Debates of May 16th, 2023

Health

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order. Please continue.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Toronto—St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the toxic drug supply means that people in construction or in the mines are using once and dying. We have to move to a safer supply of drugs, as we have with alcohol, cannabis and the other ways people actually use substance to numb their pain. Former prime minister Stephen Harper's adviser said, particularly on using people using drugs as props, “I was really disgusted by it. I honestly was so disturbed to see Pierre—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please.

Time had run out long before. I just want to remind hon. members, when they are referring to someone, to refer to them by their titles or their ridings. I know it gets emotional in here and we forget sometimes, but I just want to remind everyone on all sides.

The hon. member for Essex has the floor.

Labour

[Chris Lewis, Conservative, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government continues to disrupt people's lives and cripple companies like WestJet. The labour and transportation ministers have once again failed to bring union and management to the table. Now Canadian travellers may be stranded over the long weekend. The Prime Minister's high taxes and high inflation continue to destroy this country while our air pilots are leaving to work abroad.

Our pilots are vital. When will the ministers do their job and ensure our pilots are back in the cockpit?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, right now the employer and the union are at the bargaining table. They are trying to reach an agreement, one that is going to work for everyone. Our federal mediators are very good at what they do. Last year, they resolved 93% of federal disputes without any work stoppage. Right now they are focused on the bargaining table, and so am I.

Democratic Institutions

[Jean Yip, Liberal, Scarborough—Agincourt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians across the country are concerned about foreign interference, and we know diaspora communities are especially vulnerable. Chinese Canadians worry about the impact on the local community and about friends and family abroad. Canadians I have spoken to want real solutions.

Can the Minister of Public Safety share what the government is doing to protect and reassure Chinese Canadians and indeed all Canadians?

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by thanking my colleague for her work and her leadership on this issue. Obviously, any form of foreign interference is unacceptable, and we have a concrete plan that is focused on prevention, protection and accountability, including and up to expelling foreign diplomats when they cross the line, but we are not stopping there. We are going to continue with the creation of a foreign agent registry, but we are going to do it in the right way, so that communities are not stigmatized or marginalized. We are going to do this work to protect Canadians, and we need to do that work together.

Infrastructure

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP and I heard from B.C. municipal leaders about the need for more reliable and affordable public transit in metro Vancouver. The mayors have a strong plan for necessary transit expansions, but the Liberal government is putting that plan at risk by delaying promised funding until 2026. Commuters are the ones who pay when the Liberals delay. Workers, students, seniors and people living with disabilities deserve timely, accessible transit now.

Why are the Liberals holding back this crucial funding from communities?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we share my colleague's concern about accessible, affordable public transit. It is good for the environment, and it helps families in terms of commuting, getting to important jobs they need to attend to. I am looking forward to meeting later this afternoon with mayors from the greater Vancouver area regarding TransLink. It is an ongoing conversation.

I will draw to my colleague's attention that a $3-billion permanent public transit fund is exactly what the Canadian Federation of Municipalities asked for. We have put that in place, and we will continue to work with mayors from British Columbia and across the country to make sure this works well.

Rail Transportation

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to building new passenger rail between Toronto and Quebec City, it would seem that the fix was in. Faced with the heady choice between privatization and, wait for it, privatization, one can guess what the transport minister chose. Documents show that the minister did not even consider a public model before he decided to hand Via Rail's busiest rail corridor over to private investors.

Why is the transport minister so fixated on privatizing this country's public passenger rail system?

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the good work that he does on the transport committee with me.

Canadians deserve reliable railway service and public funds are—

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Publicly delivered.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Excuse me?

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I want to remind hon. members that usually when a question is asked, it is answered and there are no conversations with someone else. It just does not work out.

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Annie Koutrakis, Liberal, Vimy, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we will always make sure that there is appropriate funding in our budgets and in our programs to make sure that Canadians have the public rail service they deserve.

The House resumed from May 15 consideration of Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, to make related amendments to the Food and Drugs Act and to repeal the Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Virtual Elimination Act, as reported (with amendments) from the committee, and of the motions in Group No. 1.

Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

It being 3:19 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, June 23, 2022, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded divisions on the motions at report stage of Bill S-5.

Call in the members.

The question is on Motion No. 1.

(The House divided on Motion No. 1, which was agreed to on the following division:)

Vote #324

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I declare Motion No. 1 carried.

The question is on Motion No. 2. A vote on this motion also applies to Motion No. 3.

The hon. government whip.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I believe if you seek it, you will find agreement to apply the results of the previous vote to this vote, adding the member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country, with Liberal members voting against.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

All those opposed to the hon. minister's moving the motion will please say nay.

It is agreed.

The House has heard the terms of the motion.

All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

[An hon. member]

Nay.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

We will have to have a vote.

We are not applying.

The hon. member for Saanich—Gulf Islands is rising on a point of order.