House of Commons Hansard #315 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pharmacare.

Topics

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This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.

Statements by Members

Question Period

The Conservatives criticize the government's policies, linking debt, taxes, and spending to rising hunger and homelessness. They condemn the carbon tax for increasing costs, particularly for farmers. They also raise concerns about drug decriminalization and surging extortion rates.
The Liberals promote investments in dental care, school food programs, and child care, contrasting with Conservative "austerity." They defend the price on pollution, arguing it fights climate change and helps families. They also discuss housing, reproductive rights, crime (including gun laws), and protecting the French language.
The Bloc focuses on the decline of the French language in Quebec and Canada, criticizing the government's policies and opposition to Bill 96. They also raise concerns about the crisis in the fishing industry in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to area closures.
The NDP criticize corporate greed driving up cellphone prices, call for Canada to recognize Palestine, and demand funding for a Nunavut day care and the City of Windsor for blockade costs.
The Greens call on the government to support the International Criminal Court's process regarding alleged international law violations in Gaza.

Motion That Debate Be Not Further Adjourned Members debate a government motion to limit debate on Bill C-64, the pharmacare bill. Liberals and NDP argue its contraception and diabetes coverage is vital for equality and health, needing quick passage. Conservatives call the motion a "gag order" and criticize the bill as costly. The Bloc opposes the bill as provincial interference, demanding opt-out. The Green Party supports the goal but opposes rushed debate. 4800 words, 35 minutes in 2 segments: 1 2.

Criminal Code First reading of Bill C-390. The bill amends the Criminal Code to allow advance requests for medical assistance in dying under a provincial framework for persons with incapacitating illnesses, as proposed by the Bloc. 200 words.

Food and Drugs Act Second reading of Bill C-368. The bill amends the Food and Drugs Act to exclude natural health products (NHPs) from being therapeutic products. Supporters say changes from Bill C-47 are excessive and harm the industry, limiting choice. Opponents argue the changes are necessary for public safety, giving Health Canada power to mandate recalls of unsafe products. The bill is sent to committee for study. 8700 words, 1 hour.

Consideration of Government Business No. 39 Members debate Bill C-64, the national pharmacare plan. Supporters highlight benefits for millions, particularly for diabetes and contraception, and criticize delays. Opponents argue the bill is insufficient, interferes with provincial jurisdiction, does not cover rare diseases, and is a political stunt, with some provinces opposing it. An amendment is proposed to extend committee study time. 6000 words, 45 minutes.

Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 Third reading of Bill C-59. The bill implements parts of the fall economic statement and budget, including measures on tax havens, housing investments, and competition law reform. It also exempts psychotherapy from GST/HST. Parties debate its impact on affordability, national debt, and provincial jurisdiction. The Bloc opposes it over federal interference and oil subsidies. Liberals highlight investments and economic progress. Conservatives criticize spending and debt, proposing fuel tax cuts. 21400 words, 3 hours.

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Question No.2500—Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

5:30 p.m.

Bloc

Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Salaberry—Suroît, QC

With regard to the Canada Post building located at 180 Victoria Street, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield: (a) what are the annual expenses related to the operation of the post office and the sorting facility; (b) what investments are planned between now and 2030 at this building and for the operations that take place there; and (c) what is the estimated market value of the building and the land?

Question No.2500—Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings

May 22nd, 2024 / 5:30 p.m.

Mississauga—Lakeshore Ontario

Liberal

Charles Sousa LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement

Mr. Speaker, Canada Post Corporation is a Crown corporation that operates at arm’s length from the government, and its operations are funded by the revenue generated by the sale of its products and services, not taxpayer dollars. The requested information is commercially sensitive and has always been treated as confidential.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Winnipeg North Manitoba

Liberal

Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Madam Speaker, furthermore, if a supplementary response to Question No. 443, originally tabled on May 13, 2022; a supplementary response to Question No. 494, originally tabled on June 8, 2022; a supplementary response to Question No. 628, originally tabled on September 20, 2022; a supplementary response to Question No. 891, originally tabled on December 5, 2022; a supplementary response to Question No. 905, originally tabled on December 7, 2022; a supplementary response to Questions Nos. 992, 1032, 1037 and 1054, originally tabled on January 30, 2023; a supplementary response to Questions Nos. 1164, 1176, 1177 and 1178, originally tabled on March 20, 2023; a supplementary response to Question No. 1215, originally tabled on March 27, 2023; a supplementary response to Question No. 1264, originally tabled on April 17, 2023; a supplementary response to Questions Nos. 1295 and 1297, originally tabled on April 21, 2023; a supplementary response to Question No. 1412, originally tabled on June 5, 2023; a supplementary response to Question No. 1429, originally tabled on June 8, 2023; a supplementary response to Question No. 1517, originally tabled on June 21, 2023; a supplementary response to Questions Nos. 1600 and 1620, originally tabled on September 18, 2023; and the government's responses to Questions Nos. 2488, 2489, 2492 to 2496 and 2501 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled in an electronic format immediately.

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès) Alexandra Mendes

Is it the pleasure of the House that the aforementioned questions be made orders for return and that they be tabled immediately?

Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Agreed.

Question No.443—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Tracy Gray Conservative Kelowna—Lake Country, BC

With regard to government expenditures with Amazon since January 1, 2020, broken down by department or agency: (a) what was the total value of expenditures, broken down by year; and (b) what are the details of each expenditure, including the (i) date, (ii) amount, (iii) vendor, (iv) description of goods or services?

(Return tabled)

Question No.494—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Kram Conservative Regina—Wascana, SK

With regard to reports of "March madness expenditures" where the government makes purchases before the end of the fiscal year so that departmental funds do not go unspent, broken down by department, agency or other government entity: (a) what were the total expenditures during February and March of 2022 on (i) materials and supplies (standard object 07), (ii) acquisition of machinery and equipment, including parts and consumable tools (standard object 09); and (b) what are the details of each such expenditure, including the (i) vendor, (ii) amount, (iii) date of the expenditure, (iv) description of the goods or services provided, (v) delivery date, (vi) file number?

(Return tabled)

Question No.628—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON

With regard to the government's social media accounts, broken down by department, agency, or other government entity: (a) how many employees or full-time equivalents are assigned to the accounts, and what are their titles; (b) how many accounts or profiles does the government manage, broken down by social media platform; (c) what are the details of each account or profile, including, for each, the (i) name of the platform, (ii) handle or profile name; (d) what specific procedures are in place to ensure that any information put out through the government's accounts (i) does not contain disinformation, misinformation, or misleading information, (ii) is not politically biased towards the government or the Liberal Party of Canada; and (e) for any procedures related to (d), who has final approval before an item is posted?

(Return tabled)

Question No.891—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Philip Lawrence Conservative Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON

With regard to expenditures on communications professional services (codes 035, 0351, and 0352) since April 1, 2021, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, or other government entity: what are the details of each expenditure, including (i) the date, (ii) the amount, (iii) the vendor, (iv) the description of goods or services, (v) whether the contract was sole-sourced or competitively bid?

(Return tabled)

Question No.905—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Gerald Soroka Conservative Yellowhead, AB

With regard to government employees on leave, broken down by department, agency, or other government entity: (a) how many employees are on leave as of October 20, 2022, broken down by type of leave; and (b) how many employees were on "Other Leave With Pay" (code 699), broken down by month since January 1, 2022?

(Return tabled)

Question No.992—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Edmonton, AB

With regard to advertising on social media by the government since 2016, broken down by year: what was the total amount spent by the government for advertisements on (i) Twitter, (ii) Facebook, (iii) TikTok, (iv) lnstagram, (v) Snapchat, (vi) WhatsApp, (vii) Linkedln, (viii) other social media platforms, broken down by platform?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1032—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Rachael Thomas Conservative Lethbridge, AB

With regard to expenditures by the government on subscriptions and data access services in the 2021-22 fiscal year, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation or other government entity: (a) what is the total amount spent; and (b) what are the details of each expenditure, including the (i) vendor, (ii) amount, (iii) date, (iv) description of goods or services, (v) titles of publications or data for each subscription, (vi) file number?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1037—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Dean Allison Conservative Niagara West, ON

With regard to government expenditures on membership fees, broken down by department, agency, Crown corporation, or other government entity, since October 1, 2020: (a) how much money has been spent; and (b) what are the details of each expenditure, including the (i) name of the organization or the vendor, (ii) date of the purchase, (iii) amount, (iv) number of memberships purchased?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1054—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON

With regard to tweets made by the government that were later deleted, broken down by each instance, since January 1, 2019: what are the details of each instance, including the (i) Twitter handle and username, (ii) date the tweet was posted, (iii) date the tweet was deleted, (iv) summary of its contents, (v) reason the tweet was deleted, (vi) titles of who approved the initial tweet, (vii) titles of who ordered the tweet's removal?

(Return tabled)

Question No.1164—Questions Passed as Orders for ReturnsRoutine Proceedings

5:35 p.m.

Conservative

Marty Morantz Conservative Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB

With regard to expenditures on consulting services by the government in the 2021 and 2022 calendar years, broken down by year and by department, agency or other government entity: (a) what was the total amount spent on (i) training consultants (code 0446), (ii) information technology and telecommunications consultants (code 0473), (iii) management consulting (code 0491), (iv) other types of consultants or consulting, broken down by type and object code; and (b) for each response in (a), what is the total value of the expenditures that were (i) awarded competitively, (ii) sole-sourced?

(Return tabled)