House of Commons Hansard #189 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was indigenous.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act First reading of Bill C-331. The bill amends the CSIS Act to require reporting on breaches of the duty of candour by CSIS officials and includes a duty of candour oath for them, aiming for transparency and public trust. 200 words.
Opposition Motion—Home Ownership and Renting Affordability Members debate Canada's housing crisis, with Conservatives attributing it to Liberal inflationary policies and proposing to link federal infrastructure dollars to new home construction and sell federal properties. Liberals highlight their National Housing Strategy and Housing Accelerator Fund, while criticizing the Conservatives' past record. The NDP calls for ending special tax treatment for corporate landlords and investing in an acquisition fund for non-profits. The Bloc emphasizes provincial jurisdiction and criticizes federal conditions. 44200 words, 5 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Foreign Interference and Alleged Intimidation of Member Conservative MP Michael Chong raises a question of privilege, alleging a Chinese diplomat targeted him and his family in retaliation for his 2021 motion on Uyghur genocide. He argues this constitutes contempt of Parliament and criticizes the government's inaction. Other members express support for Chong and agree that foreign interference is unacceptable, emphasizing the need to address this serious issue. 2400 words, 15 minutes.
Criminal Code Second reading of Bill C-321. The bill amends the Criminal Code to make assaulting a health care professional or first responder an aggravating circumstance for sentencing. The Conservative sponsor, Todd Doherty, argues it would protect those who "put their uniforms on" to serve Canadians, citing increasing violence against them. Liberals and NDP support the bill, with Don Davies (NDP) and Majid Jowhari (Liberal) suggesting committee work to expand definitions and ensure consistency with existing legislation. The Bloc Québécois will support sending the bill to committee but questions if it is the "perfect solution." 8000 words, 1 hour.
Red Dress Day Members debate Red Dress Day, highlighting the ongoing crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people. They call for immediate action, particularly a national Red Dress Alert system, to address the crisis. Speakers criticize the federal government's slow implementation of the National Inquiry's Calls for Justice, unspent funding, and cuts to women's shelters. They emphasize the need for Indigenous-led solutions, addressing systemic racism, and improving housing and social supports. 33000 words, 4 hours.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is a very simple question that deserves a clear answer.
When did the government find out that the Communist regime in Beijing was threatening people elected to the House of Commons?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague understands the answer now. I hope that he and all of his colleagues will change their position on national security issues and challenges and support all of the government's efforts, such as creating new powers, increasing transparency and, most importantly, protecting democratic institutions as well as everyone who works in those institutions.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the ongoing genocide of missing and murdered indigenous women, girls, transwomen, gender non-conforming and two-spirit people is a Canada-wide emergency. Relatives of lost loved ones, human rights advocates and survivors are calling on the government to take action to end this unrelenting violence. We are not disposable. Our lives are precious and we deserve justice.
Will the Liberals recognize this ongoing genocide as a Canada-wide emergency?
Marc Miller LiberalMinister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
Mr. Speaker, I think the answer to that is a resounding yes. Yesterday, I was in Val-d'Or to underline a $60-million investment in the Friendship Centre there, which will allow people to use Val-d'Or as a regional hub and to get the culturally sensitive and appropriate care they need. That will save lives and address the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and girls.
This is a tragedy, but doing public policy by tragedy only leads to tragic results. I can only direct people to the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls to see the systematic work that needs to be done by our government, the provincial governments and municipal governments to make sure—
Indigenous AffairsOral Questions
Charlie Angus NDP Timmins—James Bay, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canada needs to get its critical mineral supply chain off the ground, but Doug Ford has thrown a major spike in this by doing away with the duty for mining companies to come up with the funds for environmental cleaning. There is not a first nation anywhere that will allow mining without the guarantees for closure. Doug Ford is now driving his bulldozer all over the duty to consult and the result is Treaty 9 has launched a $95-billion lawsuit against Doug Ford and the government.
What steps will the minister take to ensure that sustainability and the duty to consult remain at the heart of our critical mineral strategy?
Jonathan Wilkinson LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the way we can get good projects built, including the critical mineral projects that are essential for the energy transition and offer an enormous economic opportunity to this country, is to do things the right way by respecting the rights of indigenous communities, ensuring that we are consulting thoroughly, working with indigenous communities as partners in these projects and ensuring that we are doing thorough environmental assessments. That is how we move projects forward.
That is very different from the gutting of the environmental assessment process that happened under Stephen Harper and the Conservatives. We are committed that going forward—
Natural ResourcesOral Questions
Joanne Thompson Liberal St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada believes in the collective bargaining process and the best deals are the ones that are reached at the table. Public servants work hard to deliver important services to Canadians.
Could the President of the Treasury Board update the House on negotiations with the Public Service Alliance of Canada?
Mona Fortier LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the MP for St. John's East for her tireless work for constituents.
After many weeks of hard work, negotiation and compromise, the government has reached tentative agreements with PSAC for the core public administration. We appreciate Canadians' patience and understanding over this time because the best deals are reached at the bargaining table. We are deeply grateful for the public servants who work hard to serve Canadians. These deals are fair, competitive and reasonable, and bring stability to public servants and Canadians.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, the minister is right that it would be outrageous for a government minister to know that a foreign agent was granted credentials by the government to carry out threats against an MP's family because of a vote held in the House of Commons. That would be outrageous.
The only way we can know if it actually happened is if the minister tells us when he saw this briefing note or any related information showing that the MP's family was threatened. When did he learn of it?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, there have been a number of questions on this issue. I agree with my Conservative colleague, in a moment of some consensus, that decisions regarding national security and intelligence should not be politicized.
I would certainly hope that this is not what the Conservative leader is now suggesting, yet it was him who said, a little more than a month ago, that when he was the minister responsible for democratic institutions, he knew about these things and he did not act because he did not think it was in his interest to do so. Let us now unite—
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, we do have to put the partisanship aside. It would have been a non-partisan act for the government to protect the MP's family, even though he is from another party. It would have been a non-partisan act to strip away the diplomatic immunity and kick this foreign agent out of country, yet the government did not do that.
We now need to know the facts. The briefing note showing these threats occurred was produced in July 2021. When did the minister find out?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat encouraged. At least the Conservative leader is now using the right words for a change, in that he is saying it is non-partisan, which is what the government has been saying for months now on this issue. I have said to the Conservative leader and the member for Wellington—Halton Hills that we will work with them to get them the information on this issue.
CSIS has offered a briefing to the member for Wellington—Halton Hills, and the Conservatives now, finally, hopefully after some reflection, will agree to work with the government to protect our institutions and the people who work in this chamber.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, if the government knew that an MP's family was being threatened by a foreign agent and did nothing to kick that agent out, that is an outrage. The briefing on this incident is from July 2021. We need to know when the minister found out that these threats had been made against a member of the House of Commons and his family.
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, it is absolutely outrageous that the leader of the Conservatives would suggest that the government has no concern for the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. I contacted him yesterday to offer support and to offer a briefing with CSIS. This government is committed to working with all members of the House to protect our institutions and everyone who works here.
Pierre Poilievre ConservativeLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, this is a question of the gravest importance. There is a member of Parliament, of the House of Commons, whose family has been threatened because of the way he voted here. How can we defend national security on the floor of the House of Commons if our family members are being threatened based on the votes that we cast? We need to know whether the government is protecting us against that, or we cannot do our work.
Therefore, I will ask this one last time: When did the minister know that these threats were directed at this MP's family?
Marco Mendicino LiberalMinister of Public Safety
Mr. Speaker, as I have said now on numerous occasions, decisions regarding what information that touches on security and intelligence is released into the public domain are made by our independent and non-partisan public servants. We have reached out to the member for Wellington—Halton Hills.
The government's commitment is to work with him and all members of this chamber so we can do the work of protecting our institutions, our communities and, most importantly, the people who represent, in this chamber, the 338 ridings. We will do that work in a non-partisan way.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Canadian Heritage told us the monarchy is not a priority for the government. It is so far down the list of priorities that the Liberals put recognition of King Charles III in the budget. It is so far down the list of priorities that the Prime Minister will be leaving his party's convention to attend the coronation of the King of Canada, his King. He could have sent someone in his stead, like a minister, but prostrating himself before the King is his priority.
Sometimes I think this is just embarrassing. Is it not time to get rid of the monarchy?
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc members are really something. They get up in the morning, brush their teeth and start thinking about the monarchy. They are obsessed. They look at the paper but do not read articles about the climate change crisis. They do not look at articles about how to grow the economy. They do not pay attention to the work the House is doing around investing to attract businesses.
No, they want to talk about democracy. Actually, they want to talk about the monarchy. They are focused on the monarchy, but we are going to focus on Canadians' priorities.
Rhéal Fortin Bloc Rivière-du-Nord, QC
Mr. Speaker, he said a word that is not usually part of his vocabulary, the word “democracy”. I will say no more, but if people could read my mind, they would get it.
The Prime Minister of New Zealand would like his country to become a republic. The ambassador of Australia in London is saying the same thing. England is about to get rid of its King before we do, but no matter. However, a majority of Canadians, the population of Quebec and Canada, want to cut ties with the Crown.
In the House, apart from the Bloc Québécois, no one is saying a word. It seems like everyone is a monarchist. Does this government truly think it knows better than the population of Quebec, Canada, New Zealand, Australia—
Democratic InstitutionsOral Questions
Pablo Rodriguez LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, other members of the House might want to talk about things like the economy and social programs, whether they agree or disagree. We talk about all kinds of things: how to invest here at home, how to attract businesses, how to help our seniors, how to help our students, how to help our families, how to help our young people.
They are fixated on constitutional change. That is what they want to talk about. We will be over here focusing on the priorities of Quebeckers and Canadians.
Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals teamed up with the B.C. NDP on drug decriminalization policies.
