House of Commons Hansard #320 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.

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 repeatedly link government spending to inflation and call for fixing the budget. They extensively criticize the doubled cost of housing, proposing their plan to build more homes by cutting bureaucracy. They also target the carbon tax, calling for it to be axed, and raise concerns about crime and street drug use.
The Liberals defend their investments in dental care and other supports for Canadians, contrasting their approach with Conservative "austerity". They highlight their housing plan and efforts in fighting climate change and attracting clean investment, including the Canada carbon rebate. They also address the violence in Gaza and the need for a two-state solution, while supporting the International Criminal Court.
The Bloc calls for an immediate ceasefire and an international peacekeeping force in Gaza. They urge the government to recognize the State of Palestine, support international courts, apply sanctions, and take action to end the violence.
The NDP call for concrete action on Gaza, including an arms embargo and sanctions. They raise concerns about the lack of safety for women in the military and the ongoing climate crisis, questioning the military's capacity to help with wildfires.

Petitions

Countering Foreign Interference Act Second reading of Bill C-70. The bill, An Act respecting countering foreign interference, aims to strengthen Canada's tools against foreign threats. It updates CSIS powers, creates new criminal offences, and establishes a foreign influence transparency registry. MPs generally support the bill in principle but discuss potential amendments regarding the registry's scope and the commissioner's independence. Parties agree on the need for quick passage before the next election. 14000 words, 2 hours.

Foreign Hostage Takers Accountability Act Second reading of Bill C-353. The bill aims to impose measures against foreign hostage takers and those who practice arbitrary detention, proposing stronger sanctions and family assistance. Liberals oppose, arguing it could endanger Canadians and conflict with international law. Conservatives support it as needed deterrence. The Bloc and NDP support committee study to address concerns about feasibility and unintended consequences. 8100 words, 1 hour.

Adjournment Debates

Inmate vocational training Scott Reid criticizes the low number of Red Seal certifications obtained by inmates (64 in 4 years). He argues that the government's focus on short, less meaningful certifications doesn't translate to improved employment prospects or reduced recidivism. Darrell Samson defends the program, citing the thousands of certificates earned and job placements obtained.
Campus anti-Semitism Kevin Vuong questions whether the government is turning a blind eye to violent, anti-Semitic protests on university campuses, funded by pro-Hamas entities. Sameer Zuberi responds that the government is committed to combatting hate and has allocated significant funding to anti-hate initiatives and community support.
Oil and Gas Windfall Tax Laurel Collins calls for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies to fund climate solutions and address environmental issues. Vance Badawey responds, highlighting the government's efforts to increase tax fairness and invest in a green economy through various tax measures and incentives.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25 Members debate the Department of Health estimates. Discussions centre on the toxic drug crisis, including the impact of decriminalization and safe supply. They review the rollout and success of the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Plans for pharmacare (Bill C-64) covering diabetes and contraception are also discussed. Other topics include health transfers, provincial jurisdiction, mental health funding, and rare diseases. 35300 words, 4 hours.

Was this summary helpful and accurate?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:10 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, has anybody in the office met with representatives from Fair Price Pharma?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:10 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, no.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:10 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, the lobby registry says that on September 15, 2023, representatives from the minister's office met with Fair Price Pharma. Can she tell the House if that is true or not?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, no one from my office has met with Fair Price Pharma.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

May 29th, 2024 / 9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, does the minister have any idea what is going on in her office and who has met with Fair Price Pharma?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, no one on my team has met with Fair Price Pharma.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is an Order Paper question for the government, so either the government is not being forthwith with the House or the minister has no idea what is going on in her office.

Has anybody from her ministry met with any representatives from Fair Price Pharma? I do not know how long we will have to do this for.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge, my predecessor, then minister Bennett, met with Fair Price Pharma, but I am not sure what member of her team met with it.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, on September 15, 2023, the minister was occupying the office, and the government said that the participation in that meeting was by the minister's office.

Was she briefed about the meeting on September 15, 2023, when she was minister, with the representatives from Fair Price Pharma?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I believe I answered the question previously. I will reiterate that I have not met with Fair Price Pharma. If a member of my team has met with Fair Price Pharma, the member already has the answer.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, if the minister is not planning to fund the so-called safe supply of heroin, why is anybody in the ministry, her office or her predecessor's office meeting with Fair Price Pharma?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, I have not met with Fair Price Pharma. Our prescribed alternative programs and the drugs distributed are paid for and prescribed by the provinces.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, we are clearly not getting a straight answer from the minister, so I will move on to something that she probably can answer and should answer.

She is a minister from Toronto. She had a failed experiment in British Columbia that she had to pull back because she was forced to by the radical NDP government there. Will she rule it out in Toronto for good, forever?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, the member does not seem to appreciate the importance of collaborative work between the federal government and jurisdictions in addressing the overdose crisis. We will continue to work with all jurisdictions, as per their requests, on what we can do to save lives.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is a yes or no question. Is it yes or no?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, the federal government will always work with its provincial and municipal partners to ensure that we—

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

The Speaker Greg Fergus

The hon. member for Thornhill.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Melissa Lantsman Conservative Thornhill, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like the record to show that, after the next election, if the Liberals are elected, they would legalize in Toronto in the same way as they did in British Columbia.

The minister basically just said yes.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, we do not work in hypotheticals; we work with facts.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, my questions will be for the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. To address the opioid crisis, the government launched a pilot project a few years ago. Could the minister tell us in which province this pilot project was carried out?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

York Centre Ontario

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks LiberalMinister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the question was not clear. Could I ask the member to repeat it? I will respect the time.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, which province requested a pilot project to deal with the opioid crisis?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that B.C. requested an exemption.

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:15 p.m.

Conservative

Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, the answer is the province of British Columbia. Did the province make a request in recent weeks to review the terms of the pilot project, yes or no?

Department of Health—Main Estimates, 2024-25Business of SupplyGovernment Orders

9:20 p.m.

Liberal

Ya'ara Saks Liberal York Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, from the outset, a commitment was made for the pilot program in British Columbia to be monitored, assessed and amended as needed. That is why it is a pilot program.