Debates of March 29th, 2023

Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare the motion carried.

(Bill read the third time and passed)

[Monique Pauzé, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there were serious technical problems and I was unable to submit my vote for the first vote. I would ask for unanimous consent to do so now.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Consent is granted and the member may cast her vote.

Alleged Use of Unparliamentary Language

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to add to the point of order that was raised by the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre, who took issue with the use of the word “savage”. I want to provide some context.

On October 30, 2020, the member herself used that word in her intervention. On December 7, 2018, in Hansard, the NDP member for North Island—Powell River used that word as well. The Chair did not have any problem with that.

The hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie used it on June 7, 2021.

I understand that the NDP likes to fake outrage, but it is ironic because this party has no problem propping up a government led by someone who has performed racist acts so many times that he has lost count—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I think it started off as a point of order, but it kind of went into debate.

As I mentioned, I will be looking into it to see the context of how it was said and then go from there.

The hon. member for Winnipeg Centre is rising on a point of order.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that I have used the word “savage” when referring to the racist colonial history in this country. I wonder if the leader of the King's loyal opposition wants to go back to the time when there were acts with titles like an act to gradually civilize the savage in Canada. I hope we have moved past that in our—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Again, we are moving into debate.

I will be back with a ruling on that. We will look at the context that it was used in and come back should the House be required to.

I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded divisions, Government Orders will be extended by 25 minutes.

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 responses to three petitions.

These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-46, An Act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and the Income Tax Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Fisheries and Oceans

[Ken McDonald, Liberal, Avalon, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans entitled “Main Estimates 2023-24: Votes 1, 5 and 10 under Department of Fisheries and Oceans”.

Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities

[Michael Coteau, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eight report of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities entitled “Supporting Black Canadian Communities Initiative”.

Procedure and House Affairs

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 33rd report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.

It is Wednesday, and this is my third report this week, which is how much work the procedure and House affairs committee has been doing.

The committee advises that, pursuant to Standing Order 91.1(2), the Subcommittee on Private Members' Business met to consider the items added to the order of precedence on Thursday, March 16, and recommended that the items listed herein, which it has determined should not be designated non-votable, be considered by the House.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Pursuant to Standing Order 91.1(2), the report is deemed adopted.

International Trade

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on International Trade entitled “Main Estimates 2023-24: Vote 1 under Canadian Commercial Corporation, Vote 1 under Invest in Canada Hub”.

Student Debt Relief Act

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

moved for leave to introduce C-328, An Act respecting the development of a national strategy on student loan debt.

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to introduce the student debt relief act, with thanks to the great member for Edmonton Griesbach for seconding this legislation.

Far too many Canadian students have been forced to assume a crushing debt load simply to receive an education. In Canada, the average student loan debt is now $28,000 for a bachelor's degree and $15,300 for college graduates. This legislation provides for the development of a national strategy to address student loan debt by cancelling debt from government-provided students loans, permanently eliminating interest from all government-provided student loans, increasing nonrepayable student grants and protecting future students by reducing the cost of post-secondary education across Canada.

In fact, in my view it should be free.

New Democrats believe that every student who studies hard should be able to access a world-class education without going into debt.

I call on all parliamentarians to work together to make debt-free, accessible post-secondary education a reality for all students across Canada.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Human Rights

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

Mr. Speaker, I know the member for Winnipeg North was hoping I would present a concurrence motion today, but the House is eagerly awaiting the address of the Leader of the Opposition on the budget, and I know that the member did not want to miss that.

I will only be presenting one petition today in anticipation of the great speech to come. It is in support of Bill C-257, my private member's bill. This is a bill that would combat the grave problem of political discrimination in this country.

Petitioners want the House to support Bill C-257, which would work to end discrimination on the basis of political belief or activity and also defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

I hope members will support this legislation.

Corporate Social Responsibility

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present a petition from the wonderful parishioners of Saint Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in my riding, where they go on to state that the undersigned citizens and residents of Canada call upon the House of Commons to adopt human rights and environmental due diligence legislation.

I will just quickly say two of the points that they seek, which are to require companies to prevent adverse human rights impacts and environmental damage throughout their global operations and their supply chains, and for there to be meaningful consequences for companies that fail to carry out or report on adequate due diligence and to establish a legal right for people who have been harmed to seek justice in Canadian courts.

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition today on behalf of one of Pastor Guillot's victims who suffered very severe physical abuse for which the pastor was found guilty.

The petition was signed by over 1,100 people across the country. They are calling for section 43 of the Criminal Code to be repealed once and for all. The petition states the following: whereas it is unacceptable that, in 2023, section 43 of the Criminal Code which came into force in 1892 allows parents and their representatives to use force to inflict corporal punishment on a child as long as the force is deemed reasonable; that the definition of reasonable force is subjective and variable; that Canadian legislation must evolve to reflect society's values; and that Canada abolished the use of corporal punishment toward adults in 1972.

I want to point out that the government of Canada has committed to implementing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, including call to action 6 which calls for the repeal of section 43.

For those reasons and many others, I am tabling this petition, and I hope that the government will hear the call of all these people and the victims who are trying to get this section repealed.

Child Abduction

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table petition e-4151, which deals with the scourge of international parental child abduction. This is where one parent takes a child out of the country to attempt to deny the other parent contact with their child.

The petition points out that the last time the House of Commons studied this problem was more than 25 years ago. It calls on us to designate April 25 as a day of observation for victims of international parental child abduction, and it calls on the House to study ways that the government could provide effective assistance for parents trying to recover contact with their children and to protect those children's rights to be in contact with both parents.

Corporate Social Responsibility

[Stephanie Kusie, Conservative, Calgary Midnapore, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present several petitions in the House today. They were all spearheaded by one of my constituents, Pat Derbyshire, and reflect her genuine concern for human rights and protecting the environment internationally.

Yemen

[Iqra Khalid, Liberal, Mississauga—Erin Mills, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of constituents and stakeholders in my community of Mississauga—Erin Mills and citizens across Canada.

Petition e-3899 considers the ongoing humanitarian and refugee crisis in Yemen and has garnered over 1,000 signatures. As of today, more than four and a half million Yemeni people have been displaced or forced to flee their homes due to conflict, and millions more face daily threats that require urgent humanitarian aid. These petitioners consider vulnerable Yemeni people, including children, who face ongoing violence while their country deals with the real threat of widespread famine.

The undersigned, who are citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to accept Yemeni citizens as refugees by applying the same support granted to Ukrainians, Afghans, Syrians and Iraqis.

Climate Change

[Lisa Marie Barron, NDP, Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of constituents in my riding of Nanaimo—Ladysmith who are calling on the government to take the climate crisis seriously and to enact legislation that would ensure an inclusive and equitable transition to a sustainable economy. This petition includes calls to, among other things, reduce emissions by at least 60% below 2005 levels, wind down the fossil fuel industry, create good green jobs and drive inclusive workforce development, protect and strengthen human rights and workers' rights, expand the social safety net and pay for the transition by increasing taxes on the wealthiest.

I would like to thank The Council of Canadians and all signatories for bringing forward this important petition.