House of Commons Hansard #265 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was promise.
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, the Davie shipyard is a major shipyard and we recognize the expertise of its workers. They did an excellent job delivering the Asterix.
I have had positive and productive meetings with Davie shipyard's management and unions. We have started discussing options with Davie shipyard to meet the needs of the Canadian Coast Guard for interim icebreaker capacity. I am confident that our discussions with Davie will be fruitful.
Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON
Mr. Speaker, we know that far too many indigenous children in this country face immense challenges in comparison to non-indigenous children, especially when it comes to health supports and services. We can and must close this unacceptable gap that exists. Can the Minister of Indigenous Services please update the House on how Jordan's principle is being fully implemented to address these issues?
Jane Philpott LiberalMinister of Indigenous Services
Mr. Speaker, we are absolutely committed to ensuring that no first nations child goes without the care he or she needs. Since November 2015, we have been able to approve 33,000 new requests for children under Jordan's principle, with over 99% approval rate. Last week, I was pleased to announce that we now have a new 24-7 call centre, a Jordan's principle call centre, to make sure that families can easily access quality care and that no child goes without the care he or she needs.
Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB
Mr. Speaker, let me congratulate the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on her Taxpayers Federation Teddy nomination for government waste for the Liberal Phoenix fiasco. It is two years in and already almost half a billion dollars over budget. Despite this never-ending drain on the taxpayers, it has come to light that 100% of seagoing Fisheries and Coast Guard employees are impacted. When is the minister going to stop repeating empty platitudes, do her job, and fix the Liberal Phoenix fiasco?
Carla Qualtrough LiberalMinister of Public Services and Procurement
Mr. Speaker, of course, I am happy to share that award with the previous government. It was the previous government, of course, that treated the Phoenix pay system as a cost-cutting measure instead of the massive enterprise-wide initiative that it was.
We are doing, step by step, the things that the previous government should have done, including being completely committed, no matter what the cost, to paying our public servants what they deserve.
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly, municipalities, psychiatrists, everyone agrees that the legalization of pot is moving too quickly, but Ottawa does not care and is even putting pressure on the Senate to speed things up.
The only thing that matters to the Liberals, is the money that their friends are going to make with pot. The fact that that money comes from tax havens does not seem to be a problem.
When will the Liberals put the public interest ahead of their friends' interests?
Ginette Petitpas Taylor LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the current approach to cannabis is not working. It has allowed criminals to profit and has not kept cannabis out of the hands of our children.
The cannabis act will come into force this summer, in 2018, subject to parliamentary approval. The cannabis act will create a strict legal framework to control the production, distribution, sale, and possession of cannabis in Canada.
We respect the work of senators and we are always available to answer their questions.
Monique Pauzé Bloc Repentigny, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question was more about tax havens.
Newspapers are asking the Liberal government for help, but what are the Liberals doing? They are using over half of their advertising budget for ads on Google and Facebook, companies that do not pay taxes.
Not only is the government undermining quality journalistic information by failing to support our newspapers, but it is also giving money to web-based multinationals in tax havens. That is outrageous.
What is Ottawa waiting for? When will it stop rewarding tax evasion? Is it waiting for all of our newspapers to shut down?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, local information is very important for our government and, of course, it is essential to our democracy. That is why we have reinvested in our public broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada, which has extended its coverage to communities like those in the Magdalen Islands. It has also opened new local stations in Kelowna, Saskatoon, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, and Hamilton.
We are also modernizing the Canada periodical fund to better support local media and ensure that they can make a healthy transition to digital. The government must take a targeted approach that respects journalistic independence.
Candice Bergen Conservative Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the government. I hope I will get a better answer than the ones we got during question period. We shall see.
Can the government House leader share the government's plans for the rest of the week and for the week following our constituency week?
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the opposition House leader for the Thursday question.
Today was a great day for Canadians as we announced our supercluster strategy, and I am sure they appreciated hearing those results.
This afternoon we will continue the debate on the Conservative opposition day motion.
Tomorrow, the House will not be sitting to accommodate the NDP convention this weekend. Upon our return—
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Order. I am going to have to ask the hon. government House leader to wait a moment. The interpretation is not working.
Now it is working again, I gather. The hon. government House leader may continue.
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
Upon our return following the constituency week, we will have two allotted days, the first on Monday, and the other on Thursday.
On Tuesday, we will consider Bill C-69, the environmental assessment act. As the Minister of Finance announced in the House on Tuesday, the budget speech will be held on Tuesday, February 27. Pursuant to Standing Order 83(2), I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of this motion at 4 p.m. We will also have the first day of debate on the budget the following Wednesday.
(Bill C-70. On the Order: Government Orders:)
February 14, 2018—The Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs—Second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs of Bill C-70, An Act to give effect to the Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada, to amend the Cree-Naskapi (of Quebec) Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts.
Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee Governance Agreement ActGovernment Orders
Waterloo Ontario
Liberal
Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.
I move:
That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, Bill C-70, An Act to give effect to the Agreement on Cree Nation Governance between the Crees of Eeyou Istchee and the Government of Canada, to amend the Cree-Naskapi (of Quebec) Act and to make related and consequential amendments to other Acts, be deemed read a second time and referred to a committee of the Whole, deemed considered in Committee of the Whole, deemed reported without amendment, deemed concurred in at the report stage and deemed read a third time and passed.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Does the hon. government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee Governance Agreement ActGovernment Orders
Some hon. members
Agreed.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?
Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee Governance Agreement ActGovernment Orders
Some hon. members
Agreed.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
(Motion agreed to, bill deemed read the second time, considered in committee of the whole, reported without amendment, read the third time and passed)
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
moved:
That, at the conclusion of today's debate on the opposition motion in the name of the Member for Brantford—Brant, all questions necessary to dispose of the motion be deemed put and a recorded division deemed requested and deferred until Monday, February 26, 2018 at the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?