economically, while protecting our marine environment.

The EnvironmentAdjournment Proceedings

8:30 p.m.

NDP

Sheila Malcolmson NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Mr. Speaker, I will note again for the member's information. This is not a Canadian product or a Canadian appetite. This is not trade. This is Wyoming coal to be burned in power plants in China. This has nothing to do with Canadian benefit.

Two weeks ago the government launched a review process of the Canadian Pilotage Act. A number of participants who will be invited are named, including indigenous groups, which I do not think is in keeping with the government's commitment to indigenous government in a nation-to-nation relationship. We will ensure that a government-to-government relationship is carried out.

However, the list does not mention local governments, such as the Gabriola Local Trust Committee, the Regional District of Nanaimo and Islands Trust Council, all the governments that are on record as opposed to the establishment of these new bulk anchorages. Neither does it include groups like the chamber of commerce or the Gabriolans Against Freighter Anchorages Society.

Will the minister's representative assure me that such groups that have a very strong stake in the outcome of this review will be warmly invited inside the process?

The EnvironmentAdjournment Proceedings

8:35 p.m.

Liberal

Karen McCrimmon Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canada port authorities are critical to our trade dependent economy, providing a safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sustainable marine transportation system. Anchorages are an integral part of an efficient shipping and navigation system.

Considering the effects the use of anchorages may have on the environment remains a priority. Under Canada oceans protection plan, we are committed to develop and implement a process to identify and manage new anchorages outside Canada port authorities or public ports. This would be done, taking into account various risks to marine safety, security and the environment, and will include consultation of local community stakeholders and experts.

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:35 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, as we have done the previous four times with these late shows on the Canadian autism partnership, we are broadcasting this one via Facebook Live again, which is an interesting opportunity for Canadians to hear yet the same answers over and over again. We have had five opportunities now to do this, this being our fifth.

Interestingly, this is our fifth different parliamentary secretary. We have had the parliamentary secretary for health and the parliamentary secretary for persons with disabilities and sport. Interestingly, we have had the parliamentary secretary for revenue. We have had the parliamentary secretary for defence, who did not do a very good job defending the Liberal position on this.

Interestingly, we now have the parliamentary secretary for transport answering a question about a Canadian autism partnership. Maybe that is fitting, given the number of Canadians who travel from jurisdiction to jurisdiction to get evidence-based treatment in this country.

I will provide a bit of history of the Canadian autism partnership for those who have not been following along.

In 2015, our government established an expert working group of 12 prominent Canadian experts on autism to put together a plan for a Canadian autism partnership. This working group worked with a team of seven incredible self-advocates who worked alongside it. They worked with families. They listened to almost 5,000 submissions. They met with provincial and territorial governments across the country, every single province and territory in Canada, to get input into the business plan that they brought forward in the fall of 2016. They brought that business plan forward with an ask for $19 million over five years, just $3.8 million a year. That is a dime per Canadian per year.

The Canadian autism partnership would bring these experts together to work with families, with stakeholders, with self-advocates, and with some of the top researchers in the world right here in Canada. It would advise governments in their jurisdictions on the real challenges facing families and individuals living with autism in Canada in the areas of, for example, education, early intervention, housing, vocation, a lot of the difficult transitions that people with autism have across their lifespan, and maybe mental health issues in some places, and provide absolute, solid, evidence-based advice, the best advice gathered from jurisdictions around the world to serve Canadians living with autism.

Unbelievably, although half of the Liberal caucus signed support letters in support of the Canadian autism partnership, it did not find its way into the budget, into a budget that ran a deficit of $25 billion a year. The government could not find $3.8 million to fund the Canadian autism partnership, which was years in the making, with thousands of people weighing in.

What we will probably hear from the parliamentary secretary is what we have heard 15 times in question period and four times during the late show. She will probably list off measures that the previous Conservative government funded, measures like ready, willing, and able, community works, the autism surveillance program, or $39 million in research. We have talked time and again about what those researchers want. Four of them were on the Canadian autism partnership working group. What they want more than anything else is for their research to actually be used to benefit Canadians in areas like early intervention, education, housing, vocation, and other things.

Though I will not hold my breath, what I am hoping we will hear from the parliamentary secretary is a reason why, while every Conservative, New Democrat, and Green member of Parliament voted yes to the Canadian autism partnership, every single Liberal voted no except for one.

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:40 p.m.

Kanata—Carleton Ontario

Liberal

Karen McCrimmon LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking the hon. member for his question and his advocacy.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, want what is best for their children, just as all parents do.

The Government of Canada recognizes that children and adults with autism have different needs that have to be addressed so they can reach their full potential.

The federal government invests considerable sums every year to build skills and support training by filling knowledge gaps and supporting research aimed at making sure children and adults affected by autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, and their families can get the best support and treatment available.

Recent investments have enabled autism researchers in universities and research institutions from across the country to contribute to the ongoing efforts to advance our knowledge about the underlying causes of ASD, and to translate that knowledge into better diagnostic tools and treatments. It has also enabled Canadian researchers to be recognized as global leaders in this area, and to participate in major global research initiatives on autism.

Federal investment in research has a real impact on the lives of people with ASD and their families. That is why our government made significant investments in research and innovation in the last two federal budgets.

For instance, in budget 2016, the federal government announced a new ongoing investment of $30 million per year to support investigator-led research through CIHR. This investment represented the highest amount of new annual funding for discovery health research in more than a decade.

In budget 2016, the federal government also announced an investment of $20 million over three years to Brain Canada to continue efforts toward increasing our understanding of the brain and brain health. This contributed to bringing investments for the Canada brain research fund to $240 million. With more than 800 researchers at 112 institutions, the Canada brain research fund represents the largest public-private fund in Canadian history devoted to supporting brain research.

Thanks to this initiative, Brain Canada has supported 13 research projects in areas related to ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders with funding totalling $16.7 million.

Beyond research and data, we are also investing in initiatives that will make a tangible and practical difference for individuals living with autism in Canada. The $40-million opportunities fund, delivered regionally and nationally through Service Canada centres, is supporting individuals with disabilities, including autism, by providing a range of tools and services that will help them prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.

In closing, I would like to affirm that the Government of Canada is committed to our continued collaboration with provincial and territorial partners and with autism organizations that are working to support families. We will continue to work collaboratively to align priorities—

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:40 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The hon. member for Edmonton—Wetaskiwin.

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:40 p.m.

Conservative

Mike Lake Conservative Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, those watching will note again that there is absolutely zero reason given yet by the current Liberal government for its refusal to fund the Canadian autism partnership. I am going to read a quote, one of my favourite quotes from Jerry Rice, of NFL Hall of Fame: “Today I will do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can't.”

I am determined to see the Canadian autism partnership come to reality. I know that Canadian families living with autism and Canadians living with autism are equally determined.

We live in a democracy. I encourage those Canadians to continue to reach out to the Liberal MPs through Twitter, through Facebook, through email, and through phone calls. I would ask this in closing: when people do that, is this Liberal member open to changing her mind and supporting Canadians living with autism?

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:45 p.m.

Liberal

Karen McCrimmon Liberal Kanata—Carleton, ON

Mr. Speaker, the proposal put forward by the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance for a Canadian autism partnership has served to highlight the complex challenges facing families affected by ASD. That is why federally we are supporting a range of initiatives that are needed to truly make a difference for families and that increase the societal inclusion and participation of Canadians with disabilities or functional limitations.

The government will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on autism to identify effective, responsible opportunities for partnerships to support a better quality of life for those living with autism and their families.

Persons with DisabilitiesAdjournment Proceedings

8:45 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 8:46 p.m.)