Debates of June 14th, 2018

Human Rights

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition here on religious freedoms in Pakistan. It is signed by 529 petitioners. They are reminding the House of Commons of the situation in Pakistan, specifically affecting religious-minority communities, specifically the Sindhi community. The petitioners are asking the government to pressure the Pakistan government to address this issue through legislation safeguarding minority rights and revoking discriminatory laws, and to make Canadian international aid to Pakistan conditional on Pakistan's adherence to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Canada Summer Jobs Program

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my next petition is on the Canada summer jobs program attestation. It is signed by 30 constituents of mine reminding the House that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms applies to all Canadians and the government has no right to intervene in the way it has done and force people to believe a certain thing over another. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to defend the freedoms of conscience, thought, and belief, and withdraw the attestation requirement for applicants to the Canada summer jobs program.

Disability Tax Credit

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Finally, Mr. Speaker, I present my final petition. Twenty-seven signatories have signed as petitioners from my riding, on Bill C-399. They are asking again for the Government of Canada and all members of the House of Commons to support Bill C-399, an act to amend the Income Tax Act regarding the disability tax credit.

Guaranteed Income Supplement

[Karine Trudel, NDP, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by citizens in the riding of Jonquière concerning the guaranteed income supplement.

As we know, the government recently announced automatic registration for the guaranteed income supplement for all seniors when they turn 64, but we also know that not all seniors will be automatically registered. It is important for low-income seniors who receive old age security to also collect the guaranteed income supplement. That is why I am presenting this petition concerning the guaranteed income supplement on behalf of my constituents in the riding of Jonquière.

Kinder Morgan Pipeline

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions.

One has about 70 signatures from residents exclusively from Salt Spring Island in my riding. They examined the threat posed by the Kinder Morgan expansion. I note this petition was prepared apparently before the decision to buy the pipeline, but the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to immediately act to prevent the expansion's moving through British Columbia.

Wild Salmon

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, relates to the threat to wild salmon, specifically in British Columbia. The petitioners make reference to the landmark report by Mr. Justice Cohen, the special investigation in 2012 into the catastrophic decline of salmon in British Columbia, particularly the Fraser River sockeye. The petitioners are calling on the House of Commons to act on and immediately implement all 75 recommendations made by Mr. Justice Cohen.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to table a petition in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-350. It seeks to combat the trafficking in organs without patients' consent. This bill was seconded by a member of the government, the member for Etobicoke Centre, and it was originally proposed in the same form by Irwin Cotler, a previous Liberal justice minister, so it is a bipartisan, multipartisan initiative that seeks to combat this terrible scourge of organ trafficking.

The petitioners also mention Bill S-240, which has already been reported back from committee to the Senate, and I hope we will be able to see that bill here very soon. The petitioners call on the House to pass these bills as soon as possible to work toward the role Canada can play in ending this injustice.

Gatineau Park

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ottawa Valley chapter, asking the federal government to recognize the boundaries of Gatineau Park in Canadian law and pass legislation to ensure its protection for future generations.

Sex Selection

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have in my hands a petition sent to me by numerous constituents in my riding who are calling on the government to condemn the act of sex-selective abortion.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Bellechasse—Les Etchemins—Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition regarding Bill C-350, which was introduced by my colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan and is supported by the members of the House. The purpose of the bill is to tackle human organ trafficking.

I am happy to see that this bill has the support of the members of the House.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, like some of my other colleagues here today, I have the pleasure of tabling a petition from residents across Canada who are calling on the government to take seriously the fact that there are many people who are going overseas in order to seek out organs that have been acquired illegally without the permission of the individual from whom they are taken.

There are a number of bills, one in the House of Commons and one in the Senate, that are calling for a stop to this practice and that Canada would condemn it and take action with regard to the individuals who are leaving Canada in order to go abroad to participate in this practice. The individuals who have signed this petition are calling on the House to move very quickly with regard to putting legislation in place to stop this abhorrent practice.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Questions Nos. 1719, 1721, and 1725.

Question No. 1719

[Todd Doherty, Conservative, Cariboo—Prince George, BC]

With regard to the new regulations being imposed by the government on the lobster fishery for the 2018 season, which were announced in April 2018 and include the potential closure of wide swaths of fishing grounds: (a) did the Department of Fisheries and Oceans conduct any studies on the impact of the new regulations on the New Brunswick lobster fishing industry and, if so, what are the details of any such studies, including (i) who conducted the study, (ii) methodology, (iii) findings, (iv) website location where findings are located; and (b) did the Department of Fisheries and Oceans conduct any studies on the impact of the new regulations on the overall New Brunswick economy and, if so, what are the details of any such studies, including, (i) who conducted the study, (ii) methodology, (iii) findings, (iv) website location where findings are located?

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, measures were urgently developed over a five-month period due to the unprecedented North Atlantic right whale mortality event that occurred in 2017. They take into account the best available science and input from stakeholders, partners, experts, and indigenous peoples. Closures will reduce fishing effort and could impact communities, but the survival of the species is tied to the long-term economic well-being of Canada’s coastal communities. As a result, in-depth economic analysis of the impact of the new management measures on the New Brunswick lobster fishing industry and overall New Brunswick economy did not occur.

The fishing area closed on April 28 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence region could affect up to 200 lobster harvesters and covers approximately 196 km2 or 4.9% of the entire lobster fishing ground in lobster fishing area, LFA, 23C. Each fish harvester has 300 traps. By imposing the closure, there is a potential reduction of up to 60,000 vertical lines in the water in an area where North Atlantic right whale concentration was observed in 2017. Since the season opening, unofficial LFA 23 landings are between 350 pounds per day, for LFA 23 D, and up to 1,000 pounds per day, for LFA 23 A, B, and C, which are typical to above average from previous years. Thus far, the impacts of the closure have been limited.

The targeted fisheries management measures being applied demonstrate Canada’s commitment to protecting this species, which is both mandated under the Canadian Species at Risk Act and critical to meeting the new import provisions under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. Our government will continue to work co-operatively with U.S. counterparts to ensure Canada is able to meet the new U.S. import provisions and avoid any potential impact to the sector with regards to trade.

The current state of the right whale population is extremely concerning and the Government of Canada will continue to work with experts, industry, and environmental groups to develop approaches to reduce risks to whales while limiting negative impacts to fishing communities. DFO is committed to working with industry to explore additional management measures and to develop appropriate systems for fishing gear rope and buoys for future years that will further reduce risks to North Atlantic right whales and protect Canada’s vital fisheries sector.

Question No. 1721

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

With regard to the Canada 150 hockey rink on Parliament Hill: (a) what were the total costs associated with the “Canada 150 Rink” Twitter account; (b) how many full-time equivalents managed the rink Twitter account; and (c) were the costs associated with the rink Twitter account included in the 8.1 million dollars amount associated with the rink's costs?

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the “Canada 150 Rink” Twitter account is exclusively owned and entirely managed by the Ottawa International Hockey Festival. The Department of Canadian Heritage had no involvement in the creation or maintenance of the account.

Question No. 1725

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

With regard to costs associated with the Canada Infrastructure Bank to date: (a) what are the total costs of managing the Bank, broken down by (i) leases, (ii) salaries of full-time equivalents and corresponding job classifications, (iii) operating expenses; (b) how many projects have applied for funding through the Bank; (c) of the projects in (b), how many have been approved; and (d) how many projects assigned through the Bank have begun operations, broken down by region?

[Amarjeet Sohi, Liberal, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to costs associated with the Canada Infrastructure Bank, CIB, until March 31, 2018, the total costs of managing the bank are broken out as follows: (i) leases: $ 90,461.35; (ii) salaries of full-time equivalents and corresponding job classifications: $160,170.25, for the job classifications of interim chief investment officer, office manager, and administrative assistant; and (iii) operating expenses: $1,824,457.

With regard to (b) (c) and (d), the CIB continues to engage with stakeholders in the public and private sectors to formulate a pipeline of projects for potential investment. As of March 31, 2018, no project had been approved for investment by the CIB. The CIB’s fiscal year end is March 31 and therefore information for the period of April 1 to April 27, 2018 is not currently available.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, if the government's response to Questions Nos. 1717, 1718, 1720, 1722 to 1724, and 1726 to 1728 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 1717

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

With regard to materials prepared for ministerial exempt staff from December 1, 2017, to present: for every briefing document prepared, what is the (i) date on the document, (ii) title or subject matter of the document, (iii) department’s internal tracking number, (iv) title of individual for whom the material was prepared, (v) sender?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 1718

[Jamie Schmale, Conservative, Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON]

With regard to reports of “March madness” expenditures where the government makes purchases before the end of the fiscal year so that departmental funds do not go “unspent”, broken down by department agency or other government entity: (a) what were the total expenditures during February and March of 2018 on (i) materials and supplies (standard object 07), (ii) acquisition of machinery and equipment, including parts and consumable tools (standard object 09); and (b) what are the details of each such expenditure, including (i) vendor, (ii) amount, (iii) date of expenditure, (iv) description of goods or services provided, (v) delivery date, (vi) file number?

(Return tabled)