House of Commons Hansard #172 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was cybersecurity.

Topics

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:35 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Hardie Liberal Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to invite my hon. colleague to take a higher-level view of an important issue because we are dealing here with cybersecurity and the need for protections, but we are also looking at a realm of artificial intelligence and things like that. These are things that can happen. People can 3D-print a gun that cannot be picked up by airport security. There is a lot of technology out there that could be purposefully harmful to individuals or to our whole society. In that regard, given some of the other conversations we have had about gatekeepers, would the member care to put a frame around the kind of gatekeeping that he and his party see as essential and necessary for the purpose of protecting Canadians?

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:40 p.m.

Conservative

Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, the primary function of government is to protect its citizens from external harm and to ensure that Canadians are able to live freely and safely in their communities.

I do have concerns about the gatekeeping aspect of this bill. I am concerned that if this bill does not get the balance of the regulation and the ability of commerce to continue, we will lose businesses and we will lose services and access to economic activity within Canada if we chase investment out through poorly thought-out regulations.

Yes, there is of course a delicate balance to be had. If we come down too hard on the side of regulation and gatekeeping, it will result in job loss and lack of investment, and the absence of investment would then compound businesses' abilities to actually deliver on cybersecurity.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:40 p.m.

Bloc

Julie Vignola Bloc Beauport—Limoilou, QC

Mr. Speaker, over the past few years, businesses and even political parties have been gathering data, whether through quizzes or games, not only on the person playing the game but also on all the contacts that person has on their phone.

I would like to know if my colleague finds this tactic to be ethical, given that these people were receiving unsolicited advertising. Does my colleague think the bill will put an end to this practice?

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:40 p.m.

Conservative

Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, that may be a better question for the government to answer, but I do not believe this is the intent of this bill. This bill is about cybersecurity. The government has another bill before the House, Bill C-27, which is a bit closer to privacy changes. The government has not proposed changes to the Privacy Act or the Elections Act, so I do not think this bill is relevant to the question that the member raised. The member is getting away from cybersecurity and into the much broader rubric of the privacy of Canadians. She raises some points, but I do not actually connect them to this bill.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:40 p.m.

NDP

Lindsay Mathyssen NDP London—Fanshawe, ON

Mr. Speaker, I want to ask some questions of the hon. member that are more related. I know it is a bit away from this bill, but he mentioned in his speech the work we are doing in our defence committee on cyber-defence and cybersecurity. I have two questions.

There have been calls for the International Criminal Court to declare cyberwarfare an actual war crime. What does the member think about that?

There is also the fact that we heard that Canada and its security institutions actually overclassify information by about 90%, and that if we could declassify a lot of that information, this would significantly help those security organizations deal with the specific threats we are seeing. I want to hear the member's opinion on that.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:40 p.m.

Conservative

Pat Kelly Conservative Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the first question, I will set it aside and await more testimony and discussion at the defence committee about that.

With respect to the second point, about the overclassification of information, that is a good one and I am glad the member raised it. It actually speaks to the overall culture of secrecy that exists in the Government of Canada. This is a real problem that has been ongoing for years. The current government ran on a platform in 2015 to let the sunshine in and we have absolutely unprecedented secrecy within the government. The member raises a good point around the overclassification of documents.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:45 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Speaker, it is wonderful to have an opportunity to speak to Bill C-26, an act respecting cybersecurity, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other acts.

I think this is such an important topic, and it is something we need to be very aware of, especially in this increasingly digital era. We are seeing more and more attacks on cybersecurity happening here in Canada and around the world. I support the overall concept of the bill, and I want to see it go to committee so that we can have further study, as well as some amendments to alleviate some of the concerns that I, some of my colleagues and different stakeholders have brought forward. However, I have some questions I want to pose and put forward in the hope that the minister will have a plan to address some of them.

One big question I have is that the bill is pretty vague when it comes to the definition of “critical infrastructure”. Coming from northern Alberta, critical infrastructure can look very different from what it would look like in a larger centre in an area further south. One of the things I immediately thought of was whether a pipeline would count as critical infrastructure. Frankly, in northern Alberta, at the very minimum, pipelines not only export our oil but also bring up gasoline and natural gas, which are the ways we heat our homes. Most homes, at least in the Fort McMurray area, are heated with natural gas. In the wintertime, specifically and especially, if somehow a natural gas pipeline were to be the target of a cybersecurity threat, that could actually have devastating consequences and cause thousands of people to freeze.

I think this is the kind of question we have as to what exactly critical infrastructure is.

One of the other big pieces is that critical infrastructure seems to be defined in terms of what small and medium-sized businesses and not necessarily different government actors have. Different layers of government have different pieces of infrastructure that could also be attacked by cybersecurity threats. I think of provincial governments. Some of the big pieces for cybersecurity threats would probably be in hospitals, but it could go far beyond just a hospital, depending on the community. In the case of a specific emergency, like a fire, flood or some other natural disaster, the definition of critical infrastructure might be very different.

While I understand the idea of keeping it broad, a hacker or bad actor could specifically target an area in the case of an emergency or natural disaster because they know we are already in a weaker state. I think it is important to have some pieces in place so there can actually be plans to ensure that is not going to happen. That is something the legislation needs to define, and I would urge us to define it and specifically include pipelines as part of critical infrastructure. This is especially the case because we have gone into this space where so much is digitized.

There is digitization in just about every aspect of our world, so it becomes a question of actually having to define some of these pieces. We cannot just leave this all up to regulation. I think some baselines need to be set out in this piece of legislation in order to make sure we are actually talking about the same things. In this way, we can plan for future pieces of infrastructure we do not currently know are important and part of this plan.

While the legislation would give absolutely broad and sweeping powers to government, it does not seem to have any safeguards in place. I think the lack of safeguards is very concerning. I think back to the floods that were experienced in southern Alberta in 2012. Through the process of those floods, for a number of reasons that were not necessarily well defined, the RCMP decided to go into High River and seize guns. The RCMP made a decision not to seize guns in Calgary or other communities, but in High River, it decided to go in and seize guns.

This is a piece where we need to be very careful and make sure we have some safeguards in place. Then, in the case where there is government overreach in trying to prevent a security threat, there is recourse available that is defined in the legislation. It should not be left to regulation, where it could be changed at the whim of a minister. This is so important.

Another big, important piece that is scary to me is the fact that the government has all this work in place to make sure that small and medium-sized businesses, and other businesses, have security plans, which they must send to the government. However, what work is the government doing specifically to ensure that it is prevented from being part of a security threat? How many times has the federal government been hacked? In recent memory, it has been hacked a number of different times in different ways. This may be our email system or the House of Commons intranet. Some of these pieces are very much at risk. Is it a smart idea, from a security standpoint, to have everything housed in one place? What kinds of safeguards would we have such that information is not accessible should that aspect of the government be hacked? In turn, we want to make sure hackers do not find out all of our security plans so they can get around them or mess with things they identify as unprotected. That is one of the interesting pieces.

The bill also stipulates that businesses are to share with government but not that the government has to share with businesses. While I understand part of why the government would do that, I think having a two-way dialogue when it comes to this information is going to be important. We should be trying to work towards best practices whenever possible. An organization in one part of the country might be doing something that is innovative and substantially safer for all Canadians that prevents security threats compared with another part. Such information should be shared, not just held by government, so we can build on best practices in case there is an emergency at some point.

The other big question I have with respect to this bill is: What has the government done to work with municipalities, provinces and first nations governments to ensure that this is going to respond to their cybersecurity threats and cybersecurity needs? This is a piece where I do not want to let perfect be the enemy of good. Quite frankly, we are not going to know what the next big threat is; however, we need to make sure we are protected and must try to apply as many best practices as possible so that we do not open ourselves up to unintended risks.

This is about making sure we are taking care of all the little links in the chain. We can have a very robust system and an amazing plan in place, but if we have one weak link, it counts for nothing. That is why we need to send the bill to committee now. We need to have some very robust conversations with security experts from around this country and the world to make sure we do not have any weak links in the chain. All it will take is one weak link for this entire pyramid to collapse. It will crumble apart. This is something that, as Canadians, we all need to be prepared for and ready to address, as well as having meaningful and robust conversations around it.

With that, I am thankful for this opportunity.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:50 p.m.

Conservative

Tako Van Popta Conservative Langley—Aldergrove, BC

Mr. Speaker, I am reading from the summary of Bill C-26, which would amend the Telecommunications Act to “authorize the Governor in Council and the Minister of Industry to direct telecommunications service providers to do anything, or refrain from doing anything, that is necessary to secure” our telecommunications security.

Although it is a laudable goal, those are very broad powers to give to a minister. Does my colleague feel it is necessary to give such broad and unfettered authority to one person?

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Speaker, my colleague actually brings up another big point that I did not get to in my speech. The amount of control that it provides to a few people is very concerning.

Some serious conversations are needed about what we are doing to ensure that it is not just one or two people making these decisions, especially as we explore whether we really want the government to be the sole keeper of all this information and give it that broad power. It could actually open us up to specific risks if a threat agent knows that the best way of going after us is to go after that one particular minister. That could create more of a risk, not less.

That is something we should explore and look at amending, not so we are removing that power, but so we are expanding or changing it to create those safeguards. This would make it very clear that a bad actor cannot just go after one minister or ministry and shut down an entire system.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Bloc

Martin Champoux Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, as we know, technology is evolving at a frightening and unpredictable pace. It is exponential, according to all the experts.

I wonder if my colleague could comment on quantum computing, which is an extremely impressive technology that is evolving at an unbelievable pace.

I am wondering whether the contents of Bill C‑26 and the agility we write into legislation are sufficient to respond to any concerns we may have about evolving technologies, which often mean that governments become outdated.

I would like my colleague to comment on that.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Speaker, my colleague has pinpointed some very serious problems. The reality is that technology progresses at such a rapid pace that it is really difficult to have legislation in place to address the next steps.

It is crucial to have the best experts analyzing the flexibility of our legislation to ensure the protection and security of future technologies that will be implemented. This means not just for now, but for the future as well.

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

NDP

Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC

Mr. Speaker, we know that threats to cybersecurity are increasing and are very concerning. We are far behind other countries in our capacity to respond to them. We have heard from civil liberty groups that the surveillance provisions in this bill could be quite problematic.

Bearing in mind that we need to strengthen our cybersecurity, does the member have thoughts on the concerns or unknown ramifications that might result from this bill?

Telecommunications ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Conservative

Laila Goodridge Conservative Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB

Mr. Speaker, my colleague actually highlights a very important issue here. While having security is critical for our cybersecurity system, we must also make sure that we are balancing this with civil liberties and not allowing personalized data to be shared in an unfettered way. We need safeguards in place so we are able to respond. In certain circumstances, we might have to have a bit of flexibility.

We also need to have safeguards in place, as well as ramifications, for when governments or businesses go beyond that space. We owe it to Canadians and to the world. We need to be safe, but we also need to protect one another. I do not think any member would like to have their personal telephone number shared with everyone across the country.

Without adequate safeguards, that information could possibly be shared, and these are the kinds of pieces that could create a lot of harm to each and every one of us. We have to have serious conversations about them.

Health Partners International of CanadaStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Sameer Zuberi Liberal Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about my recent visit to Health Partners International of Canada, commonly known as HPIC. I saw first-hand the incredible work that this organization is doing. HPIC sends humanitarian and emergency medical kits to vulnerable communities around the globe.

Since 1990, HPIC has dispatched $670 million in medicines to 130 countries. Today, it is working in 37 countries, such as Ukraine, Haiti, Tigray and Afghanistan. I want to highlight HPIC's campaign to provide life-saving medicines in Syria and Turkey. A donation of one dollar allows HPIC to deliver $10 in essential medicines.

What struck me about HPIC was its team's dedication and passion. It works around the clock to ensure that critical medical supplies reach those who need them most. HPIC's efforts are a clear reminder that we are all members of one human family, and we support it.

Agassiz Fire DepartmentStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Conservative

Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC

Mr. Speaker, on February 27, I attended the District of Kent council meeting to proudly recognize the Agassiz Fire Department and its heroic actions during the floods and landslides that swept through my riding in 2021.

Our small-town agricultural community was hit with not one but two landslides, trapping 311 people. It was no small task for the Agassiz Fire Department, which bravely rose to the challenge alongside the Canadian Armed Forces, the RCMP, BC Ambulance Service and Kent Harrison Search and Rescue. Thanks to their quick and strategic action, lives were saved that day. In conjunction with the Canadian Armed Forces, all trapped individuals were led to safety and helicoptered out by the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Members of the Agassiz Fire Department risked their lives to save others. I am moved by their true teamwork and dedication to selflessly put another's life ahead of their own. I am recognizing the AFD today because we must do more to recognize the heroic actions of local volunteer fire brigades across Canada.

Women's History MonthStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Sonia Sidhu Liberal Brampton South, ON

Mr. Speaker, this month is international Women's History Month, and I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the incredible contributions that women have made throughout history and continue to make today. I especially want to recognize the 103 women in the House.

This is a moment to bring attention to both the advancements made in achieving gender equality and the work that still needs to be done. I also want to highlight my municipal counterpart's work at the City of Brampton for unanimously passing a motion at council this month to implement mandatory gender-based analysis plus training for all senior staff using our federal tool. I was just at the UN Commission on the Status of Women, where Canada is recognized as a leader on gender equality, and GBA+ is a leading international model.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let us remember the many women who have paved the way and those who continue to inspire each and every one of us.

Pierre‑Luc LeblancStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Bloc

Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to one of my constituents, a worthy and dedicated citizen from the great riding of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot.

Ten years ago, Pierre-Luc Leblanc became the youngest-ever president of the Éleveurs de volailles du Québec, the Quebec poultry farmers' association. Pierre-Luc's tenure will come to an end in two weeks, making him the second-longest-serving president in the history of this illustrious institution.

Pierre-Luc owns numerous poultry farms and will soon be able to dedicate his full attention to his growing businesses, as well as new ventures, such as opening a large market in Saint-Hyacinthe that is dedicated to local products.

Since 2019, when the voters in our riding entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them here in Parliament, I have worked with Pierre-Luc on the issues that matter to farmers, particularly the issue of supply management. He has been an invaluable ally in our journey towards food self-sufficiency.

On behalf of the entire Bloc Québécois, I wish Pierre-Luc a successful end to his tenure and best wishes for the future.

Canada-U.S. RelationsStatements by Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Francesco Sorbara Liberal Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON

Mr. Speaker, there is no stronger relationship in the world than the one between Canada and the United States.

The links between Canadians and Americans are long-standing, indeed. Like many, I have lived in the United States, which allowed me to experience American exceptionalism first-hand.

In the face of an uncertain future, we continue to strengthen our ties for our citizens, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and to fight climate change.

The well-known North American principle that diversity is our strength is both our nations’ beacon of light to the world. President Biden's visit to Canada is a reminder of the remarkable Canada-U.S. relationship as neighbours and, above all, friends.

Together, we are determined to create real opportunities to promote security as well as an inclusive, robust economic recovery that will continue to stimulate competition for citizens on both sides of the border.

Canadian Armed ForcesStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal Prime Minister, members of our Canadian Forces are being told they are asking for more than the Prime Minister will give. Take, for example, the brutal conditions at my alma matter, the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics at CFB Kingston.

Troops are housed in four-person rooms with poor HVAC, broken shared facilities, no privacy, no kitchenettes, no access to storage and bathrooms full of mould. Just yesterday, one member told me he is living in the shacks. His room is heated to 33 degrees and is full of mice. “Would you let your family live here?” he asked. Of course, the answer is absolutely not.

Even the equipment is in shambles. LSVWs and lineman construction trucks are well overdue for replacement. No wonder morale and recruitment are dismal when the government will not provide our men and women in uniform the equipment or living quarters they need.

We ask everything of the men and women in our Armed Forces. It is about time the Liberals give them what they need to get the job done.

Agnes Macphail Award RecipientStatements by Members

March 23rd, 2023 / 2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to congratulate the 2023 recipient of the City of Toronto's Agnes Macphail Award, Dr. Shakhlo Sharipova, a proud resident of Thorncliffe Park.

This award is presented annually to the volunteer in East York who has made a significant community impact. Agnes Macphail was the first woman elected to the House of Commons and served provincially in what is now Don Valley West. She was passionate about education, youth and women's political engagement.

Coming to Canada in 2009 from Tajikistan, Dr. Sharipova built the Thorncliffe Park Autism Support Network, parents caring for children living with autism. Even as the primary caregiver of a son who lives with autism, and while operating the network, Dr. Sharipova has time to help seniors, newcomers and low-income families. With her team of volunteers, she runs an annual toy drive, and this year will provide over 4,000 meals during Ramadan through her free hot meal project.

I congratulate Dr. Sharipova. Ramadan Mubarak.

Endometriosis Awareness MonthStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Lena Metlege Diab Liberal Halifax West, NS

Mr. Speaker, as March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, I rise to use my voice to call attention to the life-altering impacts of this chronic condition.

For those suffering from endometriosis, the lived reality of debilitating pain, infertility and other symptoms can take a significant mental and physical toll, impacting their ability to work, study and enjoy their lives. It can take five to 11 years to receive an official diagnosis, and there is no definitive cause or known cure. The stigma around menstruation and women's health has led to low awareness, and this is why we need to talk about it openly and get serious about addressing the research and access to treatment gaps that exist around the disease.

This is why I am proud to have joined some of my colleagues in the House in seconding Motion No. 52, which would establish a national action plan for endometriosis. I would encourage all fellow members to consider doing the same.

Activism in RussiaStatements by Members

2:05 p.m.

Conservative

James Bezan Conservative Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB

Mr. Speaker, in a secret courtroom in Russia, an unjust trial of a courageous freedom fighter is taking place.

Our friend, Vladimir Kara-Murza, is facing a sentence of 25 years in prison, which would beat the longest verdict ever sentenced and handed out to a Russian political prisoner. His crime is high treason, but what did he actually do? Vladimir Kara-Murza spoke out against Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. He called out corrupt oligarchs and the kleptocrats in the Kremlin. He stood up for liberty, the rule of law and democracy.

While Putin wages his genocidal war in Ukraine, Kara-Murza called for peace. He languishes in prison, exacerbating his poor health, which is a result of the poisonings that he survived from two previous assassination attempts ordered by Moscow, yet he continues to fight for a better future for the people of Russia. In the words Kara-Murza, “The biggest gift that those of us who oppose Vladimir Putin could give to the Kremlin would be to give up and run away”.

I call on the House to demand Putin to immediately end the show trial against Vladimir Kara-Murza and set him free.

Inn From The ColdStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Tony Van Bynen Liberal Newmarket—Aurora, ON

Mr. Speaker, an active and engaging not-for-profit is a sure sign of a healthy community.

On Saturday, February 25, my community took part in the Coldest Night of the Year fundraising walk for Inn From The Cold to support people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Over 400 walkers, 64 teams and 65 volunteers raised over $157,000.

I thank the sponsors, the participants and the organizing committee members, specifically Martha Berry, Tracee Chambers, Ann Watson, Joanna Gardner, Cody Kaslove, Anne Young and Ken Turriff. It is because of their efforts that Inn From The Cold will continue to be able to offer support to those in need of shelter. I thank everyone who took time to make a positive difference in our community.

TaxationStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dan Mazier Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB

Mr. Speaker, on April 1, the Liberal government will raise the tax on beer, wine and spirits once again. It is the biggest tax hike on alcohol in 40 years, and that means Canadian breweries, vineyards and distilleries will pay the price. It also proves that the Prime Minister has no shame in fuelling the affordability crisis he created.

Thankfully, Conservatives are fighting to turn hurt into hope for Canadians who enjoy a refreshing drink after a long day of work, and yesterday we got results. Conservatives successfully passed a motion calling on the government to cancel this punishing tax hike. Now, it is up to the Prime Minister to either respect the will of Parliament or turn a blind eye for yet another tax hike on Canadians.

Carbon TaxStatements by Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Epp Conservative Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON

Mr. Speaker, they say this Prime Minister has never met a tax he did not like. He said no to relief from GST on home heating and fuels, he said no to freezing the rising escalator tax on beer, wine and spirits, and instead of providing relief to Canadians, the Liberals are increasing the carbon tax by 25% on April 1.

This Prime Minister does not understand science any better than he does the struggles of ordinary Canadians. For instance, in my riding, we have the largest concentration of greenhouses in North America. They are essential to our food security. Up to 75% of the carbon dioxide emissions can be recirculated back for essential plant growth, yet they are taxed. As most farm operations are now over 15 acres in size, by 2030, these operators will have paid another $1.3 million in carbon tax.

When will this Prime Minister get the facts and stop the tax?