Debates of May 1st, 2019

Government's Response to Petitions

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to nine petitions.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the reports of Canadian delegations of the Canada-China Legislative Association respecting their participation in the Co-Chairs' Annual Visit to China held in Beijing, from October 21 to 25, 2018, and the Parliamentary Mission to China held in Shanghai, Suzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, from January 7 to 11.

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, a report of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association with respect to its participation at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in Murmansk, Russia, from March 27 to 28.

I do not think there is any other international organization more important for Canada than this committee of seven Arctic nations, dealing with issues related to the Northwest Passage, the fleet of atomic icebreakers, Arctic Ocean plastics and fisheries, search and rescue in the north and climate change.

I commend the report to ministers and their departments, as it touches on their work, so we can work toward progress in these areas.

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, three reports from the delegation of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.

The first report is respecting its participation in the meeting of the Education, Communication and Cultural Affairs Committee of the APF, held in Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast, April 20 and 21, 2018.

The second report is respecting its participation in the meeting of the Cooperation and Development Committee of the APF, held in Rome, Italy, from May 2 to 4, 2018.

Lastly, the third report is respecting its participation in the meeting of the Parliamentary Network on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria of the APF, held in Lomé, Togo, October 3 and 4, 2018.

International Trade

[Mark Eyking, Liberal, Sydney—Victoria, NS]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 16th report of the Standing Committee on International Trade, entitled “A Canada-Pacific Alliance Free Trade Agreement: Possible Implications for Canadians”.

We have a very hard-working committee. We are working hard to get more trade agreements, not only for businesses across Canada but also for Canadians so they can prosper more and have a better economy.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Veterans Affairs

[Neil Ellis, Liberal, Bay of Quinte, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 12th report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, entitled “ Moving Towards Ending Homelessness Among Veterans”.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Procedure and House Affairs

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Orders 104 and 114, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 91st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of committees of the House.

If the House gives its consent, I would like to move concurrence in the 91st report later this day.

Status of Women

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 15th report of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women, entitled “ Surviving Abuse and Building Resilience—A Study of Canada’s Systems of Shelters and Transition Houses Serving Women and Children Affected by Violence”.

The committee received testimony from 50 witnesses, seven of whom appeared as individuals, with the remainder representing 36 organizations. In addition, the committee was briefed by officials from CMHC, northern development, the office of the coordinator of the Status of Women and Statistics Canada.

The testimony was received during 10 meetings, which were held from October 15 to December 18. The committee also received 53 briefs from organizations and individuals.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table the Conservative Party's supplementary report for the study on systems of shelters and transition houses serving women and children affected by violence.

The Conservatives are focused on providing a compassionate and determined effort to address the horrific tragedy of gender-based violence with appropriate government policy. While shelters do, in fact, play a very key role in helping women flee abusive relationships and start the process toward wholeness and healing, shelters do not offer a permanent solution, and this should be noted. It is therefore unfair to these women for the current government to pretend there is no need for further assistance in the form of stable housing following time at a shelter.

While the Liberals would like to keep women dependent on the government, the Conservatives believe that women are powerful, intelligent and free to make their own choices and succeed in the world. We believe women should be granted the opportunity to live autonomous lives, while they enjoy the stability of a permanent home.

For this reason, we outlined the importance of giving women this opportunity to move along the entire housing spectrum, including home ownership, which the government is trying to keep out of their grasp.

International Boundary Waters Treaty Act

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-444, An Act to amend the International Boundary Waters Treaty Act (water quality).

Madam Speaker, this bill would require the Minister of Foreign Affairs to undertake negotiations to amend the current International Boundary Waters Treaty between Canada and the United States.

This treaty dates back to 1909, so it is essential that it be amended to include new environmental standards, especially for water quality. For instance, it could include the establishment of buffer zones where the construction of infrastructure likely to affect the environment would be prohibited without the approval of the other country.

This bill relates to 82 boundary waters, rivers and lakes and involves 75 Canadian members of Parliament and 91 American senators and congressmen.

One concrete example is the landfill located in Coventry, Vermont. This landfill is just a few metres away from Lake Memphremagog, and Vermont recently approved an application to expand the dump significantly. It is important to note that 175,000 Canadians in Sherbrooke and Magog rely on this lake for drinking water.

The International Joint Commission, which already exists and reports to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will oversee the enforcement of the proposed standards. These standards will be established on the basis of consultations with experts in both countries and in collaboration with the relevant provinces and states. We have to make sure that no other initiative like the Coventry landfill expansion disturbs boundary water relations between Canada and the United States.

We have to make sure that we protect the quality of boundary waters between Canada and the United States for our future generations.

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

Procedure and House Affairs

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Madam Speaker, if the House gives its consent, I move that the 91st report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, presented to the House earlier this day, be concurred in.

(Motion agreed to)

Public Safety

[Sven Spengemann, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition that has over 60 signatures from people in the Clarkson community. The petition concerns the storage of rail tankers containing industrial materials, including petroleum products, in the middle of a densely populated neighbourhood adjacent to a major commuter hub, the Clarkson GO Station. According to residents, the tankers are shunted on a regular basis, causing serious safety concerns and noise issues for adjacent homes. The petition calls on the federal government to ensure that changes are made to move the rail yard from their residential neighbourhood to a nearby rail yard in an industrial area.

I thank Dora Bailey for her continuous efforts in advocating on behalf of her community.

Journalism

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Madam Speaker, I am proud to present petition e-1950, started by John Feldsted, in the riding of Kildonan—St. Paul, which has 1,251 names on it.

When Jerry Dias, the president of Unifor, came out with a statement that he was going to make sure that the members of the Unifor union who are in the media and journalistic sector would be making certain statements against the Conservative Party, he started this petition. He is calling on the Government of Canada to make sure that steps are taken to protect the journalistic integrity of our media and to make sure that the free press is respected.

Taxation

[Murray Rankin, NDP, Victoria, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise with an electronic petition as well. It is petition e-443, initiated by a constituent of mine, Mr. Darren Francis, from Victoria. I applaud my constituent for his efforts. His petition calls on the government to change the tax legislation, and it has garnered several hundred signatures.

I encourage all residents of Victoria to put forward their ideas for building a country where no one is left behind, and I look forward to rising in the House again to honour my constituents' tireless advocacy and deep-rooted community spirit.

Firearms

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by Canadians from the ridings of Bow River, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, Calgary Midnapore, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, Saanich—Gulf Islands, Nanaimo—Ladysmith and the best riding in Canada, although I may be a bit biased, the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke.

The petitioners call on the House of Commons to respect the rights of law-abiding firearms owners and reject the Prime Minister's plan to waste more taxpayers' money studying a ban on guns that are already banned.

Animal Welfare

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present multiple petitions, from thousands of Canadians, calling on this House to adopt Bill S-214 and ban cosmetic testing on animals here in Canada. Animals think and feel. They deserve our respect and compassion.

I thank those thousands of Canadians across the country. More Canadians sponsored petitions like this than any petition in the last 50 years. This is something this House needs to do before we rise in June.

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise to present over 1,300 signatures that have been collected on a petition by the staff of The Body Shop at the Devonshire Mall. They have done some hard work.

This petition highlights the fact that animal testing is unnecessary to prove the safety of cosmetics. It also speaks about following the EU, which has had a ban on animal testing for cosmetics since 2013, and its industry continues to grow. It also highlights the fact that we have signed a trade deal, and they reference CETA, and states that we need to harmonize our regulations with the European Union. The petition also talks about other countries that have made a switch to alternative testing, such as India, Turkey, Israel, Guatemala, Norway, Iceland, Serbia, New Zealand and Switzerland. They call for support for Bill S-214 to ban the sale and/or manufacture of animal tested cosmetics and their ingredients in Canada.

Pensions

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Madam Speaker, this is a petition that was given to me by teachers in Fort St. John, Dawson Creek, Charlie Lake and Taylor. It talks about Bill C-27 stating that before the 2015 election, Canadians were clearly promised in writing that defined benefit plans, which have already been paid for by employees and pensioners, should not be retroactively changed into target benefit plans. It also refers to Bill C-27, tabled by the Minister of Finance, which would precisely permit the change.

The petitioners call on the government to withdraw Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985.

Pharmacare

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to table yet another petition signed by residents of Winnipeg North over the last 18 months on the very important issue of pharmacare. They are asking the Prime Minister and the Government of Canada, and in fact all members of Parliament, to recognize the importance of pharmacare and to work with the different stakeholders, in particular our provinces, to establish a system that would ultimately provide coverage for prescription drugs.

It is with pleasure that I table, yet again, another petition.

Migration

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Madam Speaker, constituents of mine who actually participated in trying to provide aid on the Greek island of Samos started this petition because of their deep concern about the conditions of squalor for 5,000 people on an island that had about 700 people there before. It is a desperate situation, and they are calling on the government to intercede, to engage directly with the government of Greece, however we can as a nation, and offer concrete aid and assistance for the humanitarian crisis as it unfolds in Samos.

Eye Health

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to table two petitions today.

The first is from Canadians who are calling on the government to implement a national framework for action to promote eye health and vision care. They talk about the number of Canadians with vision loss being expected to double in the next 20 years and say that there is an emerging crisis in eye health and vision care, particularly among Canada's most vulnerable populations. Children, seniors and indigenous people are at particular risk.

Therefore, the petitioners are asking the government to acknowledge that eye health and vision care are growing public health issues, and they are calling on the government, through the development of a national framework for action, to promote eye health and vision care, which will benefit all Canadians through the reduction of vision impairment resulting from preventable conditions and the modification of known risks.

Pensions

[Sheri Benson, NDP, Saskatoon West, SK]

Madam Speaker, the second petition is from petitioners who are calling on the government to withdraw Bill C-27. They state that before the 2015 federal election Canadians were clearly promised, in writing, that defined benefit plans that have already been paid for by employees and pensioners should not be retroactively changed to target benefit plans.

The petitioners also state that Bill C-27, tabled by the Minister of Finance, would precisely permit this change, thereby jeopardizing the retirement income security of Canadians. Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985.

Refugees

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have several petitions here.

The first is calling on the government to assist internally displaced persons in governmental refugee programming.

Equalization Payments

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, I also have a petition to review the equalization formula, given the punitive policies against the energy sector the government has undertaken.

Status of Women

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, I have one very interesting e-petition, signed by nearly 13,000 Canadians, with regard to the Prime Minister's groping allegations, which occurred in Creston, British Columbia. These people are calling on the Prime Minister to be held to the same standard he has set for his caucus.