House of Commons Hansard #309 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-69.

Topics

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC

Mr. Speaker, after two years, one month, and 14 days of incessant consultation, the Minister of Canadian Heritage finally made an announcement yesterday. I could hardly believe it. Did she have new measures or reforms to announce? Of course not. She announced a new panel of experts, the second in two years, which will issue its recommendations in 2020, after the next election. That is cynicism. Two years ago, the minister was bragging about her political courage and promised legislative changes in 2017.

By doing nothing for four years, is this government not jeopardizing our culture for no other reason than to get re-elected at the expense of our culture?

Canadian HeritageOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to protect and to promote our culture.

The Broadcasting Act has not been reviewed since 1991. It predates smart phones and the ubiquitous use of the Internet. We are reviewing the act to ensure that it reflects today's realities and that the system in place is fair for everyone. The guiding principle for the review is clear: anyone who profits must contribute. No one gets a free pass.

We are also going to protect and strengthen CBC's mandate to make sure that Harper-style budget cuts can never happen again.

Public SafetyOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canada is generally a very safe country, but there have been recent trends of an increase in guns and gangs violence. The responsibility for keeping communities safe starts at home, and working with communities to prevent crime will help them stay safe and resilient.

Can the Prime Minister tell us what our government is doing to keep Canadian kids away from gangs, which will allow them to live full and productive lives?

Public SafetyOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, today we are launching a new call for proposals under the youth gang prevention program and the crime prevention action fund. These programs address the impact of gangs and violence on youth, especially in indigenous and high-needs communities. This is on top of unprecedented annual funding we announced last year of up to $100 million. We will keep working to enhance public safety by focusing on prevention, effective law enforcement, and strong community partnerships.

Official LanguagesOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister spoke about the review of the CRTC Act. The last time the Official Languages Act was comprehensively reviewed was when the Conservatives were in power in 1988. In light of the new challenges and issues they are dealing with, francophones, Acadians, and anglophones from Quebec are all asking that the act be reviewed. The Federal Court agrees and is asking Parliament to review the act. The Liberals are the only ones not on board.

What exactly is the Prime Minister waiting for to modernize the Official Languages Act?

Official LanguagesOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, the Official Languages Act is important to our party and also to our country. Protecting Canada's linguistic minorities is at the core of who we are as a country. We will continue to stand up for linguistic minorities and strive to improve the Official Languages Act.

I can confirm that we are preparing to modernize the Official Languages Act. We will work with all Canadians to ensure we get it right.

HealthOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Independent

Hunter Tootoo Independent Nunavut, NU

[Member spoke in Inuktitut]

[English]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Two communities in my riding have recently declared that they are in crisis. These declarations stem from the fact that there are too few mental health supports and an increased number of suicide attempts. Of the recent $118 million announced for first nations and Inuit mental health, Nunavut receives only $500,000 annually, despite the fact that the suicide rate is 10 times the national average. The current government has sent additional support to first nations communities in crisis. Will the government do the same for Inuit communities?

HealthOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we recognize that the mental health challenges facing indigenous people are deep-rooted, and the need for support is immense. In Nunavut, we are working with our partners and have invested $189 million over 10 years in the community-led Nunavut wellness agreement as well as $8.4 million, this year alone, for mental health support for Inuit. We are supporting ITK's national Inuit suicide-prevention strategy and will continue to work with partners to respond to the mental health needs in the territory.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

The hon. member for Beauport—Limoilou on a point of order.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleague from Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d'Orléans—Charlevoix, I would like to move a motion in the House, but first I would like to give some background.

The G7, a major event, is starting soon. This kind of event sometimes attracts mass protests that sadly lead to unrest. Over the past few months, serious concerns about this event have been raised in the media or through public consultations by many residents from the ridings of Québec, represented by the Minister of Families, Louis-Hébert, represented by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, Louis-Saint-Laurent, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, and Beauport—Limoilou, where protests will—

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order. The member seems to be getting into debate. I would ask him to get to his question.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Alupa Clarke Conservative Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions, and I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: that the House hope for the success of the G7 meeting in La Malbaie and defend the right to protest, but denounce possible acts of violence and vandalism, thank the police forces who will be deployed this week to keep residents and visitors safe, and call on the government to formally pledge to compensate residents and business owners in the unfortunate event of unrest and damage in the Charlevoix region and in the city of Quebec.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

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

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

No.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In a moment I will be asking for unanimous consent to table some documents. The documents speak to the issue of Kinder Morgan and the fact that it valued its assets at $2.5 billion, yet the Prime Minister paid $4.5 billion.

I would like to table these documents, the SEC filings of Kinder Morgan Canada, to show that the assets are in fact valued at $2.5 billion in spite of the Prime Minister's assertion.

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

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

HealthOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

No.

Standing Orders—Notice of Time AllocationPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Blaine Calkins Conservative Red Deer—Lacombe, AB

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw to the attention of the House a matter concerning the notice of time allocation regarding Bill C-59. Bill C-59 was referred to committee before second reading and is now before the House at report stage.

If you read Standing Order 78(3), Mr. Speaker, it allows a time allocation motion to cover both the report and third reading of a bill provided that the bill is consistent with Standing Order 76.1(10).

Standing Order 76.1(10) refers to a bill that was sent to committee after second reading, not before second reading.

Standing Order 76.1(10) is the Standing Order that deals with the report stage of a bill that was referred to committee before second reading and Standing Order 78(3) does not refer to it.

Therefore, there is no provision in our Standing Orders that would allow a time allocation motion to cover both the report and third reading stages of a bill that was sent to committee prior to second reading.

I concede time allocation motions have covered both the report and third reading stages of some bills that were referred to committee before second reading, however, no member had ever objected to this practice nor pointed out to the Speaker that it was simply out of order. The fact that the former opposition turned a blind eye to this breach does not make it right.

Since Bill C-59 is the first in this Parliament that has been referred to committee before second reading and notice having been given to time allocate, now is the time, Mr. Speaker, for you to take a look at this matter and ensure the government begins following the House rules.

Finally, I would add one point to my submission. Standing Order 76.1(10) deems the report stage of Bill C-59 to be an integral part of second reading. We are actually talking about two stages plus third reading, another situation not anticipated by Standing Order 78(3).

Standing Orders—Notice of Time AllocationPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I thank the hon. member for Red Deer—Lacombe for raising his point of order. I will come back to the House in due course.

Standing Orders—Notice of Time AllocationPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Waterloo Ontario

Liberal

Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons and Minister of Small Business and Tourism

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am pleased to inform the House that proper notice was in fact given last night. There was a point of clarification. If the member checks Hansard and reads just a bit further on, as a member who was here until midnight, I can assure him clarification was indeed given.

Standing Orders—Notice of Time AllocationPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

I thank the hon. government House leader for that.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, this is not a novel point of order. It relates to Standing Order 16 and 18, but in particular to Standing Order 16, related to interrupting members when they speak, in this case, the Prime Minister.

I can assure other members that I feel like screaming a good deal of the time when I listen to the Prime Minister, but I do not. It violates the rules of this place when I cannot hear the Prime Minister deliver a response. I do not recall, from this seat, having trouble hearing Stephen Harper. I do not think he spoke louder than the current Prime Minister. The noise from this quarter of Conservatives is unacceptable. It violates our rules.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

Order, please. Clearly I encourage members to listen and not to interrupt when someone else has the floor. I would appreciate that also when the Chair is speaking.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That the House: 1) send good wishes for the G7 summit in Charlevoix; 2) protect the right to protest, but condemn potential acts of violence; 3) thank and congratulate the police forces that will be deployed this week to keep residents and visitors safe; and 4) support the enforcement of the same guidelines for compensating residents and business owners in the Charlevoix area and in Quebec City as those enforced by the Harper government in Huntsville in 2010.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan

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