Debates of Sept. 25th, 2018

Health

[Bill Casey, Liberal, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is truly an honour for me to stand today and present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Health entitled “Organ Donation in Canada”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

We have made seven recommendations in the report, and every member in all parties has taken an interest in this report. Two of the members even have motions and bills coming up this week. I want to thank the members for their diligence on this most important report. I also want to thank the clerk and the analysts for their help.

Canada has a dismal record of organ donation, and we are hoping this report will help improve it. We are in the low third of developed countries in organ donation, and we have to do better. Hopefully, these seven recommendations in the report will have some impact.

We are thankful for the opportunity to present this report, and we look forward to a response from the government.

Jobs and Economic Growth Act

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-414, An Act to amend the Jobs and Economic Growth Act (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Ltd.).

Mr. Speaker it is my pleasure to rise today to introduce this bill, which has to do with the pensions of over 3,000 Canadian nuclear workers and their families who, as a result of a decision to privatize the management of AECL assets, were kicked out of their pension after a three-year grace period on September 12.

This bill would, first of all, provide an extension of the grace period for the government to work towards a more lasting solution and give it time to look at other jurisdictions that have more flexible membership for their public service pension plan to allow these workers to continue to contribute to the pension that they signed up for when they started in the industry. The workers were told since the inception of the new government that there would be a fair and lasting solution until about six months ago when the tack changed, and then they were told that, because of the framework of the legislation, the government's hands were tied. However, this bill shows that the law can change, and I encourage the government to adopt these provisions forthwith to get fairness for these workers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Rights and Freedoms

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

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

The first is about the Canada summer jobs program. The petition states that section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms identifies freedom of conscience, thought and belief as fundamental freedoms.

The government must defend the rights of all Canadians, including those whose values are at odds with the Liberal government's. The petition calls on the government to stop imposing the values test on Canada summer jobs program applicants.

Human Organ Trafficking

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition that I am presenting today has to do with the international trafficking of human organs. The petition mentions two bills, a private member's bill and a Senate bill.

The petitioners are calling on the House to support these bills and to protect those who may be vulnerable to the international trafficking of human organs.

Immigration

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by constituents from Dufferin—Caledon.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to encourage the Canadian government to work with the Government of Israel to facilitate the completion of sponsorship applications of asylum seekers from Africa so they can immigrate to Canada as soon as possible.

Foreign Affairs

[Luc Thériault, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am tabling petition E-1646.

The petitioners are speaking out against the fact that Toufik Benhamiche, a Canadian citizen and resident of Mascouche, has been held in detention in Cuba since July 7, 2017, because he was unfairly convicted and sentenced to four years in prison without parole for manslaughter. Despite the fact that the People's Supreme Court of Cuba overturned all of the criminal convictions and recognized that Mr. Benhamiche was the victim of a tainted judicial process on April 30, 2018, Cuban authorities are still refusing to allow Mr. Benhamiche to leave the country. Canadian consular authorities have not made any requests to this effect.

This petition, which is signed by 1,636 Canadians, calls on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to take the necessary steps to ensure that Mr. Benhamiche receives impartial, fair and equitable treatment and is returned to Canada as soon as possible.

Eating Disorders

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in support of a petition to the Government of Canada concerning a pan-Canadian strategy for eating disorders.

The petitioners call on the government to support Motion No. 117 to initiate discussions with the provinces and territories and with responsible stakeholders for a pan-Canadian strategy for eating disorders to include better prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support and research.

This issue is often linked to mental illness and workforce engagement.

I am pleased to support this petition.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I too rise today to draw attention to the issue of international trafficking of human organs.

The people who have signed this petition are looking for the expedient adoption of Bill S-240.

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to also present a petition on behalf of many Canadians who are increasingly concerned about the international trafficking in human organs removed from victims without consent. We are dealing with Bill C-350 and Bill S-240.

Questions on the Order Paper

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

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Opposition Motion—Veterans

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

moved:

That, given the Prime Minister has told veterans that they are “asking for more than we are able to give”, the House call on the Minister of Veterans Affairs to revoke the Veterans Affairs Canada benefits that have been extended to Chris Garnier, who is not a veteran, is incarcerated for second-degree murder and for interfering with the dead body of police officer Catherine Campbell, and is currently receiving benefits for a disability he sustained while committing his heinous crimes.

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Richmond—Arthabaska.

Twenty-nine days ago, veterans learned, and were quite rightly outraged at the news, that Christopher Garnier, a convicted murderer, was having his PTSD treatment paid out of funds set aside for veterans. Twenty-nine days ago we called on the Minister of Veterans Affairs to intervene and right this wrong.

At first, the minister and the minister's office stayed silent on the matter. Departmental spokesmen were sent out to speak instead. As it became obvious that the outrage was growing, the minister finally relented and issued a statement. He told veterans that he shared their outrage and told them that he would seek answers for them. All seemed well. Pressure had been applied and the government seemed to have heard and seemed to have been acting.

However, as of yesterday, 29 days later, veterans still have no answers and the minister can only say that he is waiting for his officials to provide him with a report. The minister's lack of action, quite frankly, has become more outrageous than the original decision to give veterans benefits to this murderer.

Therefore, we did what we do in these situations. We appealed to a higher authority, in this case the Prime Minister. We asked him if he believed that Chris Garner deserved the veterans benefits he is receiving. The Prime Minister was not even willing to answer that simple question.

The Prime Minister and his Minister of Veterans Affairs have failed to address this issue and failed to provide veterans the answer they deserve. Here we are today, 29 days later, forcing a vote on whether or not to do the right thing and revoke these veterans benefits being wrongly extended to a murderer. It is shameful that it has taken this long for the government to make a decision on such a straightforward matter. Then again, veterans will say that under this government, waiting far too long for answers has become the name of the game.

Even the veterans ombudsman will say this. In fact, he slammed the Liberal government in a report just a few weeks ago, showing quite clearly that injured veterans are being forced to wait months longer than promised to find out if they even qualify for benefits. It frustrates veterans to know that, while the government makes them sit and wait for answers, a convicted murderer who has not served a day in his life in the military is having his private treatment paid for with funds set aside for veterans, private treatment for a disability he developed strangling Officer Catherine Campbell, putting her body in a compost bin and dumping her under a bridge.

Can my colleagues imagine what veterans are thinking? In fact, can my colleagues imagine what Canadians are thinking? Veterans who have served this nation honourably are being made to wait an average of seven months for a decision, many of them dealing with PTSD issues. Some are waiting much longer for benefits that they have earned. Veterans cannot even get an update on the status of their own claims.

Today, we will be forcing the government and all Liberal MPs to make a decision on whether they believe Chris Garnier should continue to receive benefits meant for veterans or if they believe that the minister and the Prime Minister should revoke them.

Today, I am fully expecting that members on the government side will claim that our side is advocating for changes, reductions, and revisions to the family benefits. If they do, this is a clear act that we are on the right track, because it is a desperate argument. We have no intention of touching veterans benefits now or in the future. This is a one-off situation. It is something which the policy-makers likely never anticipated when they wrote the policy to extend benefits. When mass murderer Clifford Olson was in prison and receiving OAS benefits, they were revoked when we were in power. They were revoked because the then prime minister had the leadership skills to know it was wrong. He had the management skills to pull into a room the key people who made the decision to extend those benefits. He said in the House of Commons that he personally would take all action necessary to have the benefits revoked, even if it meant bringing legislation to the floor of the House.

Clearly, this is a one-off situation. It is not about the extension of family benefits, which are very important to many veterans and their family members. This is about a 30-year-old individual who never served one day of his life in a military uniform, yet Catherine Campbell, the person he murdered, wore two uniforms. She wore the uniform of a police officer and she was a volunteer firefighter.

Today, as we consider the motion and bring it to a vote, make no mistake, this is about the failure of leadership of both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Veterans Affairs. It is about their lack of ability to bring the decision-makers, those who made this outrageous decision in the confines of the walls of Veterans Affairs Canada to extend benefits, to the table quickly and to get an explanation from them. That is what one normally would do in the course of managing any organization or business. One would call the decision-makers to the table and say, “Explain this to me”.

If the minister is as outraged as he has said he is, why would he not do that as the first step? Why would he not travel to Charlottetown, where the offices of Veterans Affairs Canada are, sit in a meeting room with his senior officials and management people and ask what is going on. He could then come back to the House of Commons and answer to veterans and Canadians why this outrageous situation was allowed to happen in the first place. He could make a determination and have the backbone and leadership to answer the questions in the House, which the Liberals have been unable and refuse to do. It is truly shameful not only to the veterans it disrespects but the people of Canada in general.

This is an issue that needs resolution. The Liberals can intervene. They can do it, and they are refusing to do it. Instead, they are defending this individual getting these benefits. I trust my colleagues in the government backbenches will make the right decision today to get their leadership to correct this one-off situation.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Madam Speaker, I find it rich coming from the member for Brantford—Brant, who was actually in the Conservative government when it had the decade of darkness, when it cut back. I would like to remind him. Has he forgotten the seven Conservative attacks on Canada's veterans? Conservatives killed the lifetime pension for veterans. Harper's minister insulted veterans. He closed nine veterans offices. The auditor general found the Harper government was failing veterans. The Conservatives slashed 900 jobs. Also, despite the pleas of managers, they silenced and smeared veterans, and released their medical records.

Now the member has the gall to stand up here and accuse us of not doing enough. We have been defending veterans and working to right the wrongs the Conservatives did for over 10 years. As a former serving member of the Canadian Armed Forces, I can say it was a decade of darkness.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Madam Speaker, that is absolutely false.

As expected, that was totally off topic and did not address the one-off case which today's motion proposes to resolve. I respect the member of Parliament for his service to our country, as I do all veterans. Let me clarify for him that on the lifetime pension issue, it was the Liberal government that brought in the new veterans charter which did away with the previous lifetime pension. It was not our government. We implemented what the previous government had put in place.

I can say this. We did not cut off the lifetime pension for veterans. We worked with veterans through the early stages of the new veterans charter, which is a living document, and was always intended to be, to work toward giving veterans the benefits they need.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Madam Speaker, when we are talking about veterans and their benefits, we need to have a full conversation. I wonder why my colleague from the Conservative Party has brought forward this one case without talking about the overall approach of what veterans need today.

He has not talked about the lapsed spending of the current government of over $370 million that has not been spent on veterans but was promised to veterans. He has not talked about the wait times that veterans are suffering right now, which are growing, or the scathing report from the veterans affairs ombudsman that came out last week. He has not touched on any of these issues and how we are going to fix them.

I would like to hear from my colleague from the Conservative Party about how to address these issues. When we are talking about veterans benefits, we have to have a full conversation. Veterans deserve it. They expect us to work collectively together to address their concerns, to plug the gaps, and make sure that they are not falling through the cracks.

[Phil McColeman, Conservative, Brantford—Brant, ON]

Madam Speaker, let me assure my hon. colleague that day in and day out in this House and at committee, we are called upon to hold the government to account on all of the issues that he brought under the umbrella of the management of the Minister of Veterans Affairs. On all of these files, the minister is frankly failing in the job of overseeing and managing all of these issues.

We have selected one issue today. We have asked questions over and over again in this House about unspent money that sits there while veterans wait an average of seven months to find out if their claim is even going to be covered. Many of them spend more than a year waiting, with no response whatsoever from the ministry. There are many issues, as he mentioned.

I totally am on side and agree with the member. We need to hold the government to account for all the failures to veterans, and there are many. The Prime Minister has made many promises to them and has not delivered. Many veterans are absolutely mystified as to why we have this situation today where we have to put a laser focus on this issue. It is a lack of leadership.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Madam Speaker, we are here today in the seat of Canadian democracy, a place of free, safe and peaceful debate thanks to honourable men and women who have maintained peace and security during troubled times. Even as we speak, Canadian Forces personnel are keeping us safe across the country and around the world.

At this very moment, Canadian Armed Forces personnel are deployed far from their country, their loved ones and their homes. They are defending our nation's values of freedom and democracy. Some have been assigned dangerous missions, while others are providing desperately needed help to extremely vulnerable people. While many are maintaining peace and order, others are in training at locations all over Canada.

We have every reason to be proud of their work. I think it is safe to say that Canadians are proud of our Canadian Armed Forces. People in my riding, Richmond—Arthabaska, feel a deep sense of connection to members of our Royal Canadian Legion branches in places like Victoriaville, Richmond and Danville. We have tremendous respect for them, and I know they give so much back to the community.

All of this brings the following question to mind: why are we so proud of our soldiers and veterans in Canada? The answer is simple: because they look out for us, following a strict code of honour and showing dedication and loyalty at all times, while risking their own lives. They are proud to wear the maple leaf on their uniform everywhere in the globe, because the rights and freedoms we have in Canada are the envy of the world.

Although we may not personally know these men and women in uniform, we do know that we can count on them. This bond of trust is strong and genuine. In return, we have a duty to recognize our soldiers and veterans. The government must treat them and their families with respect and dignity. The government must provide them with support and assistance as long as they behave honourably.

Honour is very important, especially to those who serve or have served Canada. A single dishonourable act is justification for a soldier, veteran or family member to lose those privileges. Imagine, then, how our soldiers and former military personnel must feel when they hear this terrible story.

Please allow me to tell it.

In September 2015, in Halifax, Christopher Garnier, a 30-year-old civilian, cravenly took the life of Catherine Campbell of Truro, Nova Scotia. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 2017 and sentenced to life in prison. Christopher Garnier never served a day in the Canadian Armed Forces. An expert at trial testified that Garnier developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a direct result of having strangled Ms. Campbell, put her body in a compost bin, and dumped her under a bridge.

However, as the son of a veteran, he qualified for support from Veterans Affairs Canada, which is still paying for his treatment for PTSD caused by the murder he committed. While behind bars, he is receiving treatment from a private psychologist funded through benefits intended for Canadian veterans, despite never having served our country. However, he would have access to similar support through the existing Canadian justice system.

The government is taking funds intended for our soldiers and veterans and using them to support a murderer. The family is outraged. Veterans are appalled. While some veterans are being forced to fight their government to access the services they are entitled to, a criminal is exploiting the system and the government is looking the other way.

Despite this atrocity, the Liberal government continues to support him financially. There is only one way out of this mess: immediately stop paying for this criminal's treatment under the veterans program.

The government must stop helping this murderer with money that is intended for our country's truly honourable men and women. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Veterans Affairs unfortunately do not want to talk about this case. They claim that the opposition should not be bringing up this issue in this political arena. On the contrary, I would say that it is our duty to talk about this tragedy in this chamber. It is a matter of respect, principle and honour.

We must break the silence in honour of the victim, her family, our men and women in uniform, and our veterans, who have been enraged by the government's decision. This is the opposition's role. We must denounce this foolish policy, which is yet another dismal Liberal failure, on top of all of their other failures. This is not the first time that the Prime Minister has treated our soldiers, our veterans, and their families unfairly. The current government broke its promise to no longer go to court against our soldiers and veterans. This government has spent millions of dollars in legal fees so far fighting them in court.

Members will recall that veteran in Alberta, whom the Prime Minister ridiculed at a town hall meeting when he said that veterans are asking for more than the government is able to give. This is the same government that did not hesitate to pay millions of dollars to Omar Khadr. This is the same government that has a policy to reintegrate Canadians who renounced our country to join ISIS. These traitors fought against our own Canadian soldiers. For what reason? What is the idea behind the Liberals' reintegration policy? Is the government truly weighing the risks and consequences of its actions?

What are we to make of the $200 million in the Minister of Veterans Affairs' budget, for just last year, which is still sitting in the government's coffers, instead of being used to support our veterans? So many questions, so few answers.

The Conservatives never hesitated to act swiftly on cases like this. In 2010, when we found out that serial killer Clifford Olson was getting old age security, we immediately took steps to end the payments. When we asked the Prime Minister whether he believed that a criminal found guilty of killing a police officer should be getting benefits from the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Prime Minister did not answer. The Minister of Veterans Affairs has the authority and the power to cut off payments to this murderer, who is not a veteran, but he is using privacy as an excuse. He does not want to share any information. For the record, the opposition is not asking for information. All we want is action.

The Prime Minister and his government would do well to learn from our soldiers and veterans instead of attacking them. They could learn from veterans' loyalty, respect, discipline, devotion and, above all, their code of honour. Those who serve Canada honourably deserve better. The Campbell family deserves better. Canadians deserve better. This government has to right this wrong immediately. Enough with this scandalous injustice.

The Conservatives are calling on the Minister of Veterans Affairs to intervene, to stand up and address this outrageous injustice. If he does not, then we will, when we return to power in 2019.

[Robert-Falcon Ouellette, Liberal, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Madam Speaker, I greatly appreciated my colleague's speech, but let me remind hon. members that in 2014, General Rick Hillier, the former chief of defence staff, spoke about suicide.

I quote from an article:

“I do not think we had any idea the scale and scope of what the impact would be. I truly do not. This is beyond a medical issue. I think many of our young men and women have lost confidence in our country to support them.”

The article goes on to say:

Why would they not, given the callousness of the Harper government? In the past decade Conservatives closed offices, cut 900 jobs, clawed back benefits, killed lifetime pensions for Afghanistan veterans, and failed to spend $1.13 billion of the Veterans Affairs budget but found money to increase advertising and ceremonies for politicians to honour veterans.

Is this member suggesting the Harper government did an excellent job for veterans?

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Madam Speaker, I do not know if my colleague realizes that it will soon be three years since they took office. It is time to stop pointing fingers at the previous government. The Liberals are in power. They are the ones who can make decisions. They are quick enough to make decisions when they are playing politics and helping their friends.

There is currently a civilian criminal who has never served in the Canadian Armed Forces. All we are asking is for the government to do the right thing, show respect for them, and put an end to this injustice. It is not complicated. I think it is just common sense. The people listening are intelligent and can figure it out. We are simply asking the government to put an end to this injustice. It is simple to understand and simple to do, and we are waiting for the government to take action and fix this.

[Christine Moore, NDP, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is obvious that Veterans Affairs could make better use of its funding to provide veterans with services.

The most recent ombudsman's report indicates that francophone female veterans have the most difficulty obtaining services.

I would like to know if my colleague has any suggestions about how to improve services provided to these women.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her very relevant question. Yes, we can do better. All governments, regardless of their party, should be working to help our veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces. If either of those groups is not getting the help that they need, whatever it may be, we in this House should be doing everything in our power to help them.

That being said, I would like to come back to the matter of the official opposition motion. Will the government put an end to this injustice? Let us at least address the problems. As people often say, the first step in fixing a problem is recognizing that there is one. What we are seeing today is that the Liberal government, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Veterans Affairs do not seem to want to see the truth, admit that a mistake was made, and immediately fix it.

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, I would advise members on the other side that all of us became concerned when we heard about this. I believe the minister has said that the government is not going to be talking about the specific case, but that it is looking into the matter. I believe this happened about three weeks ago or so.

My colleague mentioned that the Conservatives took steps in the Clifford Olson case. The Olson information was released in March, and the steps were taken in June, which is three months. We have had about three weeks.

I wonder if the member could give us time to consider what steps we need to take in this matter.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska has time for a quick answer.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to provide a simple answer. It would be nice if the government at least had the courage to say that it is going to remedy the problem, that this is an injustice, and that it is going to take immediate action, rather than hiding behind privacy and confidentiality when this story is well known and is all over the news.

We are aware that administrative procedures take time. That being said, all we are asking the government to do is to stand up, show some leadership, and say that this is an injustice that it is going to address immediately, as quickly and promptly as possible.