House of Commons Hansard #33 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was food.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
An Act Respecting Cyber Security Second reading of Bill C-8. The bill aims to protect Canada's critical infrastructure and telecommunications system from cyber-threats. Supporters highlight amendments that strengthen privacy protections and transparency. Opponents raise concerns about potential government overreach, secret orders, and risks to individual liberties and privacy, urging further amendments to address these issues. 7400 words, 1 hour.
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I am going to withhold more severe judgment. The member may well know there is a war going on between Russia and Ukraine.
Canada is an important supplier of potash and Canada will continue to be one of the world's most important suppliers of potash. The member should well know that the only realistic fertilizer option for Canada is Russian or Belarusian fertilizer.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, farmers have saved and replanted seeds for generations, but the government is proposing changes to plant breeders' rights that threaten this age-old practice. To make matters worse, consultations were scheduled during the summer and the harvest season, when farmers are busiest and least able to respond.
Does the Minister of Agriculture support the right of Canada's fruit and vegetable farmers to continue saving and using their own seeds, and will he abandon these reckless and harmful changes?
Sophie Chatel LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is taking a balanced approach after having consulted more than 100 value chain stakeholders for over four years. Following the release of its report this summer, called “What we heard”, the CFIA is currently engaging with stakeholders to modernize the regulation system in Canada with all of the input from stakeholders.
Leah Gazan NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals continue to punish workers for exercising their charter right to fight for fair wages and safe working conditions by abusing section 107 of the Canada Labour Code and forcing workers back to work. This undermines collective bargaining and the right to strike.
From Air Canada to Canada Post and from railways to ports, the Liberals side with big corporate executives. If the Liberals stand with workers, will the minister repeal section 107 of the Canada Labour Code now?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, this government has supported organized labour in a number of ways, including, most recently, by standing with Canada’s Building Trades Unions as we announced five major projects with their full support. We have invested in union training. We have invested in union supports. We have reversed harmful Conservative union-busting legislation.
Union members know we are there for them. As the minister of labour, I will work hard to make sure we get the balance right.
Presence in GalleryOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker Tom Kmiec
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Advanced Education for the Province of Saskatchewan.
Adam van Koeverden LiberalSecretary of State (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Amendments to Annex I of the International Convention Against Doping in Sport”, notified on October 1, 2023, and November 1, 2024.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Leaders' Debates Commission report, entitled “Debates - Democratic Exercises Serving the Voting Public: A report on the Leaders' Debates Commission 2025 federal election experience”.
Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to present a petition on behalf on the constituents of Riding Mountain.
The people of Swan River are experiencing an alarming increase in violent crime, which has threatened the safety and well-being of families across our region. A recent report by the Manitoba west district RCMP found that over an 18-month period, four offenders in Swan River were responsible for 239 offences.
The petitioners continue to suffer the consequences of soft-on-crime Liberal policies like Bill C-5, which repealed mandatory jail time for serious crimes, and Bill C-75, which forces judges to release violent repeat offenders right back onto the streets. The petitioners in the Swan Valley want to see the end to the Liberals' reckless catch-and-release policies so that criminals can stay behind bars. That is why the people of Swan River are demanding jail, not bail, for violent repeat offenders.
I support the good people of Swan River.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition from Canadians who are deeply concerned about growing foreign ownership of our commercial fisheries.
The petitioners note that while the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is mandated to protect the stability and viability of Canadian fishing operations, in the Pacific region, there are no limits on the foreign acquisition of licenses and quotas, nor does Canada track the citizenship of those involved. They argue that this lack of oversight undermines Canadian-owned operations, hurts harvesters, families and coastal communities, and conflicts with reconciliation efforts as first nations seek access. Foreign ownership also threatens food security and reduces Canadian fish processing jobs.
The House of Commons fisheries committee, in 2019, recommended that fisheries remain a common property resource for Canadians. The petitioners call on the government to immediately ban further transfers of Canadian licenses and quotas to foreign interests.
Michael Cooper Conservative St. Albert—Sturgeon River, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from petitioners who call upon the government to repeal Bill C-47 so that natural health products are no longer regulated in the same manner as therapeutic chemical drugs. The petitioners note that natural health products are already appropriately regulated and that the legislation would jeopardize Canadians' access to NHPs, would threaten the Canadian natural health product industry and would make the supplements and vitamins Canadians rely on more costly.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition today in support of Bill C-224, put forward by my colleague from Ponoka—Didsbury. This is a bill about natural health products.
I tried to submit a notice to jointly second the bill, as I sometimes do with great pieces of legislation, but the bill was so popular among Conservative MPs that all of the seconding slots were quickly filled before I had a chance. I want to table the petition to highlight my support and the support of my constituents for this excellent legislation on natural health products.
The Liberals are, petitioners say, threatening access to natural health products through their new rules, which will mean higher costs and fewer products available on store shelves. The changes they made in a previous omnibus bill, as well as through new so-called cost recovery provisions, will simply impose massive costs on producers of essential natural health products, undermining Canadians' access to these products.
The petitioners want to see the Liberal government reverse the changes it made on natural health products. Bill C-224, from my colleague from Ponoka—Didsbury, would do exactly that.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, the next petition I am tabling raises concern about the government's approach to euthanasia, in particular the dangerous effects the current euthanasia regime has on Canadians living with disabilities.
The petitioners observe how the government's policy, which presents facilitated dying as a so-called solution to disability or chronic illness, reduces incentives to improve treatment and care for people with these conditions, and substantially devalues the lives and experiences of those living with disabilities.
The petitioners further observe that all major disability rights organizations have expressed serious concerns about so-called track 2 MAID.
The petitioners therefore ask the government and the House to protect all Canadians whose natural death is not reasonably foreseeable by prohibiting medical assistance in dying for those whose prognosis for natural death is more than six months.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, finally, following an event that I had the honour of speaking at earlier this week here in Ottawa, I am tabling a petition drawing attention to the horrific human rights situation in North Korea, highlighting the human rights record of the Government of North Korea and calling for action.
The petitioners note that North Korea prioritizes food distribution to those considered useful to the survival of the current political regime, and this leads to extreme starvation in so many cases. There is a vast state apparatus that is associated with the suppression of dissent, public executions, forced imprisonment of citizens in political prison camps and the terrorization of the population. State-sponsored abductions of citizens of other nations also occur.
The petitioners are also highlighting concerns about how defectors from North Korea who have gone to the People's Republic of China have been sent back. They are calling for action in response to this. The petitioners are raising concerns about how the Government of China deals with the situation of North Korean defectors.
The petitioners call on the government—
Human Rights in North KoreaPetitionsRoutine Proceedings
An hon. member
That is a long petition.
Garnett Genuis Conservative Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, AB
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague from Winnipeg North points out, this is a long petition. These are important issues, and I appreciate the opportunity to bring them to the House.
The petitioners call on the Government of Canada to table regular reports in Parliament on the situation of human rights in North Korea, as well as their response to it, including the state of political prison camps, Kwan-li-so and Kyo-hwa-so.
The petitioners want Canada to take action to support North Korean defectors, including calling on the Government of China to allow safe passage for North Korean refugees to South Korea, where they are recognized as citizens; to monitor ongoing human rights issues; to support international efforts to defend the rights of the people of North Korea from crimes against humanity; and to do more to promote political freedom in North Korea and political change there.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Kevin Lamoureux Liberal Winnipeg North, MB
Mr. Speaker, I suspect if you were to canvass the House, you would find unanimous consent to see the clock at 2:30 p.m.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
The Deputy Speaker Tom Kmiec
Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until next Monday at 11 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).
(The House adjourned at 12:20 p.m.)