Debates of May 12th, 2023

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Red Deer—Lacombe, AB]

Mr. Speaker, during question period today, the member for Burnaby North—Seymour used a pejorative term in referring to another political party here. I encourage you to look at the record.

If this is the new standard in the House, I am looking forward to the various terms with which I will be referring to his party.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

We will review that, but I will remind folks that we have the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party and the Green Party. They all have their names.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Burnaby North—Seymour, BC]

Let us not just have a random accusation. If I said something, let us hear what I said.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

At the end of the question, the hon. member said “Cons” rather than “Conservatives”. Maybe the member should retract it and we can move on.

[Terry Beech, Liberal, Burnaby North—Seymour, BC]

I will retract it, and if I hurt the member's feelings, I truly apologize.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I would remind members to use the best terms they possibly can.

The hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby.

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

Mr. Speaker, there was a comment during question period that I want to clarify.

Talking about our nation's veterans and how we support them in public is absolutely a matter for discussion in this House. The poppy, that powerful symbol of support for the sacrifice of our nation's veterans, is also a very appropriate issue to raise in the House. Conservative Premier Danielle Smith's despicable comments about poppies and veterans are absolutely appropriate to raise in the House, and Conservatives, frankly, should be ashamed of themselves.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I would give a full reminder that questions about things that are important to Canadians and to the Government of Canada, not governments in other provinces, are to be asked in the House.

On a point of order, the hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot.

[Damien Kurek, Conservative, Battle River—Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this is directly related to the business of the federal government. A number of times, a parliamentary secretary, in response to questions on the carbon tax, said, and I am paraphrasing, that Canadians get back every penny they pay into that program.

I ask for unanimous consent to table the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which definitively proves that the Liberals are wrong.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

I am hearing a lot of nays on this, so we will move on.

Natural Resources

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the current policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “International Tropical Timber Agreement, 2006”, done at Geneva on January 27, 2006.

Government Response to Petitions

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 21 petitions.

These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, in relation to Bill C-45, an act to amend the First Nations Fiscal Management Act, to make consequential amendments to other acts, and to make a clarification relating to another act.

The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.

National Defence

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on National Defence, entitled “Main Estimates 2023-24: Vote 1 under Communications Security Establishment, Votes 1, 5, 10 and 15 under Department of National Defence, Vote 1 under Military Grievances External Review Committee, Vote 1 under Military Police Complaints Commission, Vote 1 under Office of the Intelligence Commissioner”.

Brain Injury

[Alistair MacGregor, NDP, Cowichan—Malahat—Langford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a big honour for me to table this petition today. The petitioners recognize that there are approximately 165,000 new cases of brain injury annually in Canada, and that health and community service providers require more education regarding the intersection of brain injury, mental health and addiction.

They note that there have been over 21,000 hospitalizations for opioid-related poisonings that have resulted in hypoxic brain injuries between January 2016 and June 2020 in Canada, an estimated 60% of brain injury survivors suffer from anxiety or depression, their suicide risk increases by 400%, and they face a 200% increase in risk of struggling with addictions after sustaining a brain injury.

Therefore, the petitioners are calling on the government to support my bill, Bill C-277, to develop a national strategy to support and improve brain injury awareness, prevention and treatment, as well as the rehabilitation and recovery of persons living with a brain injury.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Jennifer O'Connell, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 1356 to 1360 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed

Question No.1356—

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

With regard to British pensioners living in Canada and impacted by the United Kingdom’s (UK) frozen pensions policy, under which the UK government does not index pensions: (a) have any ministers raised this issue with British officials since November 4, 2015, and, if so, for each instance, what were the (i) date, (ii) context, (iii) UK government's commitments to act, if any; and (b) for all instances in (a), which minister raised the issue and with which British official?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1357—

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

With regard to government expenditures related to vacations by the Prime Minister outside of Canada, since November 4, 2015, broken down by each vacation: (a) what was the date and location of each trip; (b) for each vacation in (a), what were the total costs incurred by the government, including those incurred by security and support staff, for (i) accommodations, (ii) per diems, (iii) other expenses, broken down by type of expense; (c) what was the total amount of expenses related to the trips, such as flights, incurred by the government that were reimbursed by the Prime Minister; and (d) what number of travellers were represented by the reimbursement amount in (c)?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1358—

[Fraser Tolmie, Conservative, Moose Jaw—Lake Centre—Lanigan, SK]

With regard to government expenditures related to the Prime Minister's residence and family that are reimbursed or partially reimbursed to taxpayers, since 2016, broken down by year: (a) what was the total amount spent on (i) food, (ii) cable and internet services, (iii) mobile devices and data plans; and (b) what was the total amount reimbursed by the Prime Minster for expenses incurred on (i) food, (ii) cable and internet services, (iii) mobile devices and data plans?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1359—

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

With regard to the government's child care initiatives: (a) what is the government's estimate on the number of children in the age range to be covered by childcare; and (b) what number and percentage of the children in (a) does the government estimate (i) are currently enrolled in $10 day childcare, (ii) receive their childcare from other sources, broken down by source (relatives, faith-based daycares, etc.)?