Debates of June 14th, 2018

Concurrence in Vote 1—Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

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

moved:

That Vote 1, in the amount of $1,097,768,365, under Canadian Broadcasting Corporation—Payments to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for operating expenditures, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

The question is on Motion No. 108. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion No. 108 agreed to)

Concurrence in Vote 5—Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

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

moved:

That Vote 5, in the amount of $4,000,000, under Canadian Broadcasting Corporation—Payments to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for working capital, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

The question is on Motion No. 109. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion No. 109 agreed to)

Concurrence in Vote 10—Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

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

moved:

That Vote 10, in the amount of $109,009,000, under Canadian Broadcasting Corporation—Payments to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for capital expenditures, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

The question is on Motion No. 110. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion No. 110 agreed to)

Concurrence in Vote 1—Canadian High Arctic Research Station

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

moved:

That Vote 1, in the amount of $28,089,505, under Canadian High Arctic Research Station—Program expenditures, grants and contributions, in the Main Estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be concurred in.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

The question is on Motion No. 111. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

On division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion No. 111 agreed to)

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If you seek it you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practices of the House, the remaining motions to concur in all opposed items listed on the notice paper under main estimates be deemed adopted on division, and that the motion to concur in the unopposed votes be deemed adopted on division; and

That Bill C-80, An Act for granting to Her Majesty certain sums of money for the federal public administration for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, be deemed introduced and read a first time, deemed read a second time, deemed referred to a committee of the whole, deemed considered by the committee of the whole and reported back to the House without amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage, deemed read a third time and passed on division.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

Does the hon. chief opposition whip have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

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 Deputy Speaker, Bruce Stanton]

(Motion agreed to)

(Motion to concur in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, deemed agreed to)

(Bill C-80 deemed introduced and read a first time, read a second time, referred to committee of the whole, considered by committee of the whole, reported to the House without amendment, concurred in at report stage, read a third time, and passed)

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

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to speak today about Hong Kong.

Hong Kong is a special and beautiful place. It also in many ways is a place of contrast. Breathtaking natural beauty is interspersed with urban beauty as apartments rise and mountains rise even higher. East meets west and the cutting edge of modernity grows in an environment with clear and evident tradition. It is also a place that has unfortunately never known true democracy, yet which is also historically at a very high level of freedom.

I went to Hong Kong last fall with our foreign affairs committee and quickly fell in love with it. It is a beautiful place possessed of an inspiring order, poise, and dignity.

Hong Kong is part of China and it has an important role to play as a light for freedom in China. When Hong Kong joined China, it was under a commitment that Hong Kong's distinctiveness would be respected. The structure was to be one country, two systems. It has a genuine market economy and it has a legislature.

However, Hong Kong is not a true democracy. There are vast differences in the number of electors in each constituency. In some cases, companies as opposed to individuals are the electors. The system is not a proper democracy and it creates the condition for significant manipulation by the government on the mainland.

On the other hand, despite lacking proper democratic institutions, the people of Hong Kong stand up for their freedom and for the freedom of all Chinese citizens. During our trip we met with NGOs in Hong Kong who offered us more genuine insight than we were able to receive on the mainland. I met and was inspired by pro-democracy legislators and activists who have risked everything to stand up for their freedom.

The question that I raised in the House earlier this week with respect to Hong Kong was a question of human rights but also a question of political structure. The Government of Canada needs to stand up for the particular political arrangements that Hong Kong was promised and for the people's fundamental right to real democracy. If China will not keep its commitments to Hong Kong, how can we expect it to keep its commitments to anyone else?

Perhaps the best illustration of what makes Hong Kong special is what happens on June 4. In 1989, pro-democracy protestors were massacred in Beijing. Troops fired on civilians with automatic weapons and tanks. In every other part of China this occasion is not marked in any public way, but in Hong Kong people mark the occasion and keep the memory of those who died alive on Chinese soil. They did not die in vain.

I raised a specific question about Hong Kong, dealing with the heroes of Hong Kong's democracy movement who are now being given absurd prison sentences for no justifiable reason. Has the government spoken publicly or to the Chinese government about these individual cases or about the declining political situation in Hong Kong in terms of respect for Hong Kong's freedom? Has Hong Kong come up in discussions with the Government of China? We think it should and we would like to know if it has.

This was my question this week. It was not answered in question period, so I am asking it again. Has the government specifically discussed these cases or the lack of respect for Hong Kong's basic law in general, publicly or directly, with the Government of China?

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, after what I know has been a long and difficult night for my colleague across the way, I am glad we have a chance to exchange in this important conversation.

My colleague will know that the promotion and protection of human rights is a core and fundamental part of our foreign policy, and it remains an unwavering priority for our government, for Canadians, and for Canada's engagement abroad. We are well aware of the recent sentencing of Edward Leung Tin-kei for his conviction on the charge of rioting.

The ability to gather and protest peacefully is a core human right. Hong Kong is widely recognized as an open society with a long tradition of popular engagement in political expression, and we support efforts to ensure this tradition continues. Canada strongly supports the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Hong Kong under the one country, two systems principle under Hong Kong basic law. Hong Kong's protection of civil and political rights guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has been essential for the integrity of this framework.

Canada champions the values of pluralism, democracy, inclusive and accountable governance and respect for diversity, and universal human rights, and we do so at every opportunity. Our government has never and will never hesitate to voice our human rights concerns at every possible opportunity in our exchanges with China. This is a core component of our engagement, of Canada's engagement with China. Canada has expressed concerns about the shrinking space for civil society in China, and raises human rights situations in China with Chinese officials regularly. I have had the chance to do so, as has my colleague sitting beside me.

Canadian engagement on human rights is done in high-level visits, public statements, and outreach to both government officials and civil society in mainland China, Hong Kong, in multilateral fora, and here at home. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect, and promote the freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of religion or belief of all Chinese citizens.

Canada has a strong interest in a stable and prosperous Hong Kong. We share very strong people-to-people ties, and Hong Kong is an important trade and investment partner for Canada. An estimated 300,000 Canadians reside in Hong Kong, and there are approximately 500,000 people of Hong Kong descent living in Canada. Canada and Hong Kong also share a Commonwealth heritage with a number of values, including the rule of law and freedom of expression, which are essential components of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. Young people in Hong Kong should not be discouraged from exercising their rights of freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration.

Canada calls for Hong Kong's legal status to be protected.