Debates of Dec. 12th, 2023

Foreign Affairs

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Convention relating to the distribution of programme-carrying signals transmitted by satellite”, done at Brussels on May 21, 1974.

Government Response to Petitions

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 31 petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

Interparliamentary Delegations

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association regarding its participation in the 49th annual meeting in Île-de-France and Normandy, France, from April 1 to 8, 2023.

[Francis Drouin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, four reports from the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie or APF.

The first report deals with its participation in the meetings of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee and the Network of Women Parliamentarians of the APF, held in Rabat from March 1 to 3, 2023. The second report covers its participation in the 29th assembly of the Africa Region of the APF, held in Niamey, Republic of Niger, from May 16 to 18, 2023. The third report is on its participation in the mission to the United Nations in New York on June 9, 2023. The last report is on its participation in the IX Jeux de La Francophonie, held in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, from August 3 to 7, 2023.

Public Safety and National Security

[Heath MacDonald, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the tenth report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in relation to Bill C-320, an act to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.

Science and Research

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 108(3)(i), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee on Science and Research, entitled “Government of Canada’s Graduate Scholarship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programs”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party disagrees with the recommendations in this report. We do not support unfunded spending. We agree that graduate students and post-doctorate fellows play an important role within our universities and they are disproportionately affected by the carbon tax, runaway inflation, the doubling of rent and the doubling of mortgages. We all know that if the government brings forward new, unfunded spending, it is just future deficits for future generations to pay back, so we disagree with the recommendations found in this report.

Public Accounts

[John Williamson, Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 35th report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, entitled “Specific COVID-19 Benefits”.

There are also three dissenting reports to this committee report. We will hear from the official opposition on one of those in a moment.

Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present the Conservative Party's dissenting report.

It cost $32 billion for political interference by this government when it ignored CRA recommendations on prepayment controls for the Canada emergency wage subsidy and the CERB and instead based the $100-billion-plus program on the flimsiest prepayment controls.

The head of the CRA testified in committee that the Liberal cabinet overrode recommendations by the CRA on setting up more stringent prepayment controls and instead forced the department to dole out taxpayers' dollars based on a mere self-attestation despite, as the Auditor General stated, knowing full well this would lead to very large eligibility problems. Despite the Auditor General's Office stating that $32 billion in questionable payments was hugely understated, the Government of Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, and the CRA still questioned the feasibility and economics of pursuing ineligible claims. Thus, in order to correct this gross negligence from the Liberal government, the Conservative Party members submit four recommendations.

Recommendation one is that former minister of national revenue and current Minister of Fisheries and Oceans apologize to the Auditor General of Canada for her politically motivated attacks on the Auditor General's integrity.

Recommendation two is that the CRA immediately implement the Auditor General of Canada's methodology that calculated levels of ineligibility for the COVID benefit wage subsidy.

Recommendation three is that the CRA and Employment and Social Development Canada accept the findings of the Auditor General in their entirety and perform immediate and extensive post-payment verifications to identify payments made to ineligible recipients.

Recommendation four is that the CRA and Employment and Social Development Canada end their post-payment verification delays and work immediately to retrieve all ineligible COVID financial aid.

Canadian Heritage

[Taleeb Noormohamed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Standing Committee of Canadian Heritage entitled “Job Cuts Announced at CBC/Radio-Canada”.

Procedure and House Affairs

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 54th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

Pursuant to its mandate under Standing Order 111.1, the committee has examined the proposed appointment of Mr. Eric Janse to the position of Clerk of the House of Commons. The committee recommends that the House ratify the appointment of Mr. Eric Janse to the position of Clerk of the House of Commons, and I would like to send my congratulations.

Northern Residents Tax Deduction

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

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present today.

After eight years, this Prime Minister has made life unaffordable for Canadians with his carbon tax. Mackenzie residents are simply asking for some relief from this Liberal Prime Minister in this petition.

We, the undersigned residents of Mackenzie, B.C., call upon the House of Commons to reconsider the northern living allowance classification for Mackenzie and change from its current prescribed immediate zone of 50% deduction to full prescribed northern zone of 100% deduction.

Firearms

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

Madam Speaker, the second petition is from residents of Skeena—Bulkley Valley. Sadly, their own MP would not present this petition on behalf of residents of Smithers—

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member is experienced and he knows that is a clear violation of what petitions are supposed to be.

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

The hon. member's point is well taken. Please do not refer to other members. As the hon. member knows, it is not admissible.

The hon. member for Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies.

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

Madam Speaker, I think the point being made is that they have tried to get their local member of Parliament to do this and they will not do it—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

I have already told the hon. member that is not permissible and the hon. member should not refer to the person, and should apologize for making that reference.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise on the same point of order. Please forgive the Conservatives. They are about to make a very important decision on a vote. That is why they are on edge. You have asked him to apologize. He has not apologized and his own members are telling him—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

Madam Speaker, I guess if it is in the rules of the House of Commons then I will apologize, but I certainly will not apologize for speaking on behalf of residents of Skeena—Bulkley Valley.

I will speak to the petition but they are trying to interrupt—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

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

All the hon. member has to do is to speak to the petition and not refer to anything else.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am asking for the member, through you, to retract those comments. It is not following the rules—

[An hon. member]

He already did.