Debates of Nov. 27th, 2020

Statements by Members

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I apologize to the House and the interpreters. My headset had broken. There is a new set en route to me. As members know, I live in the north and these things take a little time. The House said that the earbuds I am using with the microphone would help with interpretation. Therefore, I would ask for the consent of the House to give my S.O. 31 statement.

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

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Yvonne Jones, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Madam Speaker, northerners have shown incredible strength and resilience in protecting their communities and loved ones from COVID-19. As cases continue to rise in Nunavut, we have heard the call from the Government of Nunavut, Inuit partners and community organizations for additional federal support for health services, connectivity, food security, PPE, cleaning supplies and more to assist their affected communities.

Our government responded by providing additional urgent assistance to the Government of Nunavut and to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. The nearly $20 million in immediate federal funding will help support northern communities and Inuit partners to keep people safe and prevent the further spread of COVID-19.

I want to commend and thank the leadership of the Government of Nunavut, our Inuit partners, health professionals and all front-line workers in keeping people safe. We will not hesitate to provide additional support as needed. By working together, our government is ensuring that communities—

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

I apologize, but the time is up.

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Madam Speaker, this is not the first time I have raised the same point of order.

On at least three occasions during question period, we had members interrupt while answers were being given. I believe the member for Battle River—Crowfoot spoke twice and the member for Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon spoke once.

I would remind all members of the House that, for those of us who are participating virtually, when members take themselves off mute to interrupt a minister giving an answer, it literally makes it impossible to hear the answer. Though we may disagree with it, I think it is important that the person who has the floor is able to give the answer so all members can benefit from it.

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

I thank the parliamentary secretary very much for this reminder to all members, when they are participating virtually, to please make sure their mikes are on mute.

Foreign Affairs and International Development

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

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, entitled “Main Estimates 2020-21”.

Government Operations and Estimates

[Robert Gordon Kitchen, Conservative, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in relation to the main estimates 2020-21.

The committee has considered the estimates referred by the House and reports the same back without amendment.

Industry, Science and Technology

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, in relation to its study of fraud calls in Canada.

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

I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, in accordance with the orders of reference of Monday, April 20, 2020, and Wednesday, September 30, 2020, concerning the main estimates 2020-21.

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, regarding its study of the order in council appointment of Lisa Campbell to the position of president of the Canadian Space Agency.

Finally, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, regarding its study of the order in council appointment of Marsha Walden to the position of president and chief executive officer of the Canadian Tourism Commission.

Public Safety and National Security

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with the able assistance of our new clerk, Mark D'Amore, and after an intense two-hour debate among and between members, the minister and officials, and with a special notable contribution from the member for Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security.

The first report is entitled “Main Estimates, 2020-21”, and the second report is entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B), 2020-21”.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities regarding the Main Estimates 2020-21. Our committee has considered the votes referred to it by the House and reports the same without amendment.

We had no fewer than four ministers appear on the estimates. We want to thank them, the hard-working public servants who support them, and the members of Parliament for their work in this regard.

Agriculture and Agri-Food

[Pat Finnigan, Liberal, Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Main Estimates 2020-21”.

Fisheries Act

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-257, An Act to amend the Fisheries Act (closed containment aquaculture).

Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, there is a wild salmon emergency in B.C. Therefore, today it is my honour to rise and introduce a bill, seconded by the member for Victoria, that would strengthen the Fisheries Act by requiring British Columbia fish farms to move from harmful open-net pens to safe closed containment systems.

The bill has been introduced three times by my friend, former colleague and B.C. MLA Fin Donnelly, who was just named the parliamentary secretary for fisheries and aquaculture. It is beyond time for the government to act. Three successive governments have failed to get the job done. My bill sets out a timeline and directs the minister to deliver a plan within one year of receiving royal assent, not at some unknown date in the future.

We have the potential to be leaders in closed containment. It is imperative that the government act now to save wild Pacific salmon while protecting the sensitive ecosystems where we work and live, and protecting the important jobs and workers in this industry.

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

Human Rights

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to rise today on behalf of petitioners who are asking the Canadian government to recognize that the Chinese Communist Party is perpetrating a genocide against the Uighur people.

The petitioners ask that the government formally recognize that Uighurs in China have been and are being subject to genocide, and that the government use the Justice for Victims of Corrupt Foreign Officials Act, the Magnitsky act, to sanction those who are responsible for the crimes being committed against the Uighur people.

Family Physicians

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

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to present petition 10625058 today, dealing with an issue that constituents tell me is a daily concern, which is the significant shortage of family physicians. The petitioners point out that, according to Statistics Canada, 4.8 million Canadians do not have their own family physician.

The petitioners call upon the government to create a holistic, full program to ensure access to family doctors. We have doctors in Canada, and new doctors coming on stream, but they tend to mostly head to urban areas, which is of particular concern in areas like Saanich—Gulf Islands.

Foreign Affairs

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of many members in my riding of Cambridge and many Armenian Canadians across the country.

E-petition 2885 garnered over 3,300 signatures, and it is regarding the recent fighting in Artsakh, or Nagorno-Karabakh, which caused the tragic death of far too many civilians and drove thousands upon thousands of people from their homes.

Human Rights

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present.

The first petition is germane to a decision that was made by the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. The petitioners call upon the House of Commons and the Government of Canada to recognize that what is happening to the Uighur Muslims in East Turkestan, also known as Xinjiang, as a genocide.

Human Organ Trafficking

[David Sweet, Conservative, Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in the second petition I am presenting, the petitioners are asking the government to recognize and take seriously the increase in the trafficking of human organs internationally.

As there are currently two bills before Parliament proposing to impede the trafficking of human organs, Bill C-350 as well as Bill S-204, the petitioners call upon the House of Commons and the Government of Canada to pass these bills expeditiously to ensure the reduction of trafficking in human organs.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting two petitions today.

One is on behalf of Canadians who are very concerned about organ harvesting. It has been proven that there is a practice where Canadians can go overseas and obtain an organ that has been illegally trafficked and taken from someone's body. There is a bill, Bill S-204, that the people who have signed this petition are calling upon the House to support and to move forward as quickly as possible.

Human Rights

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition that I wish to present today has to do with the Uighurs, a minority group in China who are being severely mistreated by the Chinese Communist Party. In fact, there is evidence that there is perhaps a genocide taking place.

Again, those who have signed the petition are calling upon Canada to take action on behalf of those who are being persecuted by the Communist regime.

Opioids

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour and privilege to table this petition today. It is around the opioid crisis, where over 15,000 people have died from a preventable opioid overdose resulting from fentanyl-poisoned sources.

It is timely that I table this petition as we have seen a 93% increase in indigenous overdose deaths, including a good friend of mine's son this week in Nuu-chah-nulth territory, so this is really touching and meaningful to me.

The petitioners ask that the government take action and declare the current overdose crisis an emergency under the Emergencies Act in order to manage and resource it, reform current drug policy, and create with urgency and immediacy a system to prevent and provide safe, unadulterated access to substances so that people who use substances experimentally, recreationally or chronically are not at imminent risk of overdose due to a contaminated source.

Police Recruitment

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

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to be able to table this petition today, which calls on the government to enhance transparency with regard to police recruiting in Canada. This petition was signed by 40 Canadians, thanks in large part to the leadership of Theresa Doherty, who has passionately advocated for this cause for quite some time and whose ongoing efforts I would like to recognize today.

Human Rights

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

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to table a second petition asking for the Government of Canada to recognize and take actions on what the Chinese government is doing when it comes to the Uighur people. There is great evidence showing that there is a genocide taking place and Canadians are asking the government to take action.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston, ON]

Madam Speaker, today is the 20th anniversary of my first election. I will not say that it gives me pleasure, but it seems fitting and appropriate that I am once again returning to a subject that I addressed in my very first address to the House 20 years ago, which at the time was human rights in China and the treatment of Falun Gong.

This is a petition signed by many Canadians on the subject of a piece of legislation currently before the Senate that would deal with the issue of organ harvesting where organs are taken involuntarily, that is to say by people who have been forced into confinement and had organs removed, often with fatal results. This takes place in China and has been done to victimize many Falun Gong practitioners. Testimony was given before the human rights committee when I was the chair by imminent human rights experts, David Kilgour and David Matas, on this subject.

The petitioners ask that Bill S-204, currently before the Senate, be expedited. This bill would amend the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, to make sure that Canadians are prohibited from travelling abroad in order to benefit from organs that have been removed without consent from their human donors, and also to render it inadmissible for Canada to admit any permanent resident or foreign national who has participated in the trade of involuntarily donated human organs.