House of Commons Hansard #24 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was medical.

Topics

Human RightsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Human RightsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Order, order. I want to remind the hon. members that the rules of the House state that when someone is speaking, we sit and listen respectfully. Respectfully being the key word.

Human RightsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Justin Trudeau Liberal Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, thank you for highlighting that it is indeed anti-bullying day and that is why so many of us are wearing pink.

I will continue to say that we will look to stand up for human rights at home and around the world at every opportunity, including holding the Iranian regime and its violation of human rights to account.

Human RightsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Conservative

Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the Prime Minister would talk about wanting to reopen the embassy in Iran, when he actually, personally, voted in favour of my motion not to do that a couple of years ago.

In June, the House of Commons unanimously passed a motion calling for an international independent investigation into allegations of genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka. I would like to ask the Prime Minister what steps, if any, his government has taken to advocate for that investigation, and will Canada join the U.S. in applying sanctions to Sri Lankan army chief Shavendra Silva?

Human RightsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, our positions are consistent. We stand up for human rights everywhere around the world, whether it be in Sri Lanka or in Iran.

Indeed, in asking about Iran, that is why Canada led a resolution at the United Nations in November 2019, calling on Iran to comply with its international human rights obligations. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program and its support for the murderous Assad regime.

We will continue to defend human rights and hold Iran to account for its actions, as we do all around the world, including in Sri Lanka.

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Liberal

Michael Levitt Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, we know that anti-personnel mines are senseless weapons that continue to claim too many innocent lives and seriously injure people who will forever bear their scars.

In fact, it was a Canadian initiative that led to the establishment of the anti-personnel mine ban convention in 1997. Could the Prime Minister update this House on the steps Canada is taking to achieve a world free of anti-personnel mines?

Foreign AffairsOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for York Centre for his advocacy on this file and for his tremendously hard work.

We are firmly committed to advancing the objectives of the Ottawa convention and achieving a world free of anti-personnel mines by 2025. Canada has invested $180 million over the past decade to achieve this goal. Since its signing, 20 years ago, 53 million mines have been destroyed and 30 countries have been declared free of mines.

This is exactly the kind of leadership that Canada is demonstrating to the world.

HealthOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

NDP

Randall Garrison NDP Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC

Mr. Speaker, well over a year ago, the Prime Minister committed in this House to work with us to reach the UN targets that would lead to the eradication of HIV. Instead, new infections are up 11%, and 19% in Saskatchewan.

Nothing has been done to make HIV testing and treatment more available, not for racialized and marginalized Canadians, not for young gay men, and especially not in indigenous communities where the rate of new infections continues to climb.

Why has the Prime Minister failed to get the things done that we need to eradicate HIV in this country?

HealthOral Questions

3:10 p.m.

Papineau Québec

Liberal

Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the impact of HIV/AIDS on Canadians from coast to coast to coast and, indeed, around the world, which is one of the reasons we hosted the global fund replenishment a number of years ago to ensure $13 billion towards the eradication of HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in Africa.

We recognize there is much to do in Canada, as well, and we have, by investing in supports for communities, investing in grassroots organizations, investing in health approaches that are showing reductions in the rates of HIV, even though we recognize it continues to be a challenge. We will continue to work together.

Presence in GalleryOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I would like to draw the attention of members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Dustin Duncan, Minister of Environment and Minister responsible for SaskPower in the province of Saskatchewan.

Centre Block CentennialOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

Today, Parliament marks the 100th anniversary of the first sitting in Centre Block on February 26, 1920, following the great fire which ravaged most of the original Centre Block. During the rebuild, the House of Commons sat in the Victoria Memorial Museum, now the Canadian Museum of Nature.

We too sit in a temporary chamber, as Centre Block is under rehabilitation. It is a reminder that history is always in the making and that democracy will always have a home on Parliament Hill regardless of the roof under which we debate.

As Speaker, I have the privilege to serve members and to ensure the proper functioning of the proceedings of the House and Parliament.

Although this chamber may be temporary, what happens in it is not. I know that my colleagues will join me in thanking the clerks and the administration. Thanks to them, future generations will be able to see the work and debates that they carefully record and preserve.

Some copies of the February 26, 1920, Hansard have been placed in the lobbies for any members who would like to take a look at the deliberations that took place that day.

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Conservative

Ron Liepert Conservative Calgary Signal Hill, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On Monday of this week, in response to an answer from the Minister of Environment, I used a term that is quite popular in the oil patch in Alberta and that I believe was about 100% correct to the minister's answer, but upon reflection I realized that it was unparliamentary language.

Some 200,000 Albertans are unemployed because of bad policies of the—

Oral QuestionsPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I will cut the apology off there while the member is ahead and accept the apology.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, I also rise on a point of order. I do not need to remind the Speaker that I know that a prop is not acceptable in Parliament, but there is an exception when the piece of paper one is holding up has to do with the point one is making.

I want to remind members that they may have seen this book, the Standing Orders—

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I believe the rule states that we can use a book when referring to it or reading from it, but holding it up cover out is not allowed because it is then being used as a prop. I want to clarify that.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, my intent, of course, is to open it and read from it. I thought it might be helpful for members to know that we have our Standing Orders and within them a chapter heading of “Order and Decorum”. Since there are educators in the room, I am going to attempt briefly to be an educator and state clearly that two different standing orders were repeatedly violated—

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I believe we are going into debate and I will have to stop it there.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:15 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

After consultation with my trusted adviser, I will let the hon. member finish, but very briefly.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Green

Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate a second chance.

I have raised this point of order repeatedly, and that is why members groaned when I rose. The point is that Standing Order 16 and Standing Order 18 make it clear that interrupting members when they are speaking in this place or speaking disrespectfully of another member violates our rules. I know the Conservative Party believes in observing the rules and I would really urge that we not embarrass ourselves in front of the nation's educators.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

I also want to remind hon. members that we are not to refer to anyone in the gallery.

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE

Mr. Speaker, also on a point of order, I want to remind you that in 2013, the Harper Conservatives completely gutted the farm safety net programs, and for Conservatives—

DecorumPoints of OrderOral Questions

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

That is debate.

The House resumed from February 25 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Proposed Tax ChangesBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders

3:20 p.m.

Liberal

The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota

It being 3:23 p.m., pursuant to order made on Tuesday, February 25, 2020, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion related to the business of supply.

Call in the members.