Debates of Feb. 7th, 2020

Employment Insurance

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

I thank the minister for the clarification.

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, earlier, during question period, I cited a study. I am confident that you will find unanimous consent for the tabling of this study entitled “The State of Energy in Quebec 2020”, published by the HEC Montréal Chair in Energy Sector Management.

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

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to table the document?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

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

Madam Speaker, as a follow-up to the member for Saint-Jean's intervention, I want to say that every member has the right to speak in the House. We must be able to have an honest, sincere debate during which everyone can hear what is being said.

You have several tools at your disposal, Madam Speaker. You can name members who act in contempt of Parliament. You can also take away question slots from any party that shouts at other members.

I hope you will make use of those tools, because we need real debates in the House of Commons.

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

I thank the member for his point of order. I will take this opportunity to remind all members of the importance of maintaining a certain level of decorum and listening so that we can hear the questions and answers.

There is another member rising on a point of order. The member for Edmonton West.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Madam Speaker, with the House's permission of course, I would like to table documents from Public Accounts that actually show that the Liberal government slashed $300 million from CBSA, unlike what the parliamentary secretary said, further showing that it cut 400 full-time equivalents from CBSA.

At the same time, I invite the member for Louis-Hébert to perhaps learn his file.

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

I remind the member that the documents from Public Accounts are already tabled in the House.

Do we have the unanimous consent of the House to table the documents?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

Judges Act

[David Lametti, Liberal, Minister of Justice]

Madam Speaker, I am happy to see you in the chair.

Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a charter statement for Bill C-5, an act to amend the Judges Act and the Criminal Code.

Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999

[Scot Davidson, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-204, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (final disposal of plastic waste).

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, concerning the final disposal of plastic waste. I would like to thank my good friend, the hon. member for Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, for seconding the bill.

This legislation would prohibit the export of non-recyclable plastic waste from Canada to foreign countries. For too long, Canada has been treating the rest of the world as its dumping ground. We are exporting our problems for other countries to deal with. While the United Kingdom and Australia have shown leadership on this issue, Canada has fallen behind.

In 2018 alone, Canada shipped more than 44,000 tonnes of plastic waste to other countries, despite our leading waste disposal capabilities. This is affecting our environment, it is affecting our oceans and it is threatening our future. We can and must do better.

I call on all members of the House to work together to support this ban on exporting non-recyclable plastic waste.

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

Human Organ Trafficking

[Garnett Genuis, Conservative, Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be tabling a petition in support of Bill S-204. It says Bill S-240 because that was the number in the previous Parliament. The same bill has been tabled again under Bill S-204. It deals with the terrible problem of forced organ harvesting and trafficking that happens in certain countries around the world.

The bill would make it a criminal offence for a Canadian to go abroad to receive an organ for which there has not been consent. It would also seek to make inadmissible to Canada or create the provisions by which people could be made inadmissible to Canada, if they have been involved in forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

The Environment

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to present a petition on Motion No. 1, a green new deal, on behalf of dozens of residents from parts of Canada. They are joining their voices to thousands of Canadians who have signed petitions thus far, all of them calling on the Government of Canada to address this climate emergency with the ambition and urgency required on behalf of present and future generations.

The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to support Motion No. 1, a made-in-Canada green new deal, which calls on Canada to take bold and rapid action to tackle the climate emergency, to address the worsening socio-economic and racial inequalities at the same time and to support workers impacted by the transition in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.

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

Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House to present a petition from several dozen Canadians living on Vancouver Island, Cowichan and north of Cowichan to Malahat, all calling on the government to support the green new deal legislation, Motion No. 1.

As we all know, we are in the midst of a climate emergency. What that requires is for Canada to make the kinds of investments and the kinds of shifts that bring us to a clean energy economy and at the same time, tackle our growing inequalities, both socio-economic and racial in nature. We need to ensure that the workers who are impacted by this transition to clean energy are also supported at this time.

These constituents are joining their voices to thousands of others in the movement across the country to adopt Motion No. 1, the green new deal, in Canadian Parliament.

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

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to also present a petition from Canadians who are concerned about climate change and who call on the government to support Motion No. 1, a made-in-Canada green new deal, which calls on Canada to take bold and rapid action to tackle the climate emergency, address the worsening socio-economic and racial inequalities at the same time and to support workers impacted by the transition in the shift to a clean and renewable energy economy.

This crisis is real and it is approaching. We need to have a plan that will work and, at the same time, ensure that people who will be affected by climate change are supported in the transition to a green economy.

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.

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

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Business of Supply

[Deb Schulte, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Madam Speaker, I would like to inform the House that Tuesday, February 18 shall be an allotted day.

The House resumed consideration of the motion that Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act and the Canada Border Services Agency Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Act

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am proud to resume this morning's debate. As I was saying, Bill C-3 completes the circle. It will allow for the independent review of government activities other than those affecting national security. It is therefore important to point out that the new public complaints and review commission could conduct its own investigations at its own initiative and produce an annual report on the results of its investigations. This function would be secondary to its role of reviewing public complaints. I want to say that people have been calling for these necessary measures for a long time. As mentioned earlier, I do not see how the opposition could be against this bill.

In closing, the bill fills a gap in the independent review process regarding complaints against the CBSA. It sets out independent redress for all immigrants detained by the CBSA. It grants an independent body the power to investigate the CBSA, which will improve the agency's operations. It clarifies the CBSA's response protocol for serious incidents. It enhances accountability and transparency while increasing the public's confidence in its institutions. It aligns Canada's internal mechanism with similar mechanisms in other G5 countries.

Our government is therefore invested in establishing accountable and transparent public institutions. These are important issues for business communities, tourism, the CBSA itself and all Canadians.

Bill C-3 will offer protection to the millions of people who interact with the CBSA each year. This is a comprehensive and effective bill that deals with a major current issue. I encourage all members of the House to support Bill C-3 so that it can move through all the stages of our wonderful legislative system as quickly as possible.

I thank my hon. colleagues for their attention.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. The opposition is not going to dwell on this bill because we intend to support it.

However, we have a lot of questions about the government's decision to move so fast. Why is it in such a rush to adopt this bill when there are so many other issues of greater concern to Canadians right now? I would like my colleague to explain why passing this bill is as urgent as she said it was in her speech.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my opposition colleague for his question.

As I said in my speech, Bill C-3 is important. We have talked about this many times, but this organization is the only one that does not have an independent complaints review system. This bill will create that.

We have always said that our government wants to be more transparent and accountable. This measure will support the organization, and many committees have asked for it.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to jump on the opportunity that I was just given, since my colleague mentioned openness and transparency.

This government likes to say how transparent it is every chance it gets. I would therefore like to know why my colleague's party voted against my motion calling on the Auditor General to review the federal infrastructure plan. That is important.

It is a question of transparency and oversight. Bill C-3 aims to increase oversight of an organization. The Liberals, despite being so transparent, refused to support my motion calling on the Auditor General to take a closer look at a plan worth $186 billion. That is a lot of money.

We are a little baffled by the Liberals' doublespeak about transparency. On the one hand, they want to rush this bill through, but on the other hand, they voted against my motion.

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since my colleague has given me the opportunity, I would like to take a moment to thank the 14,000 employees who work at CBSA. I would also like to point out that this bill has strong support. We hope the House understands the importance of this bill, which will enhance accountability and transparency within the CBSA.