Debates of June 19th, 2024

Government Priorities

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The Right Hon. Prime Minister has the floor.

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives over this past session have stood in this House to stand against dental care for seniors. They have stood in this House to stand against expanding child care investments in spaces. They have stood in this House to stand against the kinds of investments that are helping Canadians with diabetes and helping Canadians afford birth control. These are the choices that they are making. They are filled with slogans and bumper stickers that do not solve problems, but amplify anger, while we are focused on supporting Canadians.

Canadians can make their choice about the kind of country they want to live in.

Housing

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking for strong action from their government on making housing more affordable. The results of decades of Conservative government inaction are in, and it is no wonder. When the Leader of the Opposition was housing minister, he only got six units built. Since 2015, we have been committed to getting the government back into housing.

Can the Prime Minister—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I truly cannot hear the hon. member ask this question.

I am going to ask all members to please not take the floor while an hon. member is asking a question or answering a question. I ask members to please keep it together for a couple more minutes.

The hon. member for Vaughan—Woodbridge has the floor, from the top.

[Francesco Sorbara, Liberal, Vaughan—Woodbridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking for strong action from their government on making housing more affordable. The results of decades of Conservative government inaction are in, and it is no wonder. When the Leader of the Opposition was housing minister, he was a disaster, and he only got six units built. Since 2015, we have been committed to getting the government back into housing.

Can the Prime Minister provide an update on how the government is making life more affordable through housing investments?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge for his extraordinary hard work.

For decades, governments have ignored the important role the federal government has to play in housing. That is why we brought the federal government back into the business of homebuilding, working through an ambitious plan to build four million more homes, and as we just saw this week, Canada's housing starts are going up with more homes being built right across the country.

While the Conservatives would abandon the most vulnerable so their rich friends can pay less, we will not rest until we ensure fairness for every generation.

Indigenous Affairs

[Blake Desjarlais, NDP, Edmonton Griesbach, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Trade Winds to Success training society helps indigenous people build up the trade skills we need to rebuild our own communities and our own future. Not only does the organization create a pathway to apprenticeship, but it also guarantees indigenous peoples' opportunity for good-paying jobs.

Despite the Liberals' commitment to support them, no movement has been made. Is this yet another empty promise to indigenous peoples? When will the Prime Minister establish a five-year funding plan for Trade Winds to Success so it can continue to empower indigenous labour?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague well knows, we are unequivocally committed to working in partnership with first nations, Inuit and Métis communities to advance self-determination, reconciliation and economic opportunity. We have indeed tripled investments in indigenous communities since 2015, with $32 billion in investments expected in 2024-25 alone. Budget 2024 includes over $1 billion to improve access to proper health care for indigenous people, $338 million to support indigenous entrepreneurship and a monumental investment of $5 billion for the indigenous loan support program. There is lots more to do.

Democratic Institutions

[Elizabeth May, Green, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentarians who serve on the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians have done an amazing job and deserve the thanks of all Canadians. In the face of foreign interference, we need to put Canada first and commit to working together.

My question to the Prime Minister is this. Is the Prime Minister open to working over the summer with all members of Parliament with top secret security clearance who are willing, in a confidential setting, to work in the hope of determining a shared course of action to reduce the threat of foreign interference?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the leader of the Green Party and other party leaders who have taken this issue seriously by getting their security clearances. We feel that the public inquiry is the best place for these discussions to continue, and we are pleased that the commission has agreed to study this. Unfortunately, the Leader of the Opposition would actually have to get his top secret security clearance in order to have a top secret discussion among party leaders.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is rising on a point of order.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to put forward, but before I do that, I would like to thank you and all of the other chair occupants.

I want to thank the clerk and all of his staff. I also want to thank all of the staff who support us so well in the House. I am, of course, talking about the pages and the members of the Parliamentary Protective Service. We are exceptionally well served by the parliamentary staff and I want to express gratitude for all that they do on behalf of all parliamentarians.

I also want to thank all of my colleagues on the government side for their support for a rookie House leader. I want to thank all the colleagues who chose the wrong political path for their support as well, including my colleague House leaders. Despite all indications to the contrary, we have developed a very good working relationship. I thank them and, through them, thank their caucuses as well.

Business of the House

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

moved:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, special order, or usual practice of the House:

(a) in relation to Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, the report stage motions in amendment, standing on the Notice Paper in the name of the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, be deemed adopted on division, and the bill, as amended, be deemed concurred in at report stage with further amendments on division and deemed read a third time and passed on division;

(b) Bill C-40, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation (miscarriage of justice reviews), be deemed read a third time and passed on division;

(c) Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization, be deemed read a second time on division and referred to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology;

(d) Bill S-9, An Act to amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act, be deemed read a second time and referred to a committee of the whole, deemed considered in committee of the whole, deemed reported without amendment, deemed concurred in at report stage and deemed read a third time and passed;

(e) Bill S-16, An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation, be deemed read a second time on division and referred to the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs; and

(f) following Routine Proceedings later today, the House shall stand adjourned until Monday, September 16, 2024, provided that, for the purposes of Standing Order 28, it shall be deemed to have sat on Thursday, June 20, and Friday, June 21, 2024.

[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 C-26: On the Order: Government Orders)

April 19, 2024—Consideration at report stage of Bill C-26, An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts, as reported by the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security with amendments—Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs.

(Bill concurred in at report stage, read the third time and passed)

(Bill C-40: On the Order: Government Orders)

June 17, 2024—Third reading of Bill C-40, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, to make consequential amendments to other Acts and to repeal a regulation (miscarriage of justice reviews)—Minister of Justice.

(Bill read the third time and passed)

(Bill S-6: On the Order: Government Orders)

May 3, 2023—Resuming consideration of the motion of Ms. Fortier (President of the Treasury Board), seconded by Ms. Khera (Minister of Seniors),—That Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

(Bill S‑9: On the Order: Government Orders:)

December 15, 2023 — Resuming consideration of the motion of Ms. Joly (Minister of Foreign Affairs), seconded by Mr. Beech (Minister of Citizens' Services), — That Bill S‑9, An Act to amend the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.

(Bill read the second time, considered in committee of the whole, reported, concurred in, read the third time and passed)

(Bill S-16. On the Order: Government Orders)

June 6 2024—Second reading and reference to the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs of Bill S-16, An Act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation—Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

(Bill read the second time and referred to a committee)

Haida Nation Recognition Act

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Skeena—Bulkley Valley is rising on a point of order.

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising to ask that Bill S-16, an act respecting the recognition of the Haida Nation and the Council of the Haida Nation—

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle is rising on a point of order.

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I will add my voice to that of the government House leader, thanking all the support staff on the precinct here, the pages who help us out in the Commons, the wise clerks who guide the proceedings and all of the support staff around.

I would also like to thank the interpreters. There are a lot of challenges related to simultaneous translation in Parliament. I would like to thank the interpreters for all their hard work.

Of course, I thank the security forces around the precinct that keep us all safe as we go about doing the people's work. I thank all of them for the excellent level of service that they provide parliamentarians so that we can provide excellent service to the people of Canada.

Pursuant to Standing Order 65, I move that the House instruct each of the following standing committees to hold five meetings between Monday, July 8, and Friday—

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

I regret that the hon. opposition House leader does not have unanimous consent.

Rising on a point of order, the hon. member for Willowdale.

[Ali Ehsassi, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I think you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion on the humanitarian situation in Sudan: That the House recognize that the conflict in Sudan has displaced over 10 million civilians, has resulted in an unprecedented—

[Some hon. members]

No.