House of Commons Hansard #162 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was illness.
Veterans' Week 2800 words, 25 minutes.
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act First reading of Bill C-295. 300 words.
Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 2 Report stage of Bill C-31. 9200 words, 1 hour.
Wartime Service Recognition Act Second reading of Bill S-246. 6000 words, 45 minutes.
Medical Assistance in Dying Safeguards Act Second reading of Bill C-41. 53500 words, 6 hours.
The House resumed from November 2 consideration of the motion that Bill C-269, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (heat recovery tax credit), be read the second time and referred to a committee.
Bill C-269 Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
The House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion at second reading stage of Bill C-269 under Private Members' Business.
Bill C-269 Income Tax ActPrivate Members' Business
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
I declare the motion lost.
I wish to inform the House that because of the deferred recorded divisions, the time provided for Government Orders will be extended by 24 minutes.
Kevin Lamoureux LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's responses to nine petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
Veterans' WeekRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia
To mark Veterans' Week and commemorate our war veterans, I invite the House to rise and observe a moment of silence.
[A moment of silence observed]
Jill McKnight LiberalMinister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, as Veterans' Week begins and Canadians prepare to gather on Remembrance Day, we are reminded of a simple truth: Remembrance matters.
Today, we remember.
Across our country, Canadians will gather in communities large and small. They will stand at cenotaphs and memorials, wear a poppy, observe a moment of silence and remember. They will remember generations of Canadians who answered the call to serve in times of peace, war, conflict and uncertainty. They will reflect on those who never returned home and on those whose lives were forever changed by service. Their courage helped protect the freedoms we enjoy today. Their sacrifices helped safeguard the democratic institutions that define our country. The Canada we know today was shaped not only by the service they gave, but by the sacrifices they made.
However, remembrance is not only about those who served in the past. It is also about recognizing service that continues today. We see it in those who continue to serve Canada in uniform. We see it in veterans, whose commitment to our country continues long after their service has ended.
As we begin Veterans' Week, we do so carrying heavy hearts following the recent loss of four members of the Canadian Armed Forces at CFB Wainwright: Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark. Our hearts are with their families, friends and fellow service members. We see the profound impact of this loss on all who knew and loved them. Canadians share in their sorrow.
We will remember those we have lost, those injured and those still recovering, and we recognize the grief being felt across the Canadian Armed Forces among military families, throughout the veteran community and by Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
The deaths of those military personnel, along with other losses suffered in Wainwright, remind us that this is not just part of our history; it is also part of our present, in times of peace as well as in times of war.
Canada sees every veteran, every serving member and the families who stand beside them. Canada is grateful for their service, and Canada will always honour their contributions to our country.
No one serves alone. Behind every veteran and every serving member are families who share the realities of military life, families who endure separation, relocation, uncertainty and sacrifice in service. In a country as diverse as Canada, remembrance remains one of the moments that bring us together.
Canadians come from different backgrounds, live in different regions and hold different perspectives, yet during Veterans' Week, we are united in gratitude for those who have worn Canada's uniform. We are also privileged to serve in this House alongside colleagues who have worn Canada's uniform and continue their service to Canada in public life.
Every generation has a responsibility to remember them.
It is a responsibility shared by all Canadians. Remembrance is not passive; it is an active responsibility to learn the stories of those who served, to remember them and to ensure that their sacrifices are never forgotten. As November 11 approaches, Canadians can fulfill that responsibility through simple but meaningful actions. Wear a poppy, attend a ceremony or thank a veteran or serving member. These actions may seem small, but they are how remembrance endures: through a conversation, a handshake, a young person learning a veteran's story or a community gathering together.
These are the ways in which we ensure that memories live on. Remembering must be a choice. Each of us must choose to remember.
Veterans Week is a time of reflection, a time of gratitude and a time to recommit ourselves to remembering, so let us choose remembrance. Let us honour those who served by ensuring that their stories continue to be told. Let us honour their sacrifices, not only in words but through actions.
It is now our turn to carry the torch.
Lest we forget.
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, ON
Mr. Speaker, today we pay tribute to our veterans.
As a former member of the armed forces, I know that serving our country requires courage, but it also requires sacrifices for the whole family. Canada will always be grateful to our veterans and their families. Their service and sacrifices will never be forgotten.
We will remember them: the Canadians who have served and continue to serve our country. It is a tradition of service that men and women, and in fact those who we would say are boys and girls, have engaged in selflessly for as long as we have been a country and before we became one.
We will remember them: those in the First World War and the Second World War, and those who answered the calls to Korea and Afghanistan. We honour those who served in the Persian Gulf and those who kept the peace in Cyprus and the Balkans.
We must recognize the men and women who continue to serve today, including those deployed at this moment in Latvia with our NATO partners and allies in defence of freedom and security.
We remember those who serve at home in disasters, emergencies and training. This point hits home especially hard this year as we reflect on the tragedy that recently took place at CFB Wainwright. Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding, Private Hayden Lykkemark and Sergeant Morgan Wong fell in service to our country on our own soil, while training to mitigate risk while abroad but knowing that their service here at home carried risk as well. Thirty-nine of their brothers and sisters were also injured, including more than two dozen who are still in hospital. Their families are preparing for a life of, in the case of the four who perished, grief and loss, and for the families of those injured, a life of finding ways to support them.
I would also like to note the veterans and members of the Canadian Armed Forces whom we have lost to suicide. Their deaths do not diminish their service. They do not diminish their sacrifice. We need to look on those members with dignity and compassion and to thank them for their service.
As the rolls of the fallen continue to grow, in this very building we have the Books of Remembrance. I encourage anyone who has the privilege to join us here for a tour of this great place, and all my colleagues who serve here, to take a moment to visit the Room of Remembrance to see the names of our fallen, the men and women, some of whom were just boys and girls, who signed up to serve our country selflessly.
The act of remembrance is so important. It is wonderful to look across the House and see everyone wearing a poppy, and to see that in our streets. I encourage everyone to buy a poppy and to wear it proudly, to visit a cenotaph service on Remembrance Day, to visit the grave of a veteran, to thank a serving member and to thank a former member of our Canadian Armed Forces.
Members who have served know how important a buddy check is, to check in to ask how someone is doing. They do not have to give us any details or a response beyond an acknowledgement, but checking in on them counts, as does thanking them for their service. It is not something anyone joins to receive bouquets of roses thrown to them. They do it selflessly, so please thank them.
The number of names continues to grow, of those we lose every year, those who have served, but we are blessed to live in a country where men and women continue to sign up to serve, protect and defend what we are so blessed to enjoy here.
Our gratitude cannot be measured simply by our words of remembrance but must also be measured by our deeds. We collectively need to do better every single day in delivering on our obligations to the men and women who have served Canada. They serve us with unlimited liability. We need to repay that by making sure we take care of them when their service concludes. It is something we all need to put our shoulder to the wheel to do for them, just as they did for us.
We will remember them.
Claude DeBellefeuille Bloc Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, in Quebec, where I live, the sound of jackboots is just an expression for most people, and the sound of gunshots can be mistaken for fireworks, not the other way around. For most of us, war is something distant, something that happens elsewhere. However, that is not the case for veterans and their families.
Remembrance Day is a time to remember all the soldiers who bravely gave their lives in war so we could have peace. We remember the soldiers who died during the war that was supposed to be “the war to end all wars”, which clearly it was not, as we can see today from the fact that our world is in turmoil. We remember the soldiers who died in all the conflicts that unfortunately followed: the Second World War, the Korean War and the war in Afghanistan, as well as the peacekeeping missions, particularly in the Balkans. Time may go on, but the memory of our heroes never fades.
It is also an opportunity to thank all those who have served, have put their lives on the line and are still with us today. Their courage does them honour and will forever honour us as well. It is now our turn to honour our obligation to them. We need to send a message to the federal government: Our veterans deserve treatment that lives up to their dedication. That is not the case when struggling veterans have to wrestle with the federal government for the right to keep their own psychologist, with whom they have developed a deep relationship. That is not the case when francophone veterans face discrimination from service delays that are completely disproportionate to those experienced by their anglophone counterparts. It does not honour the memory of the Quebeckers, Acadians and French Canadians who served to erase the French language from the Canadian military, as the current government is condoning. We are currently witnessing a decline in the way veterans are treated. That needs to be said, and it needs to stop.
As Remembrance Day approaches, I also want to honour and thank the men and women who are currently deployed. They can be found on every continent, in hot spots, such as the Russian border, the Congo and the Middle East. They play all sorts of roles in all sorts of circumstances, but one thing remains constant: Their families miss them and worry about them. They deserve our full support.
Let us also take a moment to reflect on the role that the armed forces play in Quebec. They are on the ground helping during devastating spring floods and out-of-control wildfires. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
In the coming days, ceremonies will take place across Quebec to honour our fallen. I encourage people to come out in force to attend. From now until November 11, let us proudly wear a poppy over our hearts. Let us not forget that the money collected goes directly to veterans and their families.
In closing, on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like tell all those who gave their lives in the line of duty, all those who served and all those who are serving today that we remember them and that we will continue to remember them.
Veterans' WeekRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
The hon. member for Vancouver Kingsway is rising.
Is there unanimous consent to allow the member to speak?
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise to offer Remembrance Day remarks on behalf of the New Democratic Party of Canada and our leader, Avi Lewis. As Veterans Week begins and communities across Canada prepare to gather for Remembrance Day, we come together to honour all those who have served our country in uniform. We remember those who never came home; we remember those who returned carrying wounds, both visible and invisible; and we honour the families whose love, strength and sacrifice sustained those who served and who serve.
This year, Remembrance Day is made even more poignant by the recent loss of four Canadian Armed Forces members during a training exercise at CFB Wainwright: Sergeant Morgan Wong, Private Shaun Farrell, Private Aidan Goulding and Private Hayden Lykkemark. Many more were injured, some gravely. As their loved ones grapple with this unfathomable, heartbreaking loss, we stand with them today in their grief.
Behind every uniform is a human being: a son or daughter, a brother or sister, a partner, a parent, a friend. When tragedy strikes, it is not just military families that mourn, but entire communities and a grateful nation. That is why we wear a poppy, not as a symbol of military glory but as a symbol of remembrance and gratitude; a reminder of lives interrupted, of futures never realized and of the profound human cost of war.
The history of military service in Canada is not one story but many, each bound by the same willingness to sacrifice for their country. One of the most remarkable chapters in this history is the service of indigenous veterans. Even when they were denied the rights of their fellow citizens, first nations, Inuit and Métis peoples answered our nation's call. They served with courage and distinction, fighting for freedom overseas even while facing injustice at home.
As I hail from Vancouver, I must also recount to this House the many moving ceremonies I have experienced at the Chinatown Memorial Monument in historic Chinatown, along with my colleague from Vancouver East. Like their indigenous comrades, Chinese Canadian soldiers also bravely served overseas while facing discrimination and denial of their own civil rights by the society they valiantly defended. Their contributions, sacrifices and resilience must never be forgotten.
Canada stands proud of the oversized contributions that we have made in the cause of freedom. In the First World War, over 600,000 people served, out of a population of eight million. From daring exploits in the air to their unbelievable courage at places like Ypres and Vimy Ridge, Canadian soldiers helped birth the independent country we know today. More than one million Canadians took up arms to defeat fascism during the Second World War, one of humanity's darkest chapters. They stormed the beaches of Normandy, fought through Italy, sailed dangerous Atlantic convoys, liberated occupied peoples and helped defeat the Nazi regime and its machinery of genocide. As fewer veterans of those generations remain with us, the responsibility to carry forward their stories now belongs to all of us. That sacred duty extends to Canadians who served in Korea, the Balkans, Afghanistan, on peacekeeping missions and countless operations undertaken in the service of all of us.
In honouring this service, we must also recognize the brutal reality of war. Those who have witnessed it first-hand understand, like no others, that beneath the language of strategy, of victory and of national interest lies something far more profound. War's true cost is measured in shattered families, lifelong trauma and lives that can never be restored. It invariably kills and wounds the innocent as well as the enemy. It destroys property, cities and cultural monuments. Its consequences outlive the conflicts themselves. That is why remembrance is not about celebrating war. It is about understanding its tragedy and renewing our commitment to peace.
It also calls us to action. The greatest tribute we can pay our veterans lies in how we treat them when they return home. To fully honour veterans, we must ensure timely access to health care; provide robust support for mental health and operational stress injuries; and ensure that no veteran is ever left homeless, isolated or living in poverty.
We must keep the promises made when they answered our country's call. Remembrance requires more than gratitude. It demands respect and resources. Most importantly to veterans, it demands that we work for a world in which our children are never again asked to bear the brutal burdens of war.
As we all gather in our communities this week, let us reach out and do something simple but meaningful, such as wear a poppy, attend a ceremony, thank a veteran, listen to their stories and share those stories with the next generation. In the end, we remember because democracy, freedom and human rights have never come without sacrifice. We remember because the most fitting way to honour those who served is to build a country worthy of their sacrifice, and a country that cares for its veterans, rejects the forces of hatred and strives always for a more just, compassionate and peaceful world for all.
Lest we forget.
Veterans' WeekRoutine Proceedings
The Assistant Deputy Speaker John Nater
I thank the hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs, the hon. member for Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands—Rideau Lakes, the hon. member for Vallée-du-Haut-Saint-Laurent and the hon. member for Vancouver Kingsway for their words in honour of Veterans' Week and Remembrance Day.
Lest we forget.
I wish to inform the House that because of the ministerial statement, the time provided for Government Orders will be extended by an additional 22 minutes, for a total of 46 minutes.
Ben Carr Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following three reports of the Standing Committee on Industry and Technology: the sixth report, entitled “Driving Canada's Electric Vehicle (EV) Future: A Study of the Federal Government's EV Policies”; the seventh report, entitled “Understanding and Preventing Digital and Financial Fraud and Scams in Canada”; and the eighth report, entitled “Bill C-267, An Act to establish a national framework to promote the durability of electronic products and essential home appliances”.
Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to its sixth and seventh reports.
Harb Gill Conservative Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, I will be presenting a dissenting report to the sixth report to make a simple point. Canada's automotive future cannot be dictated by political deadlines and government mandates.
I would like to take a moment to thank the witnesses who appeared before the committee and provided valuable testimony. Many submitted briefing materials. We are also grateful for the hard-working clerks, analysts and other support staff who helped us during the deliberations.
Conservatives support cleaner vehicles, innovation and reducing emissions, but Canadians should have the freedom to choose what works for their families and their wallets. In Windsor, this is not an academic debate. It is about paycheques, manufacturing jobs, our tool and die industry, and thousands of workers whose livelihoods depend on a competitive automotive sector. The government cannot force transition faster than consumers can afford it. Infrastructure and support have to be there. We most certainly oppose the admission of Chinese-made EVs into our country. The CCP is known to weaponize EV investment across the globe and engage in unfair trade practices. Reports from international agencies suggest they use slave labour. Is that what we are looking for here?
More importantly, we need to remind our American neighbours that they run a trade surplus with us when it comes to automobiles, and we will remain each other's primary customer. We need to get back to the negotiating table and work on a good deal that works for workers and taxpayers in Canada and the U.S.A.
Competitiveness cannot be legislated. It is earned by building things, creating jobs and giving Canadians and Canadian workers a fighting chance.
Michael Coteau Liberal Scarborough—Woburn, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food in relation to Bill C-226, an act to establish a national framework to improve food price transparency.
The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
Lisa Hepfner Liberal Hamilton Mountain, ON
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the ninth report of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage regarding Bill S-211, an act respecting a national framework on sports betting advertising.
The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
Jenny Kwan NDP Vancouver East, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-295, An Act to amend the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act (investments).
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to reintroduce an NDP bill brought forward in the last session by my former colleague, Alistair MacGregor, that would ensure investments made on behalf of Canadians through the Canada pension plan reflect our country's commitment to human rights, workers' rights and environmental responsibility.
I want to thank my colleague, the member for Courtenay—Alberni, for seconding this bill. He is always a champion for the people and for justice.
The Canada pension plan is a cornerstone of retirement security for millions of Canadians. The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board manages hundreds of billions of dollars on behalf of contributors and beneficiaries. Canadians should be able to have confidence that their retirement savings are not being invested in entities that engage in serious violations of human, labour or environmental rights.
This legislation would require the investment policy, standards and procedures of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to provide that investments could not be made or held in entities where there are reasons to believe the entity has committed human, labour or environmental rights violations.
The bill would also prohibit investment in entities involved in the production of arms, ammunition or other implements of war prohibited under international law, as well as entities responsible for directing certain forms of corruption prohibited under Canadian law.
This is fundamentally about accountability and responsible investments, and with that scale comes responsibility. Our pension investments should not contribute to practices that violate fundamental human rights, undermine workers or damage the environment. I hope members of the House will support this important bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Rosemarie Falk Conservative Battlefords—Lloydminster—Meadow Lake, SK
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadians opposed to the Liberal government's firearm buyback and confiscation program.
The petitioners note that the program targets law-abiding, licensed firearms owners and does nothing to address gun smuggling or gang violence, which is responsible for the sharp rise in violent crime. This program diverts resources from measures that would actually reduce violent crime, and the public safety minister has also admitted that it is costly and ineffective.
Therefore, the petitioners call on the government to end the buyback program and prioritize public safety through real reforms, including stricter bail for dangerous and repeat offenders.
Terry Dowdall Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour once again to rise on behalf of the great people in Simcoe—Grey and, more specifically, those in Clearview Township.
This has been mentioned before in the House many times, but this is a new petition about the over-the-horizon radar system that is going forward. Phase one was the purchase of 711 acres. It was a simple buy because all of the land was bought from one farmer. The project has already started, with the moving of the earth, and it is moving forward.
The petitioners in the area are really upset. The township is opposed to it. The residents are opposed to it. There is also big fear about phase two, which is another roughly 3,000 acres that may face expropriation. This is prime farm agricultural land that we will not get back. They understand that there is always a balance between food security and national security, but there are other options out there.
The petitioners are calling for three things: Number one, halt construction activities associated with the proposed over-the-horizon infrastructure in Clearview Township until environmental and alternative analysis have been completed; number two, make public all documents relating to alternative locations and conduct a transparent review of existing federal Crown and defence lands; and number three, ensure the defence infrastructure is not sited on prime agricultural lands and ecologically connected lands, including those associated with the Minesing Wetlands. There are a lot of concerns here.
Eric St-Pierre Liberal Honoré-Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition signed by members of the Cambodian community in the riding of Honoré‑Mercier in Montreal.
The 20th Francophonie Summit will be held in Phnom Penh in November. The petitioners note that this event will draw international attention to Cambodia. They believe that this is an opportunity for member states of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie to tangibly advance human rights and democracy.
They call upon the Government of Canada to use its participation in the summit, as well as its discussions with Cambodian authorities, to pursue four objectives: secure the release of political prisoners and prisoners of conscience; encourage the protection of civil society and freedom of the press; promote the restoration of genuine political pluralism; and combat transnational crime and ensure accountability.
Gord Johns NDP Courtenay—Alberni, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and privilege to table a petition on behalf of the residents of Tofino and Ucluelet.
The Pacific coast feeding group of gray whales is an ecologically and culturally significant population of whales that feed in the coastal waters of British Columbia. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada assessed the Pacific coast feeding group as endangered in November 2017. The committee recognized its small population and vulnerability to threats, including oil spills. Nearly nine years has passed since that assessment without the population being listed as endangered under schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act.
Gray whales face growing pressures from changing ocean conditions, reduced food availability, vessel strikes, entanglement, underwater noise and noise pollution. Recent reports of malnourished and gray whales along the Pacific coast have heightened concern about the survival of these animals. Increased marine traffic and industrial activity on the Pacific coast underscores the need for timely, science-based protection of these gray whales and their habitat.
Petitioners are calling on the government to immediately, under the Species at Risk Act, list the Pacific coast feeding group of gray whales under schedule 1 as endangered. This would be consistent with the 2017 COSEWIC assessment. The government should identify and protect habitats essential to the survival and recovery of this population; strengthen measures to reduce preventable threats to these gray whales, including vessel strikes, entanglement, underwater noise, pollution and oil spills; and work in partnership with indigenous nations, scientists and coastal communities to develop and implement effective measures for the long-term recovery of gray whales in Pacific waters.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to rise on behalf of the people from Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola.
I rise for the sixth time to bring forward a petition to help with the funding and fast-tracking of the rebuilding of the Red Bridge by the federal government. The Red Bridge was destroyed by arson in 2024. It was a cultural landmark and a vital link between Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc territory and mainland Kamloops.
I encourage the government to stop leaving Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola out when it comes to funding announcements. Let us fund Red Bridge in tomorrow's budget.
Dominique O'Rourke Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is always an honour to rise on behalf of the people of Guelph. I have two petitions today.
The first petition I present is on behalf of 40 constituents who are calling for the establishment of a Canadian centre for peace and justice. They recognize that lasting security requires not only strong national defence but also meaningful investments in diplomacy, conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
They call on the government to establish and fund an independent national centre dedicated to research, policy development, peace education and training for civilians, police and military personnel. Petitioners believe that such a centre would strengthen Canada's capacity to address the root causes of conflict and contribute to lasting peace, both at home and abroad.
Dominique O'Rourke Liberal Guelph, ON
Mr. Speaker, the second petition I present is on behalf of 85 constituents concerning Canada's immigration system. They express concerns about immigration processing delays and recent changes to immigration policies, emphasizing the importance of fairness, dignity and inclusion.
They are calling on the government to increase resources for IRCC and CBSA, maintain or increase immigration levels, and strengthen the interim federal health program. They also call for a special pathway to permanent residency for Ukrainians who arrived under the CUAET program and urge everyone to avoid rhetoric that unfairly blames immigrants for Canada's housing challenges.