Debates of Nov. 1st, 2024

Medical Assistance in Dying

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to table a petition from Canadians who have expressed very serious concerns about serious proposals to expand the medical assistance in dying regime in Canada to infants under the age of one. They are very concerned about recommendations relating to the expansion of MAID for infants with severe deformities or a very serious syndrome.

The proposal is very concerning to the Canadians who have signed the petition. They feel that the government must take action to block any attempts to expand medical assistance in dying for children. The petitioners feel very strongly that infanticide is always wrong.

Falun Gong

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased to rise to table a petition from Canadians who are concerned about the practice of forced organ harvesting that has been taking place in China. Members of the Falun Gong community have been disproportionately targeted by the government for forced organ harvesting. Petitioners are calling on the Canadian Parliament to pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese government regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs.

Petitioners are calling on the government to amend Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting, and they are publicly calling on the government to call for an end to the persecution of the Falun Gong in China.

Freedom of Political Expression

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to table a number of petitions on behalf of my constituents. I hope there will not be too much heckling. Although heckling is allowed, we certainly would not want to throw out the baby with the bathwater in that regard.

The first petition I am tabling is in support of Bill C-257, which is an excellent private member's bill I have tabled in the House. It would add political belief and activity as prohibited grounds of discrimination within the Canadian Human Rights Act. Petitioners note that currently there is no prohibition against discriminating against someone on the basis of their political beliefs, and that adding that prohibition would align well with prohibitions on discrimination on the basis of other characteristics already protected in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Petitioners note in particular that it is in the best interests of democracy to protect public debate and the free exchange of ideas. Political discrimination can deter individuals from participating and limit their ability to participate freely in public debate. Bill C-257 would protect the free exchange of ideas that helps to advance the common good through substantial exchanges among free people.

Petitioners therefore want the House to pass Bill C-257 and to take other measures to defend the rights of Canadians to peacefully express their political opinions.

Eritrea

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

Mr. Speaker, next I am tabling a petition highlighting a variety of concerns regarding human rights and abuses by the Government of Eritrea. Petitioners want the House to note first of all that Eritrea has been ruled by an authoritarian, brutal dictator under a totalitarian system for the last 30 years, with no constitution, no election, no parliament, no freedom of the press, and no freedom of movement and association. Although Eritrea gets less attention, it is generally known, as a result of this reality, as being the North Korea of Africa in terms of governance.

Eritreans continue to flee indefinite military conscription, religious persecution and political repression. Eritreans who have sought asylum around the world, including here in Canada, continue to be concerned about foreign interference, about how the Eritrean government through its embassies tries to undermine the human rights of people who have fled and interfere in the affairs of other sovereign countries. Various instances of this are highlighted in the petition.

In addition, petitioners want to draw the attention of the House to how the Eritrean dictator collaborates with Vladimir Putin and other adversaries, other authoritarian regimes around the world. Petitioners call on the House to take a number of steps to engage more with Eritrean human rights activists and pro-democracy groups, to take a leadership stand against the Eritrean dictator's malicious conspiracy with Vladimir Putin and to investigate instances of foreign interference in Canada involving the Eritrean regime, to ensure that people who are agents of the regime are not able to misuse our asylum system to come to Canada.

Petitioners want stronger sanctions against human rights abusers who are associated with the Eritrean regime, and they also are calling for the release of various political prisoners, including imprisoned journalist Dawit Isaak, who is the longest-imprisoned journalist in the world, as well as various imprisoned Eritrean former parliamentarians: Petros Solomon, Mahmoud Ahmed Sheriffo, Haile Woldetensae, Ogbe Abraha, Hamad Hamid Hamad, Saleh Kekiya, Estifanos Seyoum, Berhane Gebregziabher, Aster Fissehatsion, Germano Nati and Beraki Gebreslassie.

I commend the important petition to the consideration of my colleagues.

Medical Assistance in Dying

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

Mr. Speaker, the next petition I am tabling raises concern about another proposal for the expansion of euthanasia. While there have been so many abuses already, with Canadians who are struggling with the cost of living, for example, being pushed toward considering this option, the focus of the government, rather than being on alleviating the suffering of Canadians, has been on trying to propose further expansion of the already most liberal euthanasia regime in the world.

Petitioners are raising concern about a proposal to expand euthanasia to include “babies from birth to one year of age”. The proposal for the legalized killing of infants, obviously without their consent, is deeply disturbing to many Canadians. It was a proposal made by Louis Roy of the Quebec college of physicians before a parliamentary committee. The petitioners would like to see the House soundly reject the proposal.

Falun Gong

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

Mr. Speaker, I will table one more petition, highlighting the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. The petitioners are very concerned about how Falun Gong practitioners have faced a decades-long campaign of violence by the CCP in China. That campaign of violence has included various forms of persecution, including forced organ harvesting.

The petitioners who have signed the petition would like to see the House take stronger measures to combat the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in the People's Republic of China and to seek the release of various political prisoners currently in prison, especially those with close connections to Canada.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 2950 and 2956.

Question No.2950—

[Gary Vidal, Conservative, Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK]

With regard to the allegations outlined in the forensic audit conducted for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) by PricewaterhouseCoopers related to the Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation: what are the details of the report, broken down by each allegation in the report, including (i) a summary of the allegation, (ii) the audit’s finding or conclusion, (iii) the amount of ineligible expenses involved, (iv) the amount of questionable expenses involved, (v) the total amount of expenses involved, (vi) ISC’s response to the finding?

[Jenica Atwin, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services]

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous Services Canada cannot disclose the full results of forensic audits for privacy and security reasons. The department is in the process of preparing summary reports that will provide details of the findings, which will be posted on the department’s website within 120 days.

Question No.2956—

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin, AB]

With regard to the Federal Lands Initiative, since the program launched in February 2019: how many homes (i) have been built, (ii) are currently under development?

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the federal lands initiative, as of June 30, 2024, 23 commitments were signed representing 3,744 units. Currently, 1,880 new units are under construction.

Questions Passed as Orders for Returns

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 2947 to 2949, 2951 to 2955 and 2957 to 2962 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled in electronic format immediately.

[The Acting Speaker, Bloc, Gabriel Ste-Marie]

Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

Question No.2947—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

With regard to the government’s announcement on February 21, 2022, that it would provide up to $136 million to connect rural households in Newfoundland and Labrador to high-speed internet: (a) what are the details of all projects approved through this funding, including, for each, the (i) recipient, (ii) location, (iii) project description, (iv) number of households that will receive new broadband service, (v) number of households that will receive upgraded broadband service, (vi) amount of funding, (vii) project start and completion dates, (viii) date the project application was received, (ix) date the project was approved, (x) funding breakdown between federal and provincial governments; (b) what is the total amount of funding provided to projects, to date, under the funding; (c) what was the eligibility and performance criteria used to determine if an applicant qualified for funding; and (d) what were the penalties for recipients that did not meet (i) the performance metrics, (ii) the timeline, (iii) all other requirements, outlined in the funding agreement?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2948—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

With regard to the government's participation in the United Nations' 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai: (a) what are the total expenditures incurred by the government to date related to the conference, broken down by type of expense; (b) what are the details of all delegates sent to COP 28, including the (i) total number of delegates that the government paid for, (ii) official title and department or organization of each individual, (iii) total expenditures incurred by each individual, broken down by type of expense; (c) what are the details of the delegates' accommodations in Dubai, including (i) which hotels were used, (ii) how much was spent at each hotel, (iii) how many rooms were rented at each hotel and for how many nights, (iv) what were the room rates paid at each hotel and the number of rooms rented at each rate, (v) who stayed in each room in (c)(iv), broken down by room rate; (d) what were the details of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change’s accommodation expenditures, including the (i) daily rate, (ii) accommodation venue; (e) what are the details of the total hospitality expenditures, broken down by (i) date, (ii) amount, (iii) location, (iv) name of any commercial establishment or vendor involved in the hospitality activity, (v) number of attendees, (vi) description of the event, (vii) description of the goods and services; (f) what are the details of all ground transportation expenditures, including, for each, (i) the date, (ii) the amount, (iii) the vendor, (iv) the origin, (v) the destination, (vi) the make and model of each vehicle used, (vii) the type of vehicle (gas, electric, hybrid), (viii) whether a chauffeur or driver was included, (ix) the names and titles of passengers or individuals who incurred the expense; and (g) what are the details of all expenditures on gifts related to the conference, including, for each, the (i) value, (ii) description, (iii) vendor from whom it was purchased, (iv) recipient?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2949—

[Dan Mazier, Conservative, Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB]

With regard to the containment curtain installed in Clear Lake in Riding Mountain National Park: (a) what are the total costs incurred from the containment curtain, broken down by expense; (b) who installed the containment curtain; (c) what is the total cost of installation for the containment curtain; (d) what is the total amount, if any, that will be refunded to the federal government by the suppliers following the damage that resulted in the removal of the containment curtain; (e) on what date did Parks Canada initially find out that the containment curtain was damaged; (f) who did Parks Canada directly inform about the containment curtain’s damage, and when were each of them notified; (g) for each notice in (f), what is the name and title of the Parks Canada official who provided the notice and what method of communication was used; (h) what are the details of how Parks Canada informed the public of the containment curtain’s damage prior to the removal, including the date of public notice, and the method of communication used; (i) what elected officials were informed by Parks Canada of the containment curtain’s (i) damage, (ii) removal, if any; (j) were any of the elected officials in (i) a (i) mayor, (ii) reeve, (iii) councillor, (iv) member of the Legislative Assembly, or (v) member of Parliament, and, if so, what was their name and title; (k) who will be financially responsible for the damage incurred to the containment curtain, broken down by (i) entity, (ii) cost; and (l) will the containment curtain be re-installed in Clear Lake in 2025?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2951—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

With regard to RCMP surplus vehicles, since January 1, 2021: (a) how many vehicles have been (i) sold, (ii) junked or crushed; (b) of the vehicles that were sold, what was the (i) make and model, (ii) year, (iii) sale price, (iv) date sold, (v) reason for the surplus (too many miles, damage, etc.); (c) of the vehicles that were junked, what was the (i) make and model, (ii) year, (iii) date sold, (iv) reason for being junked (too many miles, damage, etc.), (v) cost incurred by the RCMP related to the junking or crushing, (vi) revenue received by the RCMP for scrap; (d) how many surplus vehicles are currently sitting in storage awaiting sale or junking; and (e) what is the breakdown of (d) by make, model and year of the vehicle?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2952—

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

With regard to the $254,746 in construction and renovation costs incurred by the government at 80 Wellington Street, since 2015, related to general upgrades of meeting facilities and collaborative spaces: what is the detailed breakdown of the costs, including, for each expenditure, the (i) amount, (ii) description of the goods or services, (iii) vendor, (iv) date?

(Return tabled)

Question No.2953—

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

With regard to government policies that prohibit working with certain vendors or contractors: (a) what are the names of all vendors and contractors who are either currently, or have at some point since November 4, 2015, been prohibited, banned, or otherwise deemed ineligible from doing work with (i) the Department of National Defence, (ii) the Canadian Armed Forces, (iii) NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, (iv) the Government of Canada or all other departments and agencies; and (b) for each vendor or contractor in (a), what is the (i) date on which the entity was prohibited or banned, (ii) date on which the ban ends or is scheduled to end, (iii) reason for the ban, (iv) location where the vendor or contractor is based, including the city, province or territory, and country?