Debates of Nov. 19th, 2018

Organ and Tissue Donation

[Eva Nassif, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to participate in the debate on Motion No. 189 and to support my colleague from Thérèse-De Blainville in his effort to promote awareness of organ donation and facilitate the sharing of best practices among the provinces to help build a system that will work across Canada.

It was heartening to listen to the stories shared during the first hour of debate on September 27. It is important to share these success stories and to look at what works in other provinces, territories and countries as we improve our own system. Unfortunately, it often takes a tragedy to provoke action. The numbers do not lie. Two hundred and fifty Canadians still die waiting for a transplant.

In other cases, like the one my colleague from Guelph mentioned, a successful organ donation can promote awareness and encourage more donors. This shows that personal stories, communication and community play an essential role in promoting awareness of organ donation. We must use our local and provincial resources to increase the number of donors, understand what works and develop a national system that is accessible to all Canadians.

Since 1986, Quebeckers just have to sign the back of their health card to officially become an organ donor.

In Ontario, Service Ontario has created the BeADonor.ca website, where people can quickly and easily register in three steps that take less than two minutes. They only need to register once.

A similar process has been in place in British Columbia since 1997. By visiting transplant.bc.ca, anyone can add their name to the registry in minutes.

These systems are found in different provinces. They are easy to access and quick and easy to use. However, in other provinces, resources are limited, which penalizes Canadians who do not have access to them.

Motion No. 189 will allow us to study, share and focus these methods on a common goal, which is to establish a fair nationwide organ and tissue donation system that will ensure we have effective services.

I would like to acknowledge the exceptional work done by the Canadian Organ and Tissue Donors Association, which has been raising awareness since 1983 and providing emergency transport since 1987. From 1987 to December 2017, CODA transported just over 15,000 organs. Of that number, since 2014, 103 transports have been carried out in my city, Laval, by roughly 20 volunteers from the Laval police force.

The success of organ donation does not lie in the generosity of Canadians alone, but also in collaboration between various services, from medical professionals to the countless volunteers who transport these organs and tissues to their final destination. It is our duty to work with the provincial and municipal governments to support and equip our emergency services so that they can do their job effectively. The work that the doctors and nurses do is vital to the success of organ and tissue donations. Let us ensure that they are supported and that the methods that we put in place are beneficial to them as well.

As the hon. member for Thérèse-De Blainville mentioned, we must not forget the human side of this debate. The consent given by the deceased person is sometimes rescinded by their family. This may be due to a lack of communication or a reaction to the loss of a loved one.

People should not have to grapple with decisions like that when they are grieving. The moments following death should be a time to mourn together without having to debate such a sensitive issue.

That is where a plan to increase awareness can help people avoid situations like that. The process should be the same regardless of where a Canadian citizen lives. It is also our duty to communicate information properly, encourage communication with loved ones and break down taboos around organ donation.

We need to remind Canadians that they can register as donors no matter their age. We also have to make sure they know that they can be living donors. That idea might scare some people, which is why awareness campaigns are important.

I feel that the Standing Committee on Health's report on organ donation in Canada is a good starting point with respect to the steps we need to take to act on the recommendations in Motion No. 189.

In closing, I can personally attest to the value of organ donation for those in need. My uncle passed away a few years ago, and because his family donated his eyes, two people were able to see again. In many cases, those involved cannot see the difference they make for themselves, but my cousin had the opportunity to meet those two individuals and to see first-hand the positive impact of organ donation on their lives.

Canada's first face transplant was carried out two months ago in Montreal. What an extraordinary medical feat. It was a total transplant, not just the skin, but the entire face: the nose, its cartilage, the jawbone, teeth and mouth. Only a few patients around the world have undergone a total face transplant.

This encourages us to donate our organs and tissues, especially when we know that one tissue donor can save up to 20 people. Obviously, a lot of work remains to be done to make organ donation a widespread practice in Canada. However, we have valuable tools at our disposal and the will to improve the situation.

I believe that with Motion No. 189, a system can be created that works for everyone, regardless of where the person who needs an organ donation lives. Canadians are very generous. I am confident that we will find the best methods for standardizing organ donation across Canada and encouraging Canadians to get involved and help promote this cause.

I have signed my organ donation card. What about the rest of my colleagues?

[Ramez Ayoub, Liberal, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank my colleagues for the quality of the debate we just had and particularly for their personal testimonies.

Organ donation is one of the greatest possible gestures of human solidarity. Despite current efforts, 4,500 people are suffering while waiting for a transplant in Canada and approximately 250 of those on the waiting list die every year.

Motion No.189 calls on the government to reiterate its commitment to facilitate collaboration on an organ and tissue donation and transplantation system that gives Canadians timely and effective access to care.

Our current system is not good enough. I sincerely believe that we need to do better to save those whose only hope is an organ donation.

Recently, I had the honour of meeting organ recipients and families of organ donors from my riding of Thérèse-De Blainville.

At that meeting, Carole Du Paul, whose husband died and donated his lungs and liver, gave a very touching testimony, as did Joseph El Hajj, who was the recipient of a heart in 2009, Johanne Michaud, whose children were able to know their grandfather thanks to an organ donation that extended his life and gave him the opportunity to see his grandchildren grow up, and Yves LeBlanc, who has a new lease on life thanks to a tissue transplant.

Their stories show how important it is for all Canadians to have access to an effective organ donation and transplantation system.

I want to emphasize the word “all” here because our current system is unfair.

Organ donation varies greatly from one province to another because of a lack of resources in that area.

Motion No. 189 seeks to encourage organ and tissue donation across Canada by supporting national efforts with provincial and territorial authorities and stakeholders.

It is unfortunate and completely unacceptable that the probability of receiving an organ donation is dependent upon the patient's place of residence in Canada. Motion No. 189 will change this situation and improve the exchange of information between provinces, as well as encourage organ donation through public education and awareness campaigns.

As I mentioned earlier, one of the limitations of our organ donation system is consent. Only 20% of Canadians are registered donors even though 90% believe in organ donation. Education is key to obtaining consent, raising awareness and obtaining the right information. This awareness will let donors understand the importance of being a donor in order to save lives. Not only must donors sign the back of their driver's licence or health insurance card, they must talk about it with their loved ones.

I would like to congratulate Chaîne de vie, whose mission is to raise awareness and inform high school students about organ and tissue donation as part of the second language instruction program. Lucie Dumont, the president and founder of this organization, has done great work on this program, which is recognized in Quebec and internationally.

I also want to thank every person, organization, and stakeholder with whom I discussed this motion: Louis Beaulieu from Transplant Québec, Ronnie Gavsie from the Trillium Gift of Life Network, Leanne Appleton from BC Transplant, and Dr. Pierre Marsolais, to name a few.

In closing, I want to reiterate that Motion No. 189 transcends political partisanship and is non-binding. It is a motion that will allow for dialogue between the provinces while urging the government to take action.

I want to thank the members who have already expressed their support. I hope to have managed to raise awareness on this important issue so that Motion No. 189 gets the unanimous support of the House.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And five or more members having risen:

Pursuant to Standing Order 93, the recorded division stands deferred until Wednesday, November 21, immediately before the time provided for private members' business.

A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, back in June, I was able to ask the Prime Minister directly in the House, given his stated commitment to families and family reunification, why someone's parents or grandparents coming to Canada was based on the luck of the draw. This was in the face of media reports that said that in fact the lottery system was worked off an Excel spreadsheet and subject to rigging. Thankfully, since asking that question in question period four months ago or so, communities across Canada came together to denounce the idea of family reunification being determined by the luck of the draw and the government had no choice but to abandon the parent/grandparent lottery system. It was an honour to bring those concerns to the House and I am grateful to the people back home in Nanaimo—Ladysmith, who let me know what impact this was having on their families.

However, the New Democrats remain concerned that the government has decided to go back to a first-come, first-served race to get an application in before the application cap is hit. This is almost identical to the system prior to the lottery, and just like family reunification should not be a matter of chance, it should not be a race either.

I am proud my colleague, the member for Vancouver East, said, “I will continue to advocate for a parent/grandparent system that reflects what Canadians want, the elimination of the annual application cap, increasing the annual levels plan space to accommodate the desire of Canadians to be reunited with their loved ones, instituting a standard processing time of 12 months for these applications, as this is the standard already in place for spousal sponsorship applications.”

I want to flag how hard it is for families to navigate these systems. I have a constituent named Fatima. She and her two daughters were accepted to Canada as refugees from Eritrea. The personal story of this family is tragic. It was a huge effort for them to get here. They are sponsored by the Neighbourhood Church in Nanaimo, which is doing a fantastic job of working hand in hand with refugee families, supporting them, embedding them in our communities. However, what Fatima has said is that she cannot settle into our community fully knowing that the husband, who she thought had died in the civil war, in fact had survived, but that it was beyond the period where she was able to sponsor him because of the one-year limit. They are now caught in this bureaucratic mess. Her little daughters are saying that they do not believe that their father is still alive because it has been years that they have been waiting for our system, for the Canadian government, to say when it is that his processing will be complete. It is a huge heartache for this family.

I am hearing again and again that the government has chosen not to restore the public service and the front-line people who are meant to be serving Canadians. To have people kicked off phone lines, left on hold indefinitely or for them to have to call 20 times even to have the honour of being put on hold, that says to me that everyone is challenged by a broken system. Therefore, my question to the government is this. Why is it making people wait so long? When will it truly deepen the investment that allows immigration and family reunification to happen as it should?

[Andrew Leslie, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations)]

Mr. Speaker, reuniting Canadian citizens and permanent residents with their parents and grandparents contributes to strengthening Canada's social and cultural fabric.

I am pleased to speak to this issue today, as it gives me the opportunity to tell the hon. member about the changes that have been made to the parent and grandparent program since the member initially asked her question in June.

In August, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced that it would be increasing the cap on the number of parents and grandparents sponsorship applications accepted for processing from 10,000 to 17,000 in 2018, and to 20,000 in 2019. The department also announced that the application intake system would be changing in 2019, something that addresses the root concerns of the hon. member.

In 2019, as was the case in recent years, the interest-to-sponsor form will be put online at the beginning of the year to allow potential eligible sponsors to tell us that they wish to sponsor their parents or grandparents. Instead of randomly choosing potential sponsors to submit applications, as was the case before, we will invite potential sponsors to submit their sponsorship applications based on the order in which the interest-to-sponsor forms were submitted. The process will continue until the number of potential sponsors invited to submit applications reaches the annual cap of 20,000 applications.

This new first-in system is different, as it is based on interest-to-sponsor submissions sent electronically, and not on complete applications mailed to IRCC's offices, which was the process before 2017.

This is an improvement from the system used before 2017, because potential sponsors will be required to complete an application only if they are invited to submit one. Using this intake process will give the government more flexibility in the application process, ensuring that we receive as many applications as possible to meet the cap.

The Government of Canada welcomes comments on its programs and services, and the changes made to the application process for the parents and grandparents program aim to make things fair and give all interested sponsors equal access to the application process.

[Sheila Malcolmson, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, replacing the lottery with a cap that is all a first-come, first-served system is not remedying the problem.

As members of Parliament, people come to us when the system is not working for them. We try to help guide them. Here is an example of what a constituent told me by email last month: “You are the first person who answered us about my immigration issue in the past ten years. We have hired a lawyer for 3 times to request information. We tried any way we can to make contact with the immigration office, but nothing has happened so far.”

All we did was use the back-door number that members of Parliament have to ask Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to check the status of her permanent residency application. It was not a big effort.

Again, and we just cannot state this enough, if we could restore our front-line public services and allow people to get clear answers on why their applications are being held up, it would not leave them waiting interminably. It is heartbreaking for these families. Simply changing the style of the program has not made the change we need.

[Andrew Leslie, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government is working on improving the application process even more, to make it easier to access the parents and grandparents program and to improve the experience for our clients. We are making sure that our updates to the application process are appropriate, and we took the time to listen to stakeholders and applicants before deciding how to proceed.

I also would like to note that consistently high admissions levels for parents and grandparents over the last few years have allowed the government to greatly reduce the application backlog. The application inventory has dropped from a peak of 167,000 people in 2011 to just under 26,000 people in June 2018.

Do we have more work to do? Absolutely, but we are well on track.

Family reunification is one of the Government of Canada's top immigration priorities.

International Trade

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when I rose months ago, my question for the Prime Minister was about the devastating impact the steel and aluminum tariffs would have on working people in Canada. Unfortunately, we are living through the fallout of the Liberals' failure to have a plan that would actually help working people. It is no surprise though. The Liberals continue to profess their love for workers and the middle class at the same time as we see jobs bleeding out of our country because of steel and aluminum tariffs.

No one believes we are dealing with a logical approach and when it comes to President Trump, no one believes it is an easy task. However, the Liberal line of tariffs being completely separate is complete and utter nonsense. No one believes that. If we were to ask anyone in the states or ask the president himself if these tariffs were separate from the renegotiation of NAFTA, the response would be a resounding no. They believe these tariffs are directly tied. In fact, in the new USMCA, we see the tariffs being tied to the auto sector and mention of section 232 throughout the agreement.

This is a very hot topic in my riding of Essex, where we have the manufacturing sector. We also have a wonderful steel manufacturer. This steel manufacturer, a local business owner who provides excellent jobs in one of the communities I represent, said that the tariff situation was like the Liberals standing in a burning house, with people saying that the fire department should be called, that they need help and the Liberals telling them that they should not to worry, that they should stay in the house, that it will be all right. However, we all see that the house is burning down as they sit, not helping businesses and workers who are in a desperate situation.

When I asked that question, the government told us it was ready for the worst case scenario. We now know that is about as far away from the truth as a Donald Trump tweet. What is happening on the ground is workers are being laid off. There are down weeks happening in our country. In fact, in Ottawa this month, a business that had operated since the 1970s closed its doors. This is just the cusp of where we are going. Ford Motor Company has reported it has lost $1 billion due to these tariffs. People will be laid off as a result. No large manufacturing corporation that has a footprint in Canada can continue with billion dollar losses over less than a year.

The Liberals like to point to the auto gains in the USMCA, but they seem to be conveniently forgetting that cars are made of steel and aluminum. This is the underpinning of this sector. As long as these tariffs are in place, our entire manufacturing sector is under direct threat. We are in an emergency situation. Business after business has come before the trade committee, under our NDP-led tariff study, and told us of the many issues with the supposed relief package. That money, instead of being kept separately and being able to support businesses and people on the ground, is just going into the general coffers. In fact a month ago, there was a report of $11,000 being paid out of the $375 million collected. Where is this money going? This money is not making its way to shops on the ground or to people on the ground who need this help.

My call tonight is this. Will the Liberals join the NDP call, and in fact all sides of the House, because the Conservative deputy leader has also agreed, to not sign us on to the USMCA until these tariffs are removed?

[Andrew Leslie, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Canada-U.S. Relations)]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's steel and aluminum industries are a critical part of our economy and many people's livelihoods. Canadians in communities across the country depend on the good jobs that are supported by these industries, both upstream and downstream from the actual point of origin of the steel or aluminum, and that is why we have taken such strong action to defend them. Shortly after the unfair and illegal tariffs were unilaterally announced by the United States, we announced our own reciprocal tariffs on $16.6 billion worth of U.S. goods.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating. This is the strongest and largest trade action Canada has taken since the Second World War. This is how much we value our steel and aluminum workers and how much we want to protect their livelihoods and communities.

Since before the tariffs were imposed, we have been meeting with steel and aluminum industry leadership and workers to ensure that their voices inform our actions. Recently, for example, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has been visiting dozens of facilities across Canada, meeting with steel and aluminum companies and associations, the workers on the shop floors and union representatives. I myself have met with many dozens of union associations, factory management, suppliers, workers and the upstream and downstream industries that are impacted. The message is clear that we must defend our industries and workers, and that is exactly what we are doing.

For example, in October, we introduced provisional safeguard measures on seven steel products to ensure that our industries are not being harmed by the diversion of steel into Canada from other international steel suppliers. Such measures are being welcomed by the industry. Just last week, for example, Stelco, which employs 2,200 men and women at Hamilton Harbour and on Lake Erie, said that these safeguards are providing market stability. They agree with what we are doing.

In fact, Stelco's CEO also said, “With these measures in place, we expect growth in our business related to our recent investments, including the installation of annealing furnaces, and the recent work on the hot strip mill, that have enhanced our product capabilities.” It has received funds to help it and its workers get through the process we are going through with the section 232 tariffs.

Our measures are allowing companies to continue to invest in themselves, their facilities and their workers. I would remind us all that there is $2 billion available to defend and protect the interests of Canadian workers and businesses in the steel and aluminum manufacturing industries.

We are working hard to make sure that these tariffs are eliminated. We are in constant dialogue with the United States. Removing U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum is a priority for our government and, indeed, for the nation. We continue to raise this at every opportunity with American officials at the very highest level.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what the Liberals are doing is not working, and the response tells me that they are not listening and that, in fact, they are willing to let the house burn down to the ground around them and leave the ashes, with no plan going forward. Talking points are not going to cut it. We are in an emergency situation in this country, and it is not surprising that the response we get tonight from the parliamentary secretary is not actually an answer to the question I asked, the question that is on the minds of many Canadians and the question that others in this House believe is where we need to go.

Small businesses cannot navigate the system and cannot access the money. They do not have the resources to dedicate staff to understanding these programs. They do not want loans from BDC and EDC. They can get loans down the street at their own local lenders. They want the government to negotiate an end to the steel and aluminum tariffs.

Canadians do not want the government to sign on to the USMCA and lose our greatest piece of leverage in a shot to get rid of these tariffs. If we do not get rid of these tariffs, we will see the decimation of our manufacturing sector. The Liberals are asleep at the wheel.

Once again, will they stand with us and not sign the agreement until the tariffs are removed?

[Andrew Leslie, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadian workers and businesses. The steel and aluminum industries provide good, middle-class jobs to Canadians across our country. We have put in place reciprocal tariffs, safeguards on imported steel, programs to help companies diversify and relief programs for industry. We have allocated over $2 billion to assist those who need it most. Our actions have been driven by the best interests of Canadian workers and industries, and I can assure the member opposite that they will continue to be based on the best outcomes for Canadians.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

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

(The House adjourned at 7:30 p.m.)