House of Commons Hansard #386 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was snc-lavalin.
JusticeOral Questions
David Lametti Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I confirm what the Prime Minister said earlier today in question period, that the member will be able to address relevant matters in front of the committee while ensuring that the two active court cases are not jeopardized.
We continue to welcome the work of the justice committee, as well as that of the Ethics Commissioner.
Georgina Jolibois NDP Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals do not support the RCMP and community safety programs, people and communities suffer.
In Pelican Narrows, the community safety officer program is responsible for recruiting and training officers to do nightly patrols, but they lack the resources to bring in the talent they need. People's safety should be a priority, yet the Liberal government is failing to act.
When will the Liberals commit to the safety of people in northern Saskatchewan and dedicate funding for their community safety programs?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I have met with representatives of a variety of communities across the country about community safety initiatives, including special constables and other forms of augmenting regular police service. I am certainly happy to meet with any community in the hon. member's riding if people have concerns they wish to pursue.
However, I would note that for the first nations policing program, we have just made the largest investment in Canadian history to try to bring better policing services to indigenous communities across the country.
Mike Bossio Liberal Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON
Mr. Speaker, climate change is real and the cost of inaction is enormous. It is disappointing that while climate change is having a real impact on the health and well-being of Canadians, Conservative politicians are wasting millions of taxpayer dollars fighting climate action in court. Meanwhile, the party opposite still has no plan to protect the environment.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment please update the House on the actions our government is taking to flight climate change while growing our economy?
The EnvironmentOral Questions
Sean Fraser Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his hard work and tireless advocacy to help protect our climate.
Economists are virtually unanimous that the best thing we can be doing to transition to a low-carbon economy is to put a price on pollution that will bring emissions down and put more money in the pockets of Canadian families. However, it is only one of 50 measures that we are taking to fight climate change, along with phasing out coal, so we can get to 90% generation of our electricity by clean sources by 2030. We are improving public transit, with the largest investment in the history of Canada. We are investing in energy efficiency, clean technologies and green infrastructure.
While some Conservatives want to oppose meaningful action on climate change, like Doug Ford and the leader of the—
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been speaking widely about the SNC-Lavalin affair, telling his side of the story, not concerned at all about court proceedings, privilege or cabinet confidence. Apparently that does not matter when he is telling his side of the story. However, now he is saying that he is going to constrain his former attorney general's testimony by limiting it to what he considers to be relevant matters.
Could he confirm if relevant matters will include all communications between his office and the former attorney general?
JusticeOral Questions
David Lametti Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, later today the government will confirm that the member can address relevant matters at the committee, while ensuring that two active court cases are not jeopardized. We will continue to work with the studies by the justice committee and the Ethics Commissioner.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, everyone here agrees that the former SNC-Lavalin executives who committed crimes must be brought to justice. However, it seems like everyone here also thinks that thousands of workers should pay for crimes committed by a handful of individuals. SNC-Lavalin has lost $1.6 billion since this crisis started. Next, it will be cutting jobs or having a fire sale and opening itself up to a foreign takeover.
Will the Attorney General finally take over this case?
JusticeOral Questions
David Lametti Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, this is a complex matter. There are two ongoing court cases. I cannot comment on this.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, the answer is always the same: “no comment”.
The government's primary responsibility is to protect the people. It is disgusting to see the opposition parties bashing SNC-Lavalin workers, who have done nothing wrong. This affects them. They are going to pay the price come the election. The Attorney General is responsible for this matter. He has the power to take over the SNC-Lavalin case at any time and to negotiate a remediation agreement to ensure that the guilty are punished, not thousands of workers.
When will he take over this case?
JusticeOral Questions
David Lametti Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.
Mr. Speaker, as the Attorney General of Canada, I cannot interfere in matters currently before the courts. It would be highly inappropriate for me to comment.
Raj Grewal Independent Brampton East, ON
Mr. Speaker, many young Canadians dream of home ownership, yet that dream is becoming more difficult every day. Many residents are concerned that the mortgage stress test has made home ownership for the first time extremely difficult and has contributed to a slowdown in the housing market.
Will the finance minister please update the House on what measures the government is exploring to help Canadians become homeowners?
Bill Morneau LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say that we have been very focused on ensuring that our housing market is effective so Canadians can not only recognize that their investment in their home is stable, but also so they can have an aspiration to acquiring a home for them and their families.
Over the last three years, we have put in measures for affordable housing across our country. We have put in measures to make sure people are protected. We will continue to think about how we can ensure that middle-class Canadians have the possibility to raise their families and have home ownership as part of that dream.
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I request unanimous consent for the following motion: Recognizing that 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the end of armed conflict in Sri Lanka and honouring the tens of thousands of lives lost and countless victims displaced during this 26-year war; and recognizing further that the Government of Sri Lanka has made insufficient progress in implementing its commitments on reconciliation, accountability and transitional justice and that frustrations persist among those seeking to heal the wounds of all those who have suffered; therefore, the House of Commons calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to fully implement its obligations under the Human Rights Council resolution 30/1 and to set a clear timeline bound strategy for ensuring a process of accountability that has the trust and confidence of the victims, including the families of those who have disappeared.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, on that point of order, I was pleased to support the initiative just read out by my colleague. It is interesting it came from him. However, I want to read out a slightly different resolution and maybe this will have the full support of the House: That the House call on the Government of Canada to strongly push for the full implementation of Human Rights Council resolution 30/1 within a clearly-specified time frame; call on the Government of Sri Lanka to implement resolution 30/1 within a clearly specified time frame, recognizing the resolution was co-sponsored by the Government of Sri Lanka; and invites the Minister of International Development to table a report in the House at her earliest convenience explaining development projects funded in Sri Lanka and their impact on the implementation of resolution 30/1 and on peace and reconciliation in general.
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to propose the motion?
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to three petitions.
Anthony Housefather Liberal Mount Royal, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 25th report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights concerning Bill C-84, an act to amend the Criminal Code in regard to bestiality and animal fighting.
The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
Alistair MacGregor NDP Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-431, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act (investments).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to rise in the House today to introduce my private member's bill, which would amend the investment policies, standards and procedures of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to ensure that no CPP funds would be invested in any entity that performed acts or carried out work contrary to ethical business practices or committed human, labour or environmental rights violations.
The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which oversees the $368-billion CPP fund, was set up by an act of Parliament in 1997 and is mandated to invest in the best interests of CPP contributors and beneficiaries by maximizing returns without undue risk of loss. It is important to note that my bill would not change this mandate.
Despite its adherence to a policy on responsible investing, the CPPIB has billions of dollars in direct private investments in the oil and gas sector and was recently found to have increased holdings in two private U.S. companies that run American prisons. The CPPIB has also been found to have significant holdings in various arms manufacturing industries and has previously invested in companies implicated in human rights abuses.
The Canada pension plan is an important part of our country's retirement system, but Canadians expect its investments are carried out with certain principles in mind. By amending section 35 of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act to specify ethical practices in human, labour and environmental rights considerations, Bill C-431 would do just that.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Carol Hughes NDP Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table once again a petition for a national framework for action to promote eye health and vision care. As members know, many of these petitions have been tabled in the House. There is a growing concern about vision loss. It is expected that it will double in the next 20 years. Just 1% of the total expenditure on vision loss is invested in post vision loss rehabilitation therapy.
There are other points being raised in this petition. The petitioners are also asking the government to commit to acknowledging eye health and vision care as a growing public health issue and to respond to it, particularly with Canada's vulnerable population, including children, seniors, diabetic people and indigenous peoples, through the development of a national framework for action to promote eye health and vision care.
Kelly Block Conservative Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek, SK
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition by residents from Saskatoon as well as Biggar and Harris, calling on the Minister of Justice to eliminate the maximum sentence for sexual assault crimes, and increase the minimum sentences for sexual assault crimes and sexual crimes committed toward a minor. Further, the petitioners call on the Minister of Justice to, among other things, establish a national registry for sexual offenders as well as those convicted of other violent crimes.