Debates of Oct. 17th, 2022

Foreign Affairs

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, for eight months, Ukrainians have heroically defended their country against Putin's genocidal invasion, yet the government's response has been slow and ineffective. The sanctions regime is a mess, with no enforcement and no accountability. The humanitarian aid and the supplies for Ukraine that the government has promised have not been delivered. Even Ukrainian MPs have said Canada's response is “just unexplainable”. Now the Conservative premier, Danielle Smith, says that Ukraine should submit.

Ukraine needs and deserves our support. When will the government finally act to support Ukrainians?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I understand the frustration with what is going on in Ukraine, and of course we have to do more. However, we have done a lot since the beginning of this illegal invasion. We have put sanctions on entities and on 2,000 people. We have put $3 billion on the table for financial assistance, military assistance and humanitarian aid assistance. Indeed, we need to do more and we will do more.

Health

[Alain Rayes, Independent, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Emmy Pruneau, a young 19-year-old woman in my riding was told in May that she has terminal cancer.

To slow progression of the disease, she needs the medication tazemetostat. The problem is that it was approved by Health Canada in 2020, but it is impossible for Canadian physicians to obtain it despite the fact that it is sold in the United States and Europe.

Doctors have already had to amputate one of her arms, and, if nothing is done quickly she will only have weeks to live.

My question for the Minister of Health is simple: Can he ensure that the administrative hurdles will be lifted so Emmy can have access to the medication? All she wants to do is live.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank my colleague, the member for Richmond—Arthabaska, for being sincere and honest about the extremely difficult situation of his constituent. I invite him to contact me directly to ensure that Health Canada does everything possible so that this individual can receive the services she needs for her health and that of all those who care for her and are there to help her.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I wish to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Matthew Mackay, Minister of Social Development and Housing for the Province of Prince Edward Island.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

South Simcoe Police Officers

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I understand there have been discussions among representatives of all parties in the House and that there is an agreement to observe a moment of silence in honour of the fallen police officers from the South Simcoe Police Service in Innisfil, Ontario. Please rise.

[A moment of silence observed]

The House resumed from October 6 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—High Food Prices

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:10 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the hon. member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford relating to the business of supply.

Call in the members.

And the bells having rung:

The question is on the motion. Shall I dispense?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

[Chair read text of motion to House]

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #189

Business of Supply

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion carried.

Export Development Canada

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, the annual report of the 2020-21 Canada account as prepared by Export Development Canada.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 11th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in relation to the motion adopted on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, regarding the immigration response to events in Iran.

The Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration reports that in light of the downing of Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and in light of the killing of Mahsa Amini by the Iranian Guidance Patrol, the committee demands the government stop issuing visas to all Iranian nationals directly affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the Iranian armed forces, the Iranian Guidance Patrol or Iranian intelligence organizations and that, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests a response to this report by the government.

Federal Framework on Autism Spectrum Disorder Act

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

moved that Bill S-203, An Act respecting a federal framework on autism spectrum disorder, be read the first time.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce Bill S-203 in this House, seconded by my hon. colleague from Don Valley East.

The bill was introduced in the Senate by Senator Leo Housakos, who has long been a tireless advocate for autistic Canadians. It was seconded there by my good friend, Senator Peter Boehm, who, like me, is a father of a wonderful, young, autistic man.

Bill S-203 builds on the work of former Senator Jim Munson, who has been relentless in his pursuit of a national autism strategy for nearly two decades.

As the bill's summary states, it “provides for the development of a federal framework designed to support autistic Canadians, their families and their caregivers.” A national autism strategy is long overdue, but never before have we seen this level of agreement and the collective will to see this through.

On behalf of my son, Jaden, Peter's son, Nicholas, and autistic Canadians and their families from coast to coast to coast, I urge the House to join me and my Liberal friend and colleague in support of this important bill.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

Business of the House

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and, if you seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order, special order or usual practice of the House, at the conclusion of Oral Questions on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, the Speaker, a member of each recognized party, a member of the Green Party and the member for Elmwood—Transcona each be permitted to make a statement to pay tribute to the late Hon. Bill Blaikie, and that afterwards the House observe a moment of silence, and that the time taken for these proceedings shall be added to the time provided for Government Orders.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. member's moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

(Motion agreed to)

Questions on the Order Paper

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all questions be allowed to stand at this time.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

The House resumed from September 20 consideration of the motion that Bill C-22, An Act to reduce poverty and to support the financial security of persons with disabilities by establishing the Canada disability benefit and making a consequential amendment to the Income Tax Act, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

Canada Disability Benefit Act

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Châteauguay—Lacolle.

Today is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Poverty reduction is an issue I have worked hard to address in Parliament, including as co-chair of our all-party anti-poverty caucus. That notion of “all-party” on this issue has always been an important one because the idea of dignity and equality of opportunity for all should transcend any partisan politics.

We have seen significant progress since 2015, thanks in large part to the Canada child benefit, as well as increases to GIS for seniors and the workers benefit. With respect to StatsCan’s numbers, poverty levels have gone from 14.5% in 2015 to 10.3% in 2019 to 6.4% in 2020. Of course, the 2020 levels were reached due to extraordinary pandemic income supports that have fallen away. On top of that, with the rising cost of living, many more people are being left behind than we see reflected in those 2020 numbers.

It goes without saying that there remains much more work to do and the next step in that work needs to be realizing the proposed Canada disability benefit as ambitiously as possible. People with disabilities are consistently overrepresented in our national poverty numbers and that needs to change. Bill C-22 will establish the Canada disability benefit, with the goal of reducing poverty and supporting the financial security of working-age persons with disabilities.

I want to see the bill realized yesterday. However, it is not enough to support the legislation. Finance needs to step up here too. The cost of poverty to our society is greater than the cost of ending poverty. Finance needs to understand that basic idea and do the right thing in realizing the promise of Bill C-22.

I am going to cede the rest of my time for questions because I want to send this bill to committee as quickly as possible. I encourage all of my colleagues to work together in supporting this bill.

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Beaches—East York for his steadfast support of Bill C-22, including getting parliamentarians across party lines to support an open letter calling for the governing party to reintroduce the bill. I really appreciate his approach to moving us as quickly as possible by ceding his time and the call for what needs to be done to finance the disability benefit. I wonder if he could speak more to what every parliamentarian could do not only to ensure the benefit is financed as soon as possible, but to get emergency supports to Canadians with disabilities who need it the most.

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for the question. I certainly enjoyed working across party lines with him and others to make sure we would see the retabling of Bill C-22.

I would say that the priority for all of us would be to write to the finance minister as part of the fiscal update, and especially as part of the next budget cycle, to say that this is one of our top priorities. If enough of us across party lines deliver that message clearly to the Minister of Finance, I have every expectation that we would realize the promise of Bill C-22 as fulsomely as we can.