Debates of Feb. 14th, 2022

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Viviane LaPointe, Liberal, Sudbury, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government knows that immigration is critical to Canada's economic recovery.

Rural and northern communities are facing significant demographic challenges and often have a tough time attracting and retaining newcomers, who choose to settle in big cities.

Could the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House how the rural and northern immigration pilot is helping communities like Sudbury attract and retain more newcomers?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Sudbury for this important question and for the opportunity to practise my French.

Immigration is essential to the entire country's economic recovery. Through the rural and northern immigration pilot, we have welcomed over 420 newcomers to 11 rural communities, including Sudbury. These are people who work in our hospitals and in our businesses. They are new neighbours who are making enormous contributions to our communities.

I look forward to continuing my work to welcome more newcomers to large and small communities across Canada.

Canada Revenue Agency

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

Mr. Speaker, I hear regularly from Canadian charities working overseas about the damage direction and control regulations are causing. These silly regulations force charities to spend millions of dollars in unnecessary legal fees and obstruct genuine partnership by requiring donor control.

Could the government tell us if it will finally listen to the sector and support our efforts to end outdated and neocolonial direction and control regulations?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell my hon. colleague across the way that the Canada Revenue Agency is working with all charities to ensure that they comply with the law and government rules. We will continue to do our job.

If my colleague has any specific questions, I encourage him to contact my office.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for far too long, direction and control regulations have limited the collaboration between charities and other organizations. That is why I am proud to sponsor Bill S-216 in the House. Bill S-216 would replace direction and control with an accountability framework that would allow for constructive and equal partnerships between charitable organizations and the communities they serve.

It has already passed the Senate unanimously. Will the government commit to working with us to ensure the bill passes during the 44th Parliament?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, our organization will continue to work to end discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation and disability. This includes evaluating existing processes where there are concerns.

In this regard, at the national summit on Islamophobia earlier this year, I had the opportunity to announce that I had asked the taxpayers' ombudsperson to conduct a systemic examination to address the concerns of Muslim communities.

I have appointed a member of the Muslim community to the advisory council on the charitable sector, and these actions will help the CRA pave the way for a process that is more inclusive and more representative of Canada.

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

Mr. Speaker, respectfully, that was a much worse answer than I was expecting. This is a question about direction and control. Again, to the minister or some minister, we want an answer about direction and control regulations.

Bill S-216 has been before this Parliament and the Senate for years in the same form. Surely the government is aware of it. Surely the government has heard from someone in the development sector. Could we please get an answer to the question? Could we please get some good news instead of nonsense talking points on completely different issues?

What is the government's position on reforming direction and control?

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague opposite. The Canada Revenue Agency respects the rules and regulations and the measures in place, and it will do what it can to ensure that people respect the agreements with the government.

We will continue to work toward that goal with our partners in the community.

Foreign Affairs

[Yvan Baker, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity has been steadfast. We have been there for the people of Ukraine, with economic, social, development and military support. However, with Russia's increasing aggression and with threats of a further invasion of Ukraine, many Canadians and I are more concerned than ever.

Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs please share with Canadians what steps we are taking and will take to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine and to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity?

[Mélanie Joly, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his solidarity with the Ukrainian people.

We are deeply concerned by the continued buildup of Russian troops in and around Ukraine. My top priority is ensuring the safety and security of all Canadians on the ground. I am urging Canadians in Ukraine to leave now. We will continue to stand steadfast in our support for Ukraine and its people every step of the way. Any further Russian incursions will face serious consequences.

Seniors

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

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government made a huge mistake when it cut some of the most vulnerable seniors off the GIS, which they rely on to purchase basic things like housing, medication and food. They feel hopeless and they feel abandoned. The New Democrats have been asking the government since before the last election to fix this problem. Finally the minister announced a one-time payment, but it is not until May.

Seniors are in desperate need now to stave off hunger and eviction, so again I am asking this: Will the minister support seniors at risk and immediately release emergency funds?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her advocacy on this. We both share a deep desire to support the seniors most in need.

I am very pleased to share that we will now be able to deliver payments to those who saw their GIS reduced ahead of schedule, as early as April 19. Service Canada will also be working with members of Parliament to help constituents in dire need to get support sooner, in March, and we will continue to be there to support seniors through our increases in pension benefits.

I would like to take a moment to thank officials for their extraordinary work. I look forward to continuing to have these conversations with the hon. member.

Public Safety

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

Mr. Speaker, ironically, two years ago today, the former leader of the official opposition said, “These protesters, these activists, may have the luxury of spending days at a time at a blockade, but they need to check their privilege”. It seems to me that we have a larger problem in this country of a double standard when it applies to how indigenous protesters are treated by the police and how anti-Black racism protesters are treated.

I ask hon. members and the minister if there is in fact a way to examine the double standard in policing and bring the implicit racism in the way we treat protest to an end.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, of course, we always have the expectation that our RCMP and all law enforcement will exercise their duties responsibly and in a manner that is respectful and consistent with the charter.

I would point out that over the last number of days, law enforcement, including the RCMP, has done an exceptional job. I would like to thank them for ensuring that we could get our economy going by reopening the border and allowing Canadians to get back to work. The only double standard that I think we are all worried about here is when the Conservatives are going to finally join with the government and call on those at the illegal blockades to go home.

The House resumed from February 10 consideration of the motion.

Opposition Motion—Federal COVID-19 Mandates and Restrictions

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:10 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, November 25, 2021, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the member for Portage—Lisgar relating to the business of supply.

Call in the members.

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

Vote #24

Business of Supply

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion defeated.

[Mike Morrice, Green, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I may still be somewhat new here and I recognize that some votes are emotional for some, but I am wondering about the appropriateness of heckling while a vote is taking place. I wonder if there is a standing order with respect to whether that is appropriate or not.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would point out, if I could have members' attention, that heckling is not allowed at the best of times or the worst of times, which I guess better describes heckling. I want to ask all members, whether it is during voting, question period or whenever, to please be respectful of one another.

I believe in this case, for most of the voting, and it must be Valentine's Day, people were talking across the aisle, so I just want to encourage people to get to know each other better but not by shouting across the floor.

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to subsection 94(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2021 annual report to Parliament on immigration.

Corporate Social Responsibility

[Ken McDonald, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to present a petition on behalf of my constituents from Avalon and more particularly from the southern shore area.

The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt human rights and environmental due diligence legislation that would hold companies responsible for their impact on the environment and their human rights abuses.

I would like to thank all the people who signed this petition for their hard work and advocacy.

Natural Resources

[Alex Ruff, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of my constituents who are presenting a petition opposed to the proposed pumped storage project by TC Energy on the 4th Canadian Division Training Centre base in Meaford. They are calling on the government to stop this.

Human Organ Trafficking

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of petitions to present today.

The first petition is in support of Bill S-223. This bill seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. It would make it a criminal offence for a Canadian to go abroad to receive an organ without the consent of the person giving the organ. Petitioners are hoping that this is the Parliament that finally gets this done. This bill has passed the Senate unanimously three times and has been supported by MPs from multiple parties going back over 13 years. We hope this time we get it done.

Human Rights

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition I have today is on the ongoing Beijing Olympics. Canadians want to ensure that parliamentarians remain focused on the Chinese Communist Party's accountability for its human rights record. The case of Peng Shuai reminds us of how the athletes themselves are also vulnerable to acts of oppression and violence by the Communist Party. Polls show that seven out of 10 Canadians are worried about the health and safety of Canadian athletes. The signatories of this petition want to see the Government of Canada take stronger action regarding the Communist Party's human rights abuses, particularly recognizing the treatment of the Uighurs and Falun Gong practitioners.