House of Commons Hansard #66 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was children.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Madam Speaker, one such case involved an Ontario woman who ended her life by MAID after she could not find adequate housing. Her condition was not irremediable, as required by law. Rather, she was vulnerable and desperate and had lost all hope.
Do the Liberals believe that inadequate housing is an acceptable criterion for MAID?
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Madam Speaker, I want to reiterate that there is an expert panel right now that is set to report imminently, and there is a special joint committee, on which the member opposite is a very active member. We look forward to the findings of both, in order for us to address additional issues that are likely to come up.
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Madam Speaker, we heard stories from across the country of vulnerable Canadians who have received or are pursuing a medically assisted death because they cannot afford housing, they cannot access indigenous services or they are poor. Is that what the government wanted when it let radical lobbyists dictate the policy?
The Liberals have extended medical assistance in death to people with physical disabilities and mental illness, and now they want to extend it to minors. Will the government ensure that no more Canadians will be victimized by this medically assisted death regime?
Gary Anandasangaree LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Madam Speaker, as I stressed earlier, these issues are difficult and deeply personal and touch the lives of everyone across this country. We would like to thank those who have lent their voices to this important national conversation.
We look forward to seeing the findings and recommendations of the special joint committee, on which the member opposite is also a very active participant, and of the expert panel report that we expect imminently. It is why we have ensured a further parliamentary review and independent expert report to study these issues closely before the expiry of the sunset clause. We look forward to these reports.
Sherry Romanado Liberal Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC
Madam Speaker, businesses in my province depend on tourism and the pandemic has had a devastating impact on them.
There is some good news—
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes
Order. The hon. member for Barrie—Innisfil.
John Brassard Conservative Barrie—Innisfil, ON
Madam Speaker, I have a point of clarification as to what the member's role is. Is she considered a parliamentary secretary? As you know, parliamentary secretaries cannot ask questions. I just need clarification.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes
The hon. member for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne is not a parliamentary secretary. She is a deputy whip.
I would ask the hon. member for Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne to start over, from the beginning.
Sherry Romanado Liberal Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC
Madam Speaker, businesses in my province rely on tourism, and the pandemic had a devastating impact on their work.
There is good news. On April 25, screening measures at the border were relaxed. Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance tell us how this excellent news will affect the tourism sector?
Rachel Bendayan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.
Our tourism sector was indeed hit hard by the global pandemic, but we have just received some very encouraging stats. Recently, for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, Canada welcomed over one million travellers in a single week.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the workers, hotel operators, travel agents and everyone else who works in the tourism sector for their resilience and for everything they have done for our economy and to bring people from around the world here to discover our wonderful country.
Chris Lewis Conservative Essex, ON
Madam Speaker, the number of small vessel reporting sites was 400 prepandemic. This was cut to just 84 sites during the pandemic. As boating season opens up, boaters will have to travel hundreds of kilometres to report their vessels. The government is needlessly adding emissions, stifling our economy and putting boaters at risk if the weather changes while they travel excessive distances to reach one of the few reporting sites.
When will the government prioritize border safety by reopening small vessel reporting sites?
Omar Alghabra LiberalMinister of Transport
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his question and his advocacy on behalf of his constituents.
The pandemic has caused a lot of disruptions to many of our marine and other travelling sectors. As we have demonstrated from the beginning to Canadians, we have been there to support Canadians and Canadian businesses throughout this difficult period. As we are turning the corner from the pandemic, we are adjusting our measures and working with community stakeholders to ensure that we return to normal as quickly as possible.
Lianne Rood Conservative Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON
Madam Speaker, this is ridiculous. Boaters in my riding simply need to cross an 800-metre-wide river to get to Michigan, but the CBSA wants them to go 76 kilometres, round trip, just to check in. One constituent wrote to me to say that it would cost him $1,200 per trip just to meet this requirement. This will cripple tourism and day shopping during the busiest time of the year, hurting small businesses and communities such as Wallaceburg, Mitchell's Bay and Port Lambton, just to name a few.
Will the government immediately lift the restrictions at marine points of entry?
Omar Alghabra LiberalMinister of Transport
Madam Speaker, my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety, and I are working closely to ensure that we are returning to normal as quickly as possible. We are ensuring that communities are safe and have the resources they need to access the businesses they had. I know it has been difficult over the past two years. Canadians have demonstrated a commitment to each other and to working together closely to ensure that everyone is safe, and that our economy is rebounding as quickly as possible.
Gary Vidal Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Madam Speaker, following my question last month on the lack of cell service on the Hanson Lake Road, a constituent shared a heartbreaking story. Recently, he came across an unresponsive male in the driver's seat of a vehicle stopped on that road. He drove to cell coverage, called for an ambulance and returned to the scene. By the time he got back, the man was deceased.
This is not a political issue; it is literally one of life and death. Will the minister approve today Saskatchewan's application to the CRTC for cell service on the Hanson Lake Road?
Stéphane Lauzon LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development
Madam Speaker, Internet-based activities are just as important in Saskatchewan as they are in Quebec and the rest of Canada.
We know that cell service is very important, and that is one of our top priorities. We have undertaken a massive connectivity project for rural and remote communities. We will keep working on this until there is full Internet and cell coverage.
Julie Dzerowicz Liberal Davenport, ON
Madam Speaker, Russia's illegal, unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine is not only a threat to European security, but also to world security. The NATO alliance has only become more important as we look to the future of transatlantic security.
This week, Canada welcomes Sweden's foreign minister as that country faces a choice of whether to join the NATO alliance. Finland is also facing the same consideration.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs share with the House whether Canada would support Sweden's and Finland's membership in the alliance?
Rob Oliphant LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Madam Speaker, this gives me an opportunity to thank our colleague for her excellent leadership as chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association: work she does on behalf of all of us. Recently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs had a chance to meet with her counterpart in Helsinki. Even more recently, this week she met with her counterpart from Sweden here in Ottawa.
Let me be very clear that in the face of horrendous and illegal aggression by Russia in Ukraine, NATO is more united than ever. Sweden and Finland are among Canada's closest friends and NATO's closest partners. We would, of course, welcome their accession into NATO, should they choose to do it.
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Madam Speaker, the Powell River Salmon Society in my riding is one of several non-profits doing amazing work on local salmon enhancement and preservation, and the minister agrees.
Small local hatcheries have not seen federal funding increase for over 40 years, and they were ignored during all the federal consultations. The Liberals like to talk about saving the wild salmon, but they ignore the voices of volunteer-based hatcheries that do the work but are struggling every day.
Why is the minister not supporting these successful and existing hatcheries now?
Joyce Murray LiberalMinister of Fisheries
Madam Speaker, I love that question, because I just had a chance to visit a local hatchery in metro Vancouver, meet the members and see the very important work that they do.
The protection of wild Pacific salmon populations is an incredibly important priority for British Columbia. I know that the work the hatchery groups do assists with that. It will be supported by an almost $650-million historic investment in Pacific salmon and salmon enhancement, i.e. hatcheries, as one of the pillars of that initiative.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes
That is all the time for question period today.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 25 petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
Environment and Sustainable DevelopmentCommittees of the HouseRoutine Proceedings
Liberal
Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC
Madam Speaker, I have the honour of presenting, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development regarding the main estimates 2022-23.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
moved:
That it be an instruction to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights that, during its consideration of Bill C-5, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the committee be granted the power to divide the bill into two pieces of legislation:
(i) Bill C-5A, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, containing clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14,
(ii) Bill C-5B, An Act to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, containing the remaining clauses of the bill.
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Liberal Alexandra Mendes
Debate.
Is the House ready for the question?
The parliamentary secretary to the Government house leader.