Debates of May 11th, 2021

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to remind this member that when we made available $327 million to the RCMP and provincial and municipal police services across the country to tackle gun violence, she voted against it. I will also say that we have been in contact with the police of jurisdiction with respect to the recent spike in gun violence. I spoke recently to the Solicitor General in British Columbia. We are committed to working together to continue to address the incidents of gun and gang violence taking place in British Columbia. We are also making significant investments, particularly in the community in the lower mainland, to invest in community organizations that help kids make better choices with respect to gun violence.

[Kenny Chiu, Conservative, Steveston—Richmond East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I was at YVR mere hours before greater Vancouver's 10th shooting in three weeks took place publicly in broad daylight.

In this past year the government has cracked down on legal firearms owners, airsoft players and paintball gamers, ignoring the real issues threatening Canadian lives. With its Bill C-22, criminals may not even have to serve prison time.

When will the government stop harassing law-abiding citizens, stand on the side of ordinary Canadians, tackle illegal guns and remove those violent thugs and gang criminals from our streets?

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

Mr. Speaker, we promised Canadians that we would strengthen gun control in this country and of course the Conservatives have promised the gun lobby they will weaken it.

We brought forward strong legislation. We prohibited weapons that have no place in society and, additionally—

[An hon. member]

That's a lie, Bill, and you know it.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize. I was interrupted by a heckler. I wonder if you might want to address that.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I will address that. I want to remind hon. members to stay on mute. Heckling online is really not a polite thing to do. It is very unparliamentary. I want remind hon. members of that.

The minister might want to start over so we can get his full answer.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. With all due respect, I think the intervention from our hon. colleague was more than the average heckle. It was very unparliamentary language and very disturbing.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will take that up after question period. It is a point of order that is worth looking at, but for now we will continue.

I want to remind hon. members that if it is a point of order emanating from question period, we take it up after question period. If it is a technical issue, I will take it right now.

Does the hon. member have a technical issue?

[Stéphane Lauzon, Liberal, Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only did the hon. member interrupt the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, but he was not wearing proper attire.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would appreciate it if the hon. member could wait until the end of oral question period before raising his point of order.

We will go back to the hon. Minister of Public Safety and let him answer the question without an interruption.

[Bill Blair, Liberal, Scarborough Southwest, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said, our government has promised Canadians that we will strengthen gun control and take the actions that are necessary to reduce gun violence and to keep Canadians safe. At the same time, we know that the Conservatives have promised the gun lobby that they will weaken gun control.

In addition to introducing legislation, which will make it more difficult for criminals to gain access to guns. To interdict their supply coming across our borders, we have also invested hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement's important work of interdicting these criminals who are engaged in gun violence in our communities right across Canada. Those investments, along with strong legislation to control guns in our communities—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Saint-Laurent.

Aerospace Industry

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the aerospace sector has been recognized as a leader and one of Canada's flagship industries for decades now.

This sector contributes more than $25 billion to our economy and accounts for more than 210,000 jobs, including in my riding, Saint-Laurent.

That industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. Can the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry provide an update on the measures our government has put in place to support this innovative sector?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her excellent question and for all her hard work.

We recognize that the aerospace sector and its workers were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, which is why budget 2021 includes historic investments. These investments include more than $1.7 billion to foster innovation and $250 million to better position our small and medium-sized businesses.

Aerospace is one of our most innovative industries, and we will continue to drive innovation and accelerate the green transformation.

Canadian Heritage

[Doug Shipley, Conservative, Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are trying to regulate the Internet and the algorithms of social media platforms. Bill C-10 is an attack on accounts with blue check marks that are simply wanting to express their opinions.

Recently, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist stated that Bill C-10 had been a fundamentally flawed piece of legislation from the outset. The former CRTC chair, Konrad von Finckenstein, also said the legislation should not be passed in its present form.

It is clear that the heritage minister is struggling with his own bill. Why is the Liberal government so determined on attacking Canadians' freedom of speech?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the hon. member that Peter Grant, counsel at McCarthy Tétrault LLP and past chair of Technology, Communications and Intellectual Property Group, came out in support of Bill C-10. Others that came out in support include Jane Yale, chair of The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review Panel; Pierre Trudel, law professor at the University of Montreal and first head of the L.R. Wilson Chair in Information Technology and E-Commerce Law, and communications professor; and the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which actually represents 200,000 artists across the country, musicians from coast to coast to coast, artists, creators, the Canadian actors—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Red Deer—Mountain View.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer—Mountain View, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents of Red Deer—Mountain View are shocked to discover that the Liberal government is planning to regulate what content they can post on social media channels like Facebook. They are also shocked and disturbed by the confused, contradictory and misleading statements from the minister. On Monday, we found out that thanks to public backlash, the Liberal government's Bill C-10 has now been forced on hold pending a charter review.

Canadians have fought and died to defend our right to free speech and freedom of expression. Why is the Liberal government so determined to wipe out that proud tradition and put these rights at risk?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, this will allow me to continue enumerating the list of supports that Bill C-10 has received. It includes, the Music Managers Forum Canada; the League of Canadian Poets; Quebec English-language Production Council; Professional Music Publishers' Association; Canadian Media Producers Association; Professional Music Publishers' Association; Directors Guild of Canada and the The Writers Guild of Canada; Songwriters Association of Canada; Access Copyright; and the list goes on.

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the International Grand Committee brings together parliamentarians from around the world to discuss the issues surrounding the role social media platforms play in our democracies. As one of the committee's founders, I have always stressed the importance of ensuring our fundamental right to freedom of speech is protected. It is why I am so deeply disturbed by Bill C-10. As former CRTC commissioner Timothy Denton wrote, the bill is “Clearly intended to allow speech control at the government’s discretion.”

What does the Liberal government have against free speech in Canada?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote the Professional Music Publishers Association, which said, “It is absolutely fundamental for the future of Canadian culture...It makes sure that we have Canadian creation and production, and that this production reaches Canadians” and ”There’s a misunderstanding of what this means.” It also said that the situation had created an unfair advantage for companies like YouTube, which must be changed.

Canadian Coast Guard

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

Mr. Speaker, with Canada's most capable icebreaker, the CCGS Louis S. St-Laurent set to retire in 2030, it is critical that the Coast Guard has the capacity it needs to continue to provide support in the north. To meet this need, it is imperative that construction of new vessels begin as soon as possible.

Could the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard update the House on how her efforts to expand the Coast Guard fleet are going?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that the Coast Guard has the tools it needs to do its very important work. That is why, last week, we were pleased to announce the construction of two new Polar icebreakers, one to be built at Seaspan in Vancouver and the other in Quebec at Davie Shipbuilding.

The construction of these ships is going to support over 3,000 jobs across the country, including in places like Heddle Shipyards in Ontario and Genoa Design in Newfoundland and Labrador.

These icebreakers are critical to the north, and we are committed to ensuring the Coast Guard has what it needs.

Fisheries and Oceans

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have spent well over $19 million fighting the Nuu-chah-nulth people in court, denying their fishing rights. Last month, the courts reaffirmed the rights of these nations to viable commercial fisheries for the third time.

The government needs to allow these nations to implement their rights so that indigenous fishers can get back on the water and contribute to their coastal economy.

Will the minister and the Prime Minister respect indigenous rights and confirm that it will not appeal this ruling?

[Bernadette Jordan, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to working with first nations to make sure they are able to implement their rights.

As members know, the Nuu-chah-nulth won the court case last week. We are committed to working with them to make sure they are able to get out on the water as quickly as possible.