House of Commons Hansard #404 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was liberals.

Topics

Party MembershipOral Questions

Noon

Independent

Erin Weir Independent Regina—Lewvan, SK

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Speaker ruled that he cannot enforce the Parliament of Canada Act rules for caucus expulsions, which are also not subject to judicial review. If neither the courts nor the Speaker uphold the law, party leaders are free to ignore it. A possible solution would be to empower an independent Attorney General, separate from the justice minister, to enforce the Parliament of Canada Act.

Does the government agree?

Party MembershipOral Questions

Noon

Waterloo Ontario

Liberal

Bardish Chagger LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I want to make sure that members know that at our first caucus meeting, the caucus chair wrote the Speaker to inform him of the will of our caucus on these measures.

In regard to the role of the Attorney General, we know that Canadians expect and deserve to have faith in their institutions and in the people who serve them. That is exactly why, when the Prime Minister observed the testimony that took place at the justice committee, he brought forward the hon. Anne McLellan so that she could look into this matter and provide advice and guidance to the government. This information will also be available for future governments when it comes to the dual role of the Minister of Justice as well as the Attorney General of Canada.

I can assure him that we are taking this very seriously.

Air TransportationOral Questions

Noon

Bloc

Simon Marcil Bloc Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, while Abitibi is developing the Rouyn-Noranda airport, the federal government is considering authorizing cuts to air transportation security. It makes no sense to let NAV Canada cut night services for pilots at the third-largest airport in Quebec. This is dangerous and impedes regional development.

Will the minister listen to business people in Abitibi, air carriers, pilots, local officials and the unanimous voice of the Quebec National Assembly, which are all calling for the government to maintain the flight service station, or FSS, in Rouyn-Noranda?

Air TransportationOral Questions

Noon

Burnaby North—Seymour B.C.

Liberal

Terry Beech LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the safety of our transportation system, Canadians and members can rest assured that we have one of the clearest safety records in all of Canada. When it comes to individual investments and individual decisions, we are making clear investments right across the country for the safety of our airports. We are seeing the results, and the member can go back to his constituents and safely say that we have one of the clearest safety records in the entire world.

Agriculture and Agri-foodOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Bloc

Simon Marcil Bloc Mirabel, QC

Mr. Speaker, the government tabled the estimates yesterday. This is the last request for spending approval before the election. Nearly all of the initiatives from the latest budget are in there, but a big one is missing. The $3.9 billion promised to supply managed producers is missing. This money was not in any financial tables in the budget and is not in the estimates.

Can the government tell us where we can find the $3.9 billion?

Agriculture and Agri-foodOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Louis-Hébert Québec

Liberal

Joël Lightbound LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, we have always been clear with supply managed producers that we would provide fair and full compensation, and we are keeping this promise. This is a very firm commitment on our end.

Our party is the one that first implemented supply management and the party that has defended it and will always defend it. The same cannot be said for the Conservative Party.

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

NDP

Alexandre Boulerice NDP Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, the sword of Damocles is hanging over the heads of steel workers who might lose their safeguards in two weeks.

Accordingly, I hope you will find unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion:

That, given that many of the 23,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs of the Canadian steel industry are at risk and that many of our economic partners, like the European Union, protect workers with permanent safeguard measures, the House urge the Minister of Finance to implement permanent safeguard measures for our steel industry immediately to avoid a deadline of April 27, 2019.

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

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

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

(Motion agreed to)

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC

Mr. Speaker, during question period, the hon. member for Mississauga Centre reached out to the opposition to put an end to the Liberal inaction on the canola crisis file.

That is why I, in turn, am reaching out to the government by calling for the unanimous consent of the House to hold an emergency debate on the canola crisis.

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

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

Steel IndustryPoints of OrderOral Questions

12:05 p.m.

Some hon. members

No.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:05 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

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 six petitions.

Cruelty-Free Cosmetics ActRoutine Proceedings

12:05 p.m.

Conservative

Marilyn Gladu Conservative Sarnia—Lambton, ON

moved that Bill S-214, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (cruelty-free cosmetics), be read the first time.

Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise in the House and table Bill S-214. I want to thank Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen.

This bill proposes to eliminate animal testing of cosmetics. A number of organizations have worked with me to bring the bill forward, including the Humane Society, the Animal Alliance of Canada, the Cosmetics Alliance Canada, Cruelty Free International and Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics.

These organizations have worked to bring forward seven amendments, which would be needed as we study the bill further. The amendments have to do with ministerial powers, responsibilities and definition of manufacturers and importers responsibilities and a clarity for testing to sell in other countries.

I am very pleased to bring this forward. This would make us the 40th country to consider such legislation and would bring us into alignment with Europe and California.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Animal WelfarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

Don Rusnak Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is quite timely. I rise today to present two petitions on behalf of the residents of Thunder Bay—Rainy River in support of Bill S-214, the cruelty-free cosmetics act, which would ban the sale and manufacture of animal-tested cosmetics and their ingredients in Canada.

Palliative CarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Kelly McCauley Conservative Edmonton West, AB

Mr. Speaker, as the former president of the Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation, Vancouver Island's largest hospital foundation supporting seniors, I am very pleased to present petitions from several hundred constituents, as well as people across the country, calling on the government to establish a national strategy on palliative care.

The EnvironmentPetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

Lloyd Longfield Liberal Guelph, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present a petition from the great people of Guelph. They are concerned about climate change, knowing that it is real, that it represents an existential threat to humanity and that pollution should not be free.

Research has shown that the price of pollution is the most effective and lowest-cost way to transition to a cleaner, greener economy. Canada can have an ambitious, effective climate plan that creates new jobs and makes life affordable for Canadians.

The people of Guelph would like to see Canada and the Government of Canada continuing to do the great work we are doing to combat climate change through the market pricing mechanisms we are using.

Animal WelfarePetitionsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Mr. Speaker, I have with me a number of signed petitions from all over Saskatchewan, calling upon the House of Commons to support Bill S-214, to ban the sale and/or manufacture of animal-tested cosmetics and their ingredients in Canada, moving forward.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 2274 to 2280 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Is that agreed?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No. 2274Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

12:10 p.m.

Conservative

Bev Shipley Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

With regard to spending on photographers or photography services since June 1, 2018, broken down by department or agency: (a) how much has been spent; (b) what were the dates and duration of each photography contract; (c) what was the initial and final value of each contract; (d) what were the events or occasions which were meant to be photographed as a result of each contract; and (e) what were the locations where the photography work was performed for each contract?