House of Commons Hansard #367 of the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was documents.
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
Also with us are the winners of the Synergy Awards for Innovation and the Arthur B. McDonald Fellowships.
Yves Perron Bloc Berthier—Maskinongé, QC
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and, if you seek it, I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion, which is seconded by the member for Humber River—Black Creek.
That, given that,
(i) Canada maintains unofficial, but robust and growing economic, cultural and people-to-people ties with Taiwan, based on fruitful cooperation on trade and investment, science and technology, education and youth exchanges, arts and cultural industries, and Indigenous affairs, all in keeping with Canada's foreign policy,
(ii) Canada continues to join likeminded partners in voicing support for Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, such as the World Health Organization, the World Health Assembly, and the International Civil Aviation Organization,
the House recognize that the United Nations Resolution 2758 of October 25, 1971, does not establish the People's Republic of China's sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine the future status of Taiwan in the United Nations, nor Taiwanese participation in UN agencies or international organizations.
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
All those opposed to the hon. member'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.
(Motion agreed to)
(Bill S-16. On the Order: Government Orders:)
October 24, 2024—the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations—Consideration at report stage of Bill S-16, An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation, as reported by the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs without amendment.
Taylor Bachrach NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and I believe if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:
That, notwithstanding any Standing Order, Special Order or usual practice of the House, Bill S-16, an act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation, shall be deemed concurred in at report stage, and deemed read a third time and passed.
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
All those opposed to the hon. member'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.
(Motion agreed to, bill concurred in at report stage, read a third time and passed)
The House resumed from October 30 consideration of the motion.
Access to Information, Privacy and EthicsCommittees of the HouseConcurrence in Committee Reports
Liberal
The Speaker Liberal Greg Fergus
It being 3:29 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion to concur in the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.
Call in the members.
Sukh Dhaliwal Liberal Surrey—Newton, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 21st report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Conditions for Growth: Reconsidering Closed Work Permits in the Temporary Foreign Workers Program”.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.
Brad Redekopp Conservative Saskatoon West, SK
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of His Majesty's official opposition, I have the honour to table the dissenting report to the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration's closed work permits study.
The Conservative Party of Canada values the role of temporary foreign workers in supporting our nation's agriculture and other essential industries. Through our contributions to the committee's study, Conservatives sought reforms that would secure predictability and access to labour for sectors struggling with chronic worker shortages. Unfortunately, the final report fell short, failing to include key recommendations that would benefit workers, businesses and the broader economy.
In our dissenting report, we emphasize that the temporary foreign worker program should continue to address specific labour gaps, supporting rural and agricultural communities where Canadian workers are unavailable, while resisting an open work permit model that would undermine this goal. Additionally, we strongly condemn the baseless comments made by the UN special rapporteur, who referred to the temporary foreign worker program's agricultural stream as a “breeding ground for...slavery”. These inflammatory statements ignore the facts and undermine the hard work and ethical standards of Canadian farmers and business owners who strive to provide safe, respectful workplaces.
The Conservative Party will continue to advocate for solutions that safeguard worker rights and secure Canada's food and economic security.
Elizabeth May Green Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of many constituents in Saanich—Gulf Islands, it is an honour to rise to present a petition dealing with the intersecting issues of the importance of old-growth forests for biodiversity, for climate action and indeed for their integral role in the traditional, cultural and spiritual wisdom of the indigenous peoples of this area, as well as looking at the threat to old-growth forests specifically on Vancouver Island. The last unprotected, intact old-growth valley on southern Vancouver Island is slated for logging.
Petitioners call on the government to work with the provinces and first nations to halt all logging of endangered old-growth ecosystems and for long-term protection of old-growth forests as well as to support value-added initiatives, such as banning the export of raw logs to ensure that sustainable production in local saw log operations can continue.
Lisa Marie Barron NDP Nanaimo—Ladysmith, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition from Courtney Langille on behalf of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, FFAW-Unifor.
This important petition received 1,695 signatures, the large majority from Newfoundland and Labrador, asking the government to, first, immediately revert the 2J3KL northern cod fishery to a stewardship fishery with access exclusive to Newfoundland and Labrador inshore and indigenous harvesters; second, reaffirm its commitment to allocate the first 115,000 tonnes of quota to those harvesters; and third, ensure large offshore draggers are not permitted to fish the stock until it has rebuilt to meet the 115,000-tonne threshold committed and to withstand the increased fishing pressures.
Northern cod is a historically and culturally critical species for Newfoundland and Labrador, and the petitioners fear another devastating stock collapse if it is not managed responsibly. It is for these reasons that I am honoured to stand and present this petition today.
Anna Gainey Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to table petition 441-02837, which calls on the House of Commons to never pre-emptively invoke section 33, known as the notwithstanding clause, in federal legislation. It proposes a parliamentary review process for any pre-emptive use of the clause by provinces and territorial governments.
The pre-emptive use of section 33 is on the rise. It is a trend that is alarming Canadians and goes against the spirit and intended use of the clause.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition. The petitioners are calling on the government to scrap its reckless expansion of MAID to those suffering solely from an underlying mental health condition.
The petitioners note that it is impossible to determine whether a mental illness is irremediable, meaning that expanding MAID to those with a mental illness would lead to the deaths of people who could have otherwise gotten better. Second, it is impossible for clinicians to distinguish a rational MAID request from one motivated by suicidality. Accordingly, such an expansion, the petitioners note, would recklessly put some of the most vulnerable persons at risk.
Mike Morrice Green Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present two petitions.
The first petition is with respect to petitioners who continue to be concerned about Canada's first-past-the post electoral system, noting that the results do not reflect the number of votes cast for each party. They go on to note the lower voter turnout in Ontario's last election as a trend of reduced voter engagement. They note that voters who support all parties in all age demographics across the country support the principle of proportional representation.
The petitioners go on to name a particular solution, the national citizens' assembly, which would give citizens a role in building consensus on a specific model to improve our electoral system in Canada. They note that citizen assemblies have been used in jurisdictions around the world, including Australia, Belgium, France and a number of others.
The petitioners have three calls to action for the government. They call on it to, first, establish a national citizens' assembly on electoral reform consisting of citizens reflecting the diversity of Canadian society; second, mandate that assembly to propose a specific design for an electoral system tailored to Canada's needs, which could make every vote count; and third, work across party lines to implement the changes before the next federal election.
Mike Morrice Green Kitchener Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, in the second petition, the petitioners note that Canada has committed harm towards indigenous people and communities through historical and ongoing colonization and genocide. They go on to note that indigenous peoples continue to face systemic racism, including in the health care, education, housing, child welfare and criminal justice systems. They go on to note that the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission laid out 94 calls to action and that the federal government is responsible, jointly or primarily, for 76 of these. Only 13 of those have been acted on to date.
The petitioners have several direct calls for the government, which include implementing all 94 calls to action of the TRC; urgently adopting all 231 calls for justice of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and prioritizing funding and policies that advance the process of Canadian reconciliation and justice.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Mr. Speaker, the first petition I am presenting today is on extreme intoxication as a legal defence. Amendments were made to the Criminal Code on June 23, 2022, allowing for “extreme intoxication as a defence for violent [crimes] like assault and sexual assault, even where a reasonable person would not have foreseen the risk of a violent loss of control.”
The National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls found rates of violence against indigenous women and girls to be alarmingly higher than for any other demographic in Canada. First nations communities are often in rural areas that are underserved by law enforcement, creating longer response times and a greater potential for violent acts of crime. Alcoholism and substance abuse are rapidly growing issues, leaving first nations more vulnerable to acts of violence. According to the First Nations Health Authority, first nations make up only 3.3% of British Columbia's population but a staggering 15% of toxic drug deaths.
Therefore, the undersigned indigenous citizens of Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon call upon the federal government to remove their amendments to the Criminal Code related to extreme intoxication and uphold their commitment to protecting first nations women.
Brad Vis Conservative Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I would like to present today is in response to Health Canada's changing rules related to natural health products. Health Canada recently proposed new and significant fees to import, manufacture and sell NHPs, along with new labelling laws. This means that consumer prices will rise and consumer choice will decline. Many Canadians rely on NHPs, which include basic, everyday products, such as toothpaste, vitamins, probiotics and fibre. Canada's current standards for natural health products already keep people safe. Therefore, the undersigned citizens of Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon call upon the Minister of Health to scrap the new regulations for natural health products.
Peter Julian NDP New Westminster—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of the hard-working Burnaby firefighters in IAFF Local 323. They have added 80 signatures to the thousands of signatures we have seen coming in from across the country over the last few days. This petition is calling on the government for immediate action to ban PFAS in firefighter gear and firefighting foam. PFAS are man-made chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil, but their durability comes at a very significant cost.
The scientific evidence links these substances to severe health risks, including cancer. This puts firefighters, who already face incredibly hazardous conditions, at greater risk. Research also shows that PFAS can accumulate in the body, leading to serious health issues. Alarmingly, firefighters in Canada face a higher cancer risk than the general population, but we can mitigate this risk by regulating what we can control in their working conditions. Several other countries have restricted PFAS use; Canada must follow suit. Our firefighters deserve gear that is free from toxic chemicals. Let us protect those who risk their lives for us.
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is with pleasure that I present a petition today to highlight that universal public health care is a core part of our Canadian identity. Free availability, accessibility, equity and fairness in quality medical care across Canada are necessary parts of our universal public health system. Mental health is a real and important factor of an individual's well-being that is insufficiently provided for in the current system. Long-term care and prescribed medications also need to be considered as part of our national health care system. Health care investments in quality care should be transparent and accountable through data and science. The petitioners are, in essence, calling for the different provinces working with the federal government to protect our Canadian identity; our health care system is part of this.
Greg McLean Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition on behalf of concerned citizens and residents of Calgary regarding the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong is a spiritual discipline rooted in truth, compassion and tolerance, and it is practised by diverse communities across our nation. Since 1999, practitioners of Falun Gong have endured a brutal campaign against them, resulting in torture, imprisonment and death, with victims subjected to forced organ harvesting. This includes a Canadian citizen, Ms. Sun Qian, who was sentenced to eight years in prison.
The petitioners call upon the Government of Canada to demand an end to the persecution, ensure the release of all prisoners of conscience, explicitly address Falun Gong persecution in our foreign policies and sanction the perpetrators under the Magnitsky act.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to present a petition on behalf of Vancouver firefighters in IAFF Local 18. It addresses an urgent issue that has an impact on the health and safety of firefighters across Canada.
This petition, sponsored by my great colleague, the NDP MP for New Westminster—Burnaby, calls for immediate action to ban per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, in firefighter gear and firefighting foam. These are man-made chemicals that are resistant to heat, water and oil, but their durability comes at a significant cost. Scientific evidence now conclusively links these substances to severe health risks, including cancer. This puts firefighters, who already face hazardous conditions, at greater risk.
Research shows that PFAS can accumulate in the body, leading to serious health issues. Alarmingly, firefighters face a higher cancer risk than the general population. We can mitigate this risk by regulating what we control in their working conditions. Several countries have restricted PFAS use; Canada must follow suit.
Our firefighters deserve gear that is free from toxic chemicals. Let us protect those who risk their lives for us.
