Debates of Oct. 30th, 2020

Public Safety

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Surrey Centre.

The Environment

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Madam Speaker, Canadians from coast to coast to coast, including in my riding of Surrey Centre, are rightfully excited about emerging opportunities afforded by exciting innovations in clean tech. Investments in clean tech are a win-win-win, allowing us to help the oil and gas sector grow, create good-paying jobs and middle-class jobs, and greatly reduce our greenhouse emissions.

Could the parliamentary secretary of innovation kindly update the House on how the government plans to invest and support this crucial industry?

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Surrey Centre for his continued hard work.

Last week, we announced a $100-million investment in the clean resource innovation network to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative technologies that will lower environmental impacts. Just yesterday, the Minister of Natural Resources launched the $750-million emissions reduction fund to reduce methane and GHG emissions through greener technologies. The investments—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for St. John's East.

Foreign Affairs

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Madam Speaker, new evidence shows Wescam sensors, manufactured since April and exemptions to the Turkish embargo, ended up in Nagorno-Karabakh, used by Azerbaijani forces. Last month, Global Affairs suspended arms exports to Turkey while investigating allegations that Canadian sensors were diverted to Azerbaijan, but now the evidence is clear: The arms trade treaty requires Canada to prevent, detect and stop brokering of military goods to users other than intended customers and to stop exports used against civilians.

Will the minister release detailed results of his own investigation and cancel all arms exports to Turkey?

[Rob Oliphant, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Madam Speaker, over the weeks, we all know that there were allegations made regarding Canadian technology being used in the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. As soon as those allegations were heard by the minister, he immediately directed his officials to investigate these claims, and that investigation is ongoing. In line with Canada's robust export control regime, and due to the hostilities that are ongoing, he immediately suspended exports to Turkey that were relevant in this issue to allow us to assess the situation.

It gives me—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

Marine Transportation

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, this spring, a freighter dragged its anchor and collided with another ship in Plumper Sound. Two weeks ago another freighter dragged its anchor and almost ended up on a beach in Ladysmith.

Communities are fed up with the excessive noise, lights and exhaust from these freighters, and are concerned about the environmental damage they are causing.

Will the government mandate improvements at the port of Vancouver, ban the export of U.S. thermal coal and the use of a 200-mile limit to control freighter traffic and end the use of Southern Gulf Islands as a parking lot for freighters?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Madam Speaker, as the member is probably aware, the new interim protocol for anchorage was developed in partnership with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the Pacific Pilotage Authority and local communities, and was instituted to respond to the immediate concerns of coastal communities.

The government's long-term strategy is aimed at improving the management of anchorages outside public ports with a view of ensuring long-term, efficient and reliability of the supply chain as well as mitigating environmental and social impacts.

I want to thank the member for his advocacy on the file and assure him that the well-being of coastal communities is of utmost importance for our government.

Decorum

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

Madam Speaker, I will note that there is another point of order as well, which you might not know about through Zoom.

I want to raise the issue that it is very difficult when our Standing Orders are ignored on the Zoom channel. I think all members know that interrupting and heckling another member during question period is against our Standing Orders.

Initially, I had hoped that moving virtually would have improved this because we would be able to turn off a microphone. Unfortunately, on Zoom, when someone seizes the moment to interrupt another member, it is only the voice of the person heckling that we hear. Because of the electronic nature of our virtual gatherings, we cannot hear the person asking the question and answering it. This happened numerous times today.

Perhaps, Madam Speaker, your office should consider going the direction of the U.S. presidential debates, taking control of the mikes and being able to ensure that members cannot open their mike, disrupt proceedings and violate our rules.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

I thank the member for pointing this out. We will definitely take it under advisement and see what can be technically done.

The hon. member for Madawaska—Restigouche.

[René Arseneault, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Madam Speaker, I am rising on the exact same point of order as my colleague.

We can see our opposition colleagues, the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon and, in particular, our colleague from Edmonton Manning deliberately turning off their mute function so that they can interrupt the sound in the House.

I invite—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

As I told the hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, we will see what can be technically done to address the situation.

I thank the members for raising this issue.

Notice of Motion

[Carla Qualtrough, Liberal, Minister of Employment]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I wish to table, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act.

Pursuant to Standing Order 83(2) I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

Immigration

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to subsection 94(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2020 Annual report to Parliament on Immigration.

Justice and Human Rights

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights in relation to Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code.

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House of Commons, with amendments.

International Students

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

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to present today a petition from constituents concerned with the plight of international students during this time of COVID-19. As we all know, the industry the petitioners cite, of foreign students to Canada, is a significant contribution to our economy, over $21 billion a year.

These students are particularly suffering during COVID-19. It is very difficult for them to manage to keep a roof over their heads and pay their grocery bills.

The petitioners ask for Parliament and the government to consider that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship extend access to work permits for international graduate students who need the work experience but have been negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Correctional Service of Canada

[Paul Manly, Green, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to table e-petition 2797 with signatures from across Canada.

The petitioners note that Correctional Service of Canada is establishing for-profit prison farms involving beef, dairy and intensive animal agriculture and selling products to the private sector and possible export markets. They note that prisoners will be paid under $1 an hour and that associating underpaid prison labour with the private sector is a human rights violation under the International Labour Organization's standards.

The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to cancel this prison agribusiness, prevent for-profit use of prison labour for the private sector and transition federally funded prison farms to a plant-based non-profit model, feeding food banks and food insecure communities, as proposed by Evolve Our Prison Farms.

Human Rights

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

Madam Speaker, once again I have several petitions to present today.

The first petition is calling on the government to recognize the genocide happening against the Uighurs in China. The petitioners also call on the government to use the Magnitsky act to bring to justice some of the people who have been involved with that.

Palliative Care

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

Madam Speaker, the second petition today is signed by hundreds of Canadians from across Canada. The petitioners are calling on Canada to ensure Canadians have access to high-quality palliative care and to ensure the government establishes a national strategy on palliative care.

Sex Selection

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

Madam Speaker, the next petition I have today is from Canadians from across the country who are concerned about gendercide. They are concerned that infants are being aborted before they are born because of their gender, and petitioners are calling upon the government to enact a law. They are specially calling for the bill introduced by my colleague, the member for Yorkton—Melville, to be passed.

Physician-Assisted Dying

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

Madam Speaker, the next petition I have is from Canadians from across the country who are calling for the conscience rights of Canadians and Canadian institutions to be protected. They note that the Canadian Medical Association has confirmed that conscience rights do not interfere with access to health care.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present today, one of which calls for an end to the abhorrent practice of the international trafficking of human organs. Specifically it calls for a legal prohibition on Canadians travelling abroad to acquire such organs.

Human Rights

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Madam Speaker, the second petition I would like to enter into the record formally calls upon Canada to recognize the Uighur genocide that is going on in China and also to use the Magnitsky act to bring the officials responsible to account.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada and to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand at this time, please.