Debates of March 19th, 2018

Foreign Affairs

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, human rights, including lesbian and gay rights, are a very important component of our foreign policy. They are important here in Canada, and we are working with our foreign partners to defend LGBT people around the world. We are going to continue with this vital work.

Agriculture and Agrifood

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government knows that Canadian farmers are key economic drivers in this country and that they play a major role in combatting climate change.

Could the Minister of Agriculture update the House on the important announcement we made to improve clean technology in Canadian agriculture, this morning at Terryland Farms in my riding?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for all his hard work for Canadian agriculture. Our government is committed to supporting clean technology in Canadian agriculture.

Today, I was proud to join the member to announce an investment of $25 million to develop and adapt clean technology in Canadian agriculture. This would help our farmers stay on the cutting edge, grow our economy, and help more people join the middle class.

Rail Transportation

[John Barlow, Conservative, Foothills, AB]

Mr. Speaker, western Canadian grain farmers have asked the Liberals for one thing: help them move their grain. We have given the Liberals the concrete actions they could take now to get grain moving. Instead they stand up and defend the rail duopoly. They have tarnished our reputation as a reliable trading partner. Time is of the essence and the crisis farmers are facing is critical. Railcars are not being delivered. Grain is not moving. Farmers are not getting paid.

Does the agriculture minister not grasp the seriousness of this crisis? Why will the Liberals not take action now to move our grain?

[Marc Garneau, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we want to get our western farmers' grain to market as quickly as possible, unlike the previous government, which for 10 years did not do a darn thing to move grain and other commodities more efficiently. By the way, they voted against Bill C-49 and I would ask them to speak to their colleagues in the other House to speed up the process with Bill C-49.

In the meantime, the Minister of Agriculture and I have spoken to CN and CP, and told them that they have to do better. They are doing better, but we will watch them very carefully.

Official Languages

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, André Dionne, a federal public service manager from Montreal, will be in Federal Court tomorrow as part of his lawsuit to uphold his right to work in French, a right that has been trampled throughout his career. This is a violation of Bill 101 and is also a violation of Canadian law, as the Commissioner of Official Languages found eight years ago. This is the price Quebec has to pay for being subject to the Canadian system.

Will the minister enforce employees' right to work in French at Canadian institutions in Quebec?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, our official languages are at the core of our Canadian values. We will ensure that public servants across Canada continue to have the right to speak in both official languages. This is something that is absolutely fundamental. We will continue to ensure that from coast to coast to coast Canadian public servants are respected, including their right to speak in both official languages.

Public Services and Procurement

[Marilène Gill, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, two months ago, the Prime Minister was acting like the Davie shipyard's saviour, promising contracts would be forthcoming. The government has yet to sign a single contract with Davie, even after direct appeals by representatives of the service providers' association. This is an urgent matter for all of Quebec, but obviously not for the Prime Minister of Canada.

When will the Prime Minister honour his commitment? Is he waiting for permission from Seaspan and Irving?

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Mr. Speaker, Davie is a major shipyard and we are still in talks with its representatives. We are exercising due diligence, and we will inform the House once we have made a decision.

Health

[Luc Thériault, Québec debout, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health will be holding consultations to stop sugary, high-alcohol drinks from being sold in their current format, and that is a good thing. However, we also have a duty to be diligent and above all thorough in our actions, to prevent another tragedy from occurring.

As part of these consultations, will the Minister of Health also consider banning the addition of guarana to these alcoholic drinks?

[Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his question. I also want to extend my deepest condolences to the Gervais family. This was a real tragedy.

Protecting the health and safety of Canadians is a top priority for our government, and we are going to continue our work to do so. I have instructed Health Canada to immediately take action with regard to the proposal to restrict the amount of alcohol in single-serve highly sweetened, high-alcohol beverages.

We are also going to meet with our provincial and territorial partners, as well as other partners, to ensure that we address this problem.

Chemical Attack in Salisbury

[Chrystia Freeland, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion.

I move:

That the House (a) acknowledge the strength of the ties and values that Canadians and the British people share; (b) condemn in the strongest terms the despicable use of a nerve agent on the sovereign territory of the United Kingdom in the March 4, 2018, chemical attack in Salisbury; (c) recognize that the Russian state bears responsibility for this act and has shown a total disregard for the rules-based international order; (d) call on Russia to co-operate fully with British investigators; and (e) stand in solidarity with the British people and the United Kingdom, a key NATO ally and G7 partner.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. minister have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[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?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

(Motions agreed to)

[Erin O'Toole, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of co-operation, following the brutal chemical attack on British soil, there have been some basic discussions among the parties with respect to a motion involving the death of a Canadian citizen. If you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House (a) condemn the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran and its Revolutionary Guard for the brutal oppression of its own citizens, which included the imprisonment and killing of a Canadian citizen, Kavous Seyed Emami, who was killed in Iranian custody; (b) call upon the government to immediately cease any and all negotiations or discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran until they accept responsibility for the death of Mr. Seyed Emami; and (c) stand with the people of Iran and recognize that they, like all people, have a fundamental right to freedom of conscience and religion, freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press, and other forms of communication, freedom of peaceful assembly, and freedom of association.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

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

Mr. Speaker, as parliamentarians, the solemn acts we perform, like voting or signing a document, are very important. When we put our signature to a document, we are putting our honour on the line.

Consequently, I am seeking unanimous consent to table a document signed by the Prime Minister's own hand. It is his mandate letter to the Minister of Finance, dated November 12, 2015, in which he refers to “balancing the budget in 2019/20”.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to table this document?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Luc Thériault, Québec debout, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that this House call on Health Canada to suspend the sale of high-sugar, high-alcohol drinks and alcoholic energy drinks containing guaranine for the duration of the consultations on this matter and until such time that new rules come into effect.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?