Debates of Feb. 5th, 2021

Women and Gender Equality

[Gudie Hutchings, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne for this very important question.

Every year, six million people benefit from the women's organizations our government supports, including 500 organizations we have supported with long-term funding and more than 1,000 that we have supported through COVID-19.

A Canada free of gender-based violence is what we all want to see. At the beginning of the month, the minister joined her provincial and territorial counterparts in signing a historic declaration to that end.

Veterans Affairs

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Speaker, 2020 was a terribly long year for Canadians, but especially for veterans. In response to my Order Paper question, Veterans Affairs is showing that 47% of disability applications are taking more than 27 weeks to process and almost 30% are taking over a year. For a veteran to wait over a year in a pandemic is inexcusable.

What does the minister have to say to veterans? Here is a hint: Start with an apology.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence]

Madam Speaker, I truly agree that veterans should not have to wait. That is why we invested nearly $200 million to hire new staff to speed up the process to ensure veterans receive a faster decision. Veterans should receive the benefits and services they are entitled to in a timely manner. As I have said many times, this backlog is unacceptable and we are going to deal with it.

Telecommunications

[Bernard Généreux, Conservative, Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, QC]

Madam Speaker, the Montmagny RCM has asked me about cell coverage, which is still not getting any better in the regions.

There has been a lot of emphasis on 5G, but in Haut-Pays, Sainte-Lucie-de-Beauregard, Saint-Fabien-de-Panet and Lac-Frontière we do not even have 1G. Worse still, the government has ben radio silent, even though it raised $3.5 billion from the 600 megahertz spectrum auction.

When selling public airwaves, why did the government not ensure that regional cell network development would not be sacrificed in favour of larger cities?

[William Amos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, our government is the one that has invested the most money in high-speed Internet in rural Canada in the history of our country.

Certainly, a lot of work remains to be done and that is why, last November, the Prime Minister announced a $1.75-billion investment to continue the work of connecting Canadians. Rural Canadians deserve to have this coverage. We are working on it with the provinces and we will be making substantial investments in the months to come because it is extremely important work.

[Gerald Soroka, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Madam Speaker, when the minister announced the results of the 600 megahertz auction last year, she noted the government's set-aside policy had created more competition for Canadians. However, we now know that set-aside bidders have a poor track record of deploying spectrum in rural communities. There needs to be a “use it or lose it” condition to ensure that spectrum is deployed in rural Canada.

Why will the government not force service providers to deploy spectrum in rural Canada so we can get high-speed Internet?

[William Amos, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, our government is taking every single measure in the policy tool box to ensure that all sorts of investments and new infrastructure around telecommunications can be integrated across Canada. Spectrum auction is just one of these sets of policies.

We are working toward a new spectrum auction later on this year. There have been delays due to COVID-19, but we are well aware that this is a very important mechanism to ensure that Canadians have the very best telecommunications infrastructure across Canada.

Air Transportation

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Madam Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Gander, we are proud of our great contributions to international aviation. In particular, the Gander air control centre navigates air traffic in the North Atlantic for both domestic and international carriers.

Before the pandemic, it safely guided 10,000 to 12,000 flights per week. Now, with reduced air traffic, most layoffs have been in Gander. We know that air traffic will some day return, but I worry we will lose too many air traffic controllers to even meet our international obligations.

Could the minister please provide information about any discussions with Nav Canada?

[Omar Alghabra, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Madam Speaker, I know my colleague is a strong voice for his region and for his constituents. Let me join him in recognizing the talent and skills of air traffic controllers and other skilled aviation sector workers who enrich our country.

He knows that Nav Canada is an independent organization that plays an important role in aviation safety. I understand the anxiety people are feeling today, given the pandemic and the circumstances around it. We will continue to be there for all Canadians who are negatively impacted by it.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Madam Speaker, wild salmon are the backbone of the communities I represent. The minister's Discovery Island decision was announced in my riding with no plan in place, leaving a significant void for the communities I serve.

My office is hearing questions like: What is the plan to rebuild the wild salmon stocks? What is the plan to help workers and businesses in the region? Most important, when is the plan coming?

Why did the minister not have a transition plan? Especially during a pandemic, should that not have been top of mind?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for her advocacy and for continuing to reach out to myself and my team to have these very important discussions.

This is a twofold question.

First, the decision to phase out fish farms in the Discovery Island was not an easy one to make, but it was made in consultation with the seven first nations in that area that had real concerns around aquaculture in their territory. We know this has had impacts, and we are looking at all ways that we can address these concerns. We are going to continue to work with the Province of British Columbia, industry, first nations and communities to ensure we are doing everything we can to address those concerns.

With regard to—

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

The hon. member for Hastings—Lennox and Addington.

Public Safety

[Derek Sloan, Independent, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canadians have been alarmed by news of travellers returning home only to be welcomed by unknown authorities who refuse to identify themselves and shuttle them into unmarked vehicles on pain of arrest.

These officers are refusing to state their names, badge numbers, what organization they belong to or even where they are forcibly taking Canadian citizens against their will.

Does the minister feel this is an appropriate response to the quarantine order, and if not, what will the minister do about this abuse of Canadians' constitutional rights?

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Madam Speaker, I would remind the member that our most effective measures that we put in place at the borders for protecting the health and safety of Canadians are our quarantine measures. Ensuring that everyone who is directed and ordered into quarantine complies with those orders is an important element of our protecting Canadians.

We are working very diligently with the police of jurisdiction in every province and territory of the country to ensure there is compliance with those orders. Of course, it is always the responsibility of those law enforcement officials to respect the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

We have great confidence in our police officers to do their jobs, and we support them in that effort.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs

[Bob Bratina, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs in relation to Bill C-8, , an act to amend the Citizenship Act (Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's call to action number 94).

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendments.

Human Rights

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

Madam Speaker, I am tabling a petition in the House today highlighting the horrific treatment of Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims in China.

The petitioners note various reports on this, one from the summer, that showed a dramatic forced decline in birth rates as a result of forced abortion, sterilization and insertion of IUDs. Members are also following recent reports that show systemic sexual violence in these concentration camps. These are matters of grave concern for these petitioners and for all members.

The petitioners call on the government to recognize that these crimes constitute genocide under the UN convention. Further, they call on the government to recognize that it has a responsibility to protect, according international law, and to take concrete action by using the Magnitsky act, sanctioning officials involved in gross violations of fundamental human rights in the context of the genocide taking place against Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims.

I hope members will reflect seriously on this issue and take appropriate action in response to the petition.

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

Madam Speaker, I am tabling a petition submitted by a group of Canadians who wish to draw Parliament's attention to an ongoing campaign of Uighur birth suppression by the Chinese Communist Party, which includes forced sterilization and abortions, as well as the evidence that Uighurs are being subject to ant-religious indoctrination, forced labour, separation of families and even organ harvesting.

The petitioners call on the House of Commons to formally recognize that the Uighurs in China have been and are subjected to genocide and to use Magnitsky act sanctions against those who are responsible for these heinous crimes.

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of concerned citizens across Canada regarding the Chinese Communist Party's treatment of an estimated three million Uighur Muslims who are being subjected to atrocities, including forced sterilization and abortion, political and anti-religious indoctrination, arbitrary detention, separation of children from families, invasive surveillance, forced labour and forced organ harvesting.

The petitioners call on the House of Commons to formally recognize that Uighurs in China have been and are subjected to genocide and to impose Magnitsky sanctions on those who are responsible for these heinous crimes being committed against the Uighur people.

[Marc Dalton, Conservative, Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC]

Madam Speaker, today I am presenting a petition on behalf of Canadians who are very disturbed about the atrocious treatment of the Uighur Muslims by the Chinese communist government. These people have been subject to rape, sterilization, arbitrary detention, separation of children from families, invasive surveillance and forced organ harvesting. It is estimated that up to three million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities have been detained in what appears to be concentration camps.

The petitioners call for the imposition of Magnitsky sanctions on those responsible for these terrible crimes against the Uighur people and to formally recognize that Uighurs in China are being subjected to genocide.

[Corey Tochor, Conservative, Saskatoon—University, SK]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually to present a petition to the House on behalf of concerned Canadians about the ongoing genocide the Uighur community is facing at the hands of the People's Republic of China.

This is the first petition I have presented in the House, and it is an important one. Millions of Uighurs have been sent to concentration camps, and there is a growing recognition that we are facing the tragedy of our era. Future generations will ask whether we had the courage to step up or not.

The petitioners call upon the House to recognize the genocide and impose Magnitsky sanctions upon those responsible.

The Environment

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to present e-petition 2912, which has extraordinarily been signed by 27,720 petitioners. They are asking the House to take note of their deep concerns about the proposed Grassy Mountain coal mine in Alberta.

The petitioners point out in a lengthy petition with much data that there are significant threats from this coal mine for metallurgical coal against agriculture, tourism and water quality in the region. The petitioners are very concerned for the Crowsnest River and the Oldman watershed. They are concerned that the excavation and dumping of the overburden will contaminate the Oldman watershed and that there will be leaching of selenium, as well as other health risks to residents.

The petitioners call upon the government to reject the application to decapitate Grassy Mountain. They call for the project to be rejected.

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

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present this petition, which was initiated and signed by my constituents in Nanaimo—Ladysmith.

The petitioners note that almost all community drinking watersheds on the east coast of Vancouver Island are privately owned because of the E&N land grant, which was part of the agreement to bring B.C. into confederation 150 years ago this year. They point out that the E&N land grant violated aboriginal rights and title. They also observe that there is a high risk of drinking water contamination due to industrial and human activity on these watersheds.

The petitioners call upon the government to work with first nations, all levels of government and private land owners to begin the process of bringing these community drinking watersheds under public ownership and control to maintain a secure source of drinking water into the future.

Human Rights

[Len Webber, Conservative, Calgary Confederation, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from people in and around Calgary.

The petitioners are concerned about the way Falun Gong practitioners have been treated in China for more than two decades. They call upon the government to apply the Magnitsky act to end the largest and deadliest persecution of Chinese citizens since the cultural revolution.

The petition states that Chinese Communist Party corrupt officials have orchestrated the torture and killing of large numbers of people who practise Falun Gong, including the killing of practitioners on a mass scale for their vital organs to fuel the communist regime's organ transplant trade. The petitioners want the Canadian government to take a more active role in ending this.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Madam Speaker, I am tabling two petitions today.

The first petition is on behalf of constituents who are calling upon the government to support legislation that would ban the illegal harvesting of organs overseas and make sure that financial transactions done overseas without consent are banned in Canada. The petitioners draw the attention of the House to previous private members' bills that had sought to be passed.

Human Rights

[Tom Kmiec, Conservative, Calgary Shepard, AB]

Madam Speaker, the second petition I have to present draws the attention of the House and the Government of Canada to the internment and concentration camps in the Xinjiang Region of China of the Muslim Uighur Turkic people.

The petitioners are asking the government to formally recognize the genocide and to use the Magnitsky act to punish those who are organizing the genocide of the Turkic Uighur people.