Debates of May 3rd, 2019

Gatineau Park

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting three petitions today as well.

The first petition is very important to Canadians and everyone who lives in Ottawa and Gatineau. It is related to Gatineau Park. As most people who have been there know, it is a very special place. It has over 90 endangered plants and 50 endangered animal species. It is one of the most visited parks in Canada, yet unbelievably, it has almost no boundaries that are recognized in Canadian law. This is the second petition I have presented on this matter in the last year.

The petition asks the House of Commons to adopt legislation to give Gatineau Park the necessary legal protection to ensure its preservation for future generations. It absolutely deserves more protection. I would like to thank the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Ottawa valley chapter, for its ongoing caring for Gatineau Park.

Agriculture

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is related to farming. It concerns the Plant Breeders' Rights Act, which was passed in 2015, which downgraded the farmers' right to save and plant seeds from their crops to mere farmers' privilege, which is now in danger of being restricted or eliminated by regulation. Therefore, the petitioners call upon Parliament to enshrine in legislation the inalienable right of farmers and other Canadians to save, reuse, select, exchange, condition, store and sell seeds. They are asking the Government of Canada to refrain from making any regulations under the Plant Breeders' Rights Act that would further erode the rights of farmers.

Old Age Security

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is related to old age security. Recently, the federal government announced the launch of the automatic enrolment process for seniors to the guaranteed income supplement. However, it states in the announcement that it will not be applied to every eligible person at 64 years of age. Therefore, the petition asks that the government extend the automatic enrolment of the guaranteed income supplement to all seniors.

Women's Organizations

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to present a petition today that was given to me at the Welcome Centre Shelter for Women that serves Windsor-Essex. I visited with the women at the shelter, and they presented me with this petition. They are asking for better funding for feminist women's organizations.

They spoke about the fact that they have been struggling for decades to keep the lights on and the doors open due to a lack of federal core operations funding. They also talked about the fact that they are the most underfunded in Canada's nonprofit sector, but they are the single most effective means for building better lives for women.

The petitioners say that the current Government of Canada's program funding is insecure and competitive and takes workers' time away from helping more women. They also say that direct federal funding of women's organizations represents less than .01% of total federal program spending. That is only about $1 for every woman in Canada.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to immediately provide secure, multi-year core operational funding to feminist women's organizations and set national standards to ensure quality of access to services and protection of all women.

Pensions

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions today. The first is from residents of the tri-cities of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody in British Columbia, as well as the cities of Burnaby and Langley. These petitioners join their voices to those of thousands of Canadians who have already signed petitions that have been tabled in the House.

They are concerned about the promise that was made in the 2015 election that defined benefit pension plans would not be changed. Bill C-27, tabled by the Minister of Finance attacks directly the issue of defined benefit plans.

All of these petitioners—and I would say a big thanks to the BC Retired Teachers' Association and the National Association of Federal Retirees—are calling on the Government of Canada to withdraw Bill C-27, an act to amend the Pension Benefits Standards Act. They are concerned about gutting defined benefit pensions.

Taxation

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by residents of Calgary, Alberta. They join their voices to thousands of Canadians across the country who are absolutely opposed to the government's action to impose an excise tax on medical marijuana.

The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to support my Motion No. 198, reverse the decision to apply an excise duty to cannabis sold for medical purposes and recognize that medical cannabis should be exempt from the federal goods and services tax.

The petitioners join their voices to thousands of other Canadians who have said the same thing.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

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

Mr. Speaker, if a revised response to Question No. 2291, originally tabled on April 29, 2019, and the government's responses to questions Nos. 2323 to 2338 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No. 2291

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

With regard to the government operating booths or displays at trade shows or similar type events, since January 1, 2016, and broken down by department, agency, Crown Corporation or other government entity: what are the details of each event including (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) title of event, (iv) amount paid by the government for space at the event, (v) amount spent by the government in relation to the displays and a breakdown of such expenses, if known?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2323

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

With regard to the annual review of eligibility for the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) implemented by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) since 2016: (a) what is the average cost of the reviews, broken down by (i) year, (ii) category of client; (b) how many planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) are assigned to review GIS eligibility; (c) what is the branch responsible for these reviews; (d) for the branch in (c), (i) what is its annual budget, (ii) what is the number of FTEs in the branch; (e) how many of the FTEs in (d)(ii) are working as a (i) Program and Services Delivery Clerk (ii) Service Canada Benefit Officer; (f) other than the ones listed in (e), what are the other job titles where the employee is responsible for reviewing eligibility for the GIS; (g) of the clients who undergo reviews and have their benefits suspended, (i) how many have their full benefits (the same amount, adjusted for any increases) reinstated after the review, (ii) how many have their benefits reduced after the review, (iii) how many have their benefits increased after the review, (iv) how many are deemed ineligible to for the GIS after the review; and (h) has the government ever studied the cost-benefit analysis in reviewing GIS eligibility, and, if so, what are the details of this study?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2324

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

With regard to the government’s decision to provide former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Gerald Butts’ lawyer with access to his email records prior to his appearance at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights: why was Gerald Butts’ attorney able to get access to his emails without going to court, but Mark Norman’s attorney was forced to go to court to get access to his emails?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2325

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

With regard to the testimony from the former Attorney General at the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights that Katie Telford, the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister, said “If Jody is nervous, we would of course line up all kinds of people to write OpEds saying that what she is doing is proper”: what is the complete list of individuals the Office of the Prime Minister was planning on lining up to write these “OpEds“?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2326

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

With regard to the government’s claim that 9,000 jobs are at stake if SNC-Lavalin did not receive a Deferred Prosecution Agreement: was the 9,000 number fictitious, or was it based on specific information, and, if so, on what specific information was it based?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2327

[Jim Eglinski]

With regard to Parks Canada cancelling a $66 million proposal for a biking and walking trail through Jasper National Park: (a) why did the government cancel the proposal; (b) will the funds be redistributed to infrastructure projects within the park; (c) are there plans to reallocate this money to other provinces, and, if so, how much of the funding will be redistributed outside of Alberta; (d) why were these funds diverted to another park as opposed to spending them on infrastructure repairs and upgrades that have already been identified for Jasper; (e) what is the distribution or projected distribution of the reallocated funds, including (i) recipient, (ii) location, (iii) amount, (iv) purpose of funding or project description; and (f) what consultations will Parks Canada conduct with entities in or near Jasper National Park regarding the decision to cancel the proposal and reallocate the funding?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2328

[Jim Eglinski, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

With regard to the request by the Jasper Chamber of Commerce to change the designation of the Icefields Parkway so that it could stay open year-round and benefit from full highway status: (a) how many requests to change de designation were received and were they reviewed by the Minister of Transport; (b) what steps will be taken to review the current designation; (c) does Parks Canada have any specific plans to reduce the time lost to clean up the Icefields Parkway, and, if so, what are the plans; (d) will the funds from the cancelled Jasper Park’s bike trail be redistributed to the Icefields Parkway and other infrastructure projects within Jasper National Park, or will the funds be sent to other parks; and (e) if the funds are being redistributed to other parks, what compensation is being offered to the Town of Jasper and other communities that will lose out due to this cancelled funding?

(Return tabled)

Question No. 2329

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

With regard to the telephone call that the Clerk of the Privy Council accepted from Kevin Lynch, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SNC-Lavalin, in October 2018: has the current Clerk of the Privy Council met with or accepted phone calls from any other corporate board members representing companies facing criminal prosecution, and, if so, what are the details, including (i) date, (ii) individuals, (iii) companies represented, (iv) format (in-person meeting, telephone), (v) topics raised?

(Return tabled)