Debates of Jan. 29th, 2024

(Return tabled)

Question No.2053—

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

With regard to expenditures on accommodations by the government, broken down by department or agency, and by year since January 1, 2016: (a) what were the total expenditures on (i) Airbnb, (ii) Vrbo, rentals; and (b) how many different purchases or rentals do the amounts in (a) represent?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2055—

[Brad Redekopp, Conservative, Saskatoon West, SK]

With regard to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and media reports that medical doctors have been denied permanent residency due to factors including their age and marital status: (a) since January 1, 2016, and broken down by year, how many medical doctors’ applications for permanent residency have been denied; and (b) what is the breakdown of (a) by the (i) reason their application was denied, (ii) country of origin, (iii) age range, (iv) marital status?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2056—

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

With regard to the awarding of the $8.9 million ArriveCan sole-sourced contract to GC Strategies: who (i) signed, (ii) authorized, the contract?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2061—

[Marilyn Gladu, Conservative, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

With regard to government spending for photographers or photography service contracts since January 1, 2020, broken down by department or agency: (a) what are the details of each contract including, for each, how much was spent; (b) what were the dates and durations of the contracts; (c) what was the initial and final value of the contracts; (d) what were the details of all events or occasions for each contract including (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) title of event or event description; and (e) who was the vendor?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2063—

[Tako Van Popta, Conservative, Langley—Aldergrove, BC]

With regard to the government’s response to reports that the BC Cancer Agency was refusing to provide life-saving cancer treatment and instead suggested that a patient receive medical assistance in dying (MAID): (a) what assurances, if any, does the government have to ensure that patients are given the opportunity to receive potentially life-saving treatment prior to being asked to consider MAID; (b) what specific remedies within the federal law, if any, are available to patients whose provincial cancer treatment agencies suggest MAID and refuse to offer life-saving treatment in a timely manner; (c) has Health Canada had any communications with the BC Cancer Agency or the British Columbia Minister of Health regarding what errors were made in this situation, and, if so, what are the details of those communications; and (d) what measures, if any, are in place to ensure that provincial cancer agencies do not use MAID as a mean to save money or as a reason to not provide treatment in a timely manner?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2064—

[Shuv Majumdar, Conservative, Calgary Heritage, AB]

With regard to Global Affairs Canada’s funding to the West Bank and Gaza: (a) does the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority receive a budget for spending on aid related projects, and, if so, how much is this budget in (i) 2023-24, (ii) 2024-25; (b) what oversight, if any, does Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa exercise over the Representative Office of Canada to the Palestinian Authority in terms of (i) vetting grantees, (ii) approving projects, (iii) auditing projects; (c) how does GAC ensure that funds are not misappropriated by terrorist organizations, including Hamas and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine; (d) what are the details of Canada’s “enhanced oversight policies” regarding international aid to the West Bank and Gaza; (e) what are the details of all grants Canada is currently providing to organizations in the West Bank and Gaza, including, for each, the (i) funding recipient organization, (ii) amount, (iii) purpose of the funding or the project description, (iv) local implementing partners; (f) is the government providing funding to World Vision for its work in Gaza via the Humanitarian Coalition, and, if so, how much funding is it providing; and (g) what action is being taken in response to intelligence reports detailing Hamas’ use of Gaza hospitals for terror, including what kind of reviews GAC is taking to examine funding provided to humanitarian organizations that were active in Gaza hospitals?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2065—

[Michael Cooper, Conservative, St. Albert—Edmonton, AB]

With regard to the government’s Challenger aircraft: what was the purpose, number of passengers, titles of non-military passengers, and costs associated with Challenger flights (i) CFC3062, which departed North Bay and arrived in Ottawa on December 4, 2023, (ii) CFC3062, which departed Trenton and arrived in North Bay on December 4, 2023, (iii) CFC3062, which departed Barrie-Orillia and arrived in Trenton on December 4, 2023, (iv) CHAL18, which departed Ottawa and arrived in Barrie-Orillia on December 4, 2023, (v) CFC3082, which departed somewhere in or near Haiti and arrived in Ottawa on December 2, 2023, (vi) CFC3082, which departed Georgetown and arrived somewhere in or near the Cayman Islands on December 2, 2023, (vii) CFC3082, which departed Ottawa and arrived in Georgetown on December 1, 2023?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2068—

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

With regard to Canada’s military trade with Israel: (a) is Global Affairs Canada (GAC) aware of any evidence of use of Canadian military goods or technology, including components, by Israel in the current war; (b) has GAC conducted an internal review of previously authorized arms export and brokering permits to Israel since October 7, 2023, and, if so, (i) what branch or sector organized, (ii) what was the outcome of, the review, and if not, why not; (c) has GAC reviewed any applications for arms export and brokering permits to Israel since October 7, 2023; (d) has GAC issued any arms export permits to Israel since October 7, 2023; (e) has GAC reviewed its assessment on export permits to Israel in light of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the situation in the West Bank; (f) has GAC identified any serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law since October 7, 2023; (g) in GAC’s analysis, do the deaths of over 6,500 children and 4,000 women amount to serious violence against women and children; (h) has GAC reviewed its risk assessment of small arms exports to Israel given reports that the Israeli government has been arming extremist settlers in the West Bank, and given reports of Israeli soldiers participating alongside settlers in violent acts against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank; (i) how does GAC define “serious” when assessing risk of (i) a serious violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, (ii) serious acts of violence against women and children, under section 7 of the EIPA; (j) has GAC sought to mitigate the risk that Canadian arms exports to Israel could be used in serious violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law, and, if so, what were those mitigation measures; (k) have Canadian officials ever denied an arms export or brokering permit for the transfer of military goods to Israel, and if so, when and under what circumstances; (l) what assessments has GAC conducted with regard to Canada’s obligations under the Arms Trade Treaty and violence in Israel and Palestine since October 7, 2023; (m) since 2015, have GAC officials conducted a review to determine the risk associated with Canada’s arms exports to Israel, and if they have been used in serious violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law in the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT), and, if so, what were the findings of this or these reviews; (n) are Israeli companies vetted for connection to serious violations of international humanitarian or human rights law in their bids for government contracts; (o) does Canada currently procure military goods or technology that is “battle-tested” in the OPT; (p) has Canada conducted an assessment of Elbit Systems for risk of complicity in breaches of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories; (q) given Israel’s arms trade relationship with Azerbaijan and their involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, has GAC, since 2021, reviewed arms trade export and brokering permits given Israel’s arms trade relationship with Azerbaijan and their involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; and (r) if the answer to (q) is affirmative, what branch or section handled the review, and what was the difference in risk evaluations between the export permits for Türkiye and export permits issued for Israel?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2069—

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

With regard to the government’s policy towards the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ): (a) does the government continue to oppose the ICC’s investigation into the situation in Palestine, and, if so, on what basis; (b) how many states does the government accept are parties to the ICC; (c) has the government communicated its opposition to the investigation into the situation in Palestine to the Prosecutor of the ICC, and, if so, when was the most recent time this occurred and has it happened since October 7, 2023; (d) does Canada work in conjunction or in collaboration with other states in its opposition to the ICC, and, if so, who are these states; (e) has the government of Israel communicated approval of the government’s opposition to the ICC’s investigation into the situation in Palestine; (f) has the Palestinian Authority communicated with the government regarding Canada’s opposition to the ICC’s investigation into the situation in Palestine; (g) does the government oppose an ICC investigation into alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, committed by Hamas; (h) what is the government’s position on the decision by the government of Belgium to pledge an additional €6 million to the ICC to financially support its investigation into the situation in Palestine; (i) what motivated Canada to submit its views opposing the ICJ’s advisory proceedings on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in East Jerusalem; and (j) prior to submitting its opposition to the ICJ’s advisory opinion, did government officials hold meetings with other states to coordinate efforts to oppose the case at the ICJ?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2070—

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

With regard to the government’s policy towards international law and the situation in Israel and Palestine: (a) what is the government’s position on the role that international criminal law plays in addressing alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, and acts of genocide committed in the context of the war between Israel and Hamas; (b) with respect to the November 2023 United Nations General Assembly vote which reaffirmed the illegality of Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, what political and legal motivations led Canada to vote against the resolution; (c) does the government accept that Israeli settlements in Occupied Territories are illegal under international law; (d) does the government believe that, under international law, Gaza is a territory under occupation by Israel; (e) what is the government’s position on and response to the proposal by Israeli government ministers and Knesset members to “voluntarily move” Gazans to other countries and that Israel can no longer put up with the “existence of an independent entity in Gaza”; (f) what is the Canadian government’s position on the principle of proportionality, as it relates to attacks in Gaza by the Israeli Defence Forces, (i) does the government believe that all of the attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023, have been proportional, (ii) if not, which attacks have not been proportional or which attacks require further investigation; (g) does the government accept that the lawful right of states to self-defence must be proportional, and what is the government’s position on the proportionality of self-defence under International Humanitarian Law; (h) what is the government’s legal position with respect to both the blockade and siege of Gaza, and does it accept that the blockade is illegal; (i) does the government accept that it is obligated to prevent the commission of genocide under international law, and what obligations does the government accept in this regard; (j) does the government accept that it is under obligation to punish any persons responsible for the commission of genocide under international law; (k) does the government believe that the Responsibility to Protect doctrine is of relevance to the situation in Palestine, and does the government accept that it has a responsibility to protect civilians in Gaza, (i) if so, then how so, (ii) if not, why not; (l) what specific obligations does the government believe follow from Common Article 1 of the Genocide Convention which requires all High Contracting Parties, including Canada, “to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances”; (m) should the opportunity arise, would the government be willing to exercise its universal jurisdiction powers, under the Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Act, to prosecute, rather than deport, a person involved in the commission of genocide or war crimes in Israel or Palestine; and (n) does the government make any distinction between lawful and legitimate “unilateral actions” that are peaceful, non-violent and within the framework of international politics and diplomacy and “unilateral actions” that are illegal and war crimes (per the Rome Statute) under international law?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2071—

[John Nater, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

With regard to Canadian ambassadors and consuls general assigned to place in the United States, broken down by each individual and by year from January 1, 2021 to date: (a) how many days were the ambassadors or consuls general at the location or area where they are stationed (e.g.: how many days was the Consul General of Canada in New York physically in the New York area); and (b) how many round trips did each ambassador or consul general make between Canada and their assigned post in the United States?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2072—

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

With regard to federal health care investments, since October 1, 2021: a) how many personal support workers have been trained as a result of federal funding, broken down by province or territory and by year; and b) how many family doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses have been hired as a result of federal funding, broken down by province or territory and by year?

(Return tabled)