House of Commons Hansard #138 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was amendments.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Housing Cost Transparency Act First reading of Bill C-287. The bill proposes amending the National Research Council Act to require publication of housing cost impact summaries for building code changes, aiming to improve transparency and address concerns over increased costs for new housing. 200 words.
Protection Against Online Fraud Act First reading of Bill C-288. The bill proposes to amend the Criminal Code and mandate that digital platforms actively remove fraudulent content, notify exposed users, and impose stricter penalties for scammers targeting vulnerable people. 200 words.
Stopping Supply to Save Lives Act First reading of Bill C-289. The bill seeks to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and the Criminal Code to increase penalties for those who produce and traffic significant quantities of synthetic opioids, aiming to deter drug-related fatalities. 200 words.
Criminal Code First reading of Bill C-290. The bill amends the Criminal Code to create a specific offence for the theft of property with religious or cultural significance, ensuring such crimes are penalized with sentences comparable to thefts of high-value items. 300 words.
Act to Amend the Department of Industry Act (Small Businesses) First reading of Bill C-291. The bill mandates the federal government to assess the potential negative impacts of proposed legislation on small businesses before enactment, aiming to reduce regulatory hurdles and support their contribution to the Canadian economy. 300 words.
National Immigration Month Act First reading of Bill S-215. The bill designates November as National Immigration Month to recognize and celebrate the historical and ongoing contributions of immigrants to the economic, cultural, and social fabric of Canada. 100 words.
Admissibility of Government Business No.13—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on a point of order concerning Government Business No. 13, concluding that the motion to expedite the consideration of Bill C-22 is procedurally admissible despite concerns regarding its retroactive nature. 1300 words, 10 minutes.
Government Business No. 13—Proceedings on Bill C‑22 Members debate Government Business No. 13, a motion by the Liberals to expedite the legislative process for Bill C-22, which relates to lawful access. Amidst parting tributes for a retiring Member, the House centers on opposition criticism regarding the use of time allocation and procedural constraints. Critics argue the government is rushing through legislation that endangers civil liberties and privacy protections without adequate expert testimony or democratic oversight. 30400 words, 4 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Spectrum Policy Framework for Canada Act Second reading of Bill C-268. The bill proposes modernizing Canada’s spectrum framework and mandating independent verification of coverage. Supporters cite safety risks in dead zones, inaccurate carrier data, and economic disparities in rural regions. With cross-party agreement that current regulations are outdated, the House referred it to committee for further study. 7500 words, 1 hour.
Adjournment Debate - The Environment Elizabeth May criticizes the government's inaction regarding ongoing oil sands tailings leaks and compromised treaty rights. Parliamentary Secretary Karim Bardeesy defends the government's approach, emphasizing reliance on scientific monitoring, collaborative working groups with Indigenous communities, and a commitment to enforcing environmental regulations and upholding treaty obligations. 1300 words, 10 minutes.
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has said affordability is the best it has been in decades, but in reality, 38% of Canadians face food insecurity. One in five say all food in the home has been eaten and there is no money left to buy more. It is no wonder Food Banks Canada gave the Liberal government an F on food insecurity.
Will the Prime Minister reverse his costly policies, which caused this crisis, so Canadians can afford to once again live?
Buckley Belanger LiberalSecretary of State (Rural Development)
Mr. Speaker, I just want to talk about agriculture for a moment. For the last 10 years, these folks have been here literally doing nothing.
Back home in Saskatchewan, we have Saskatchewan's back. In the last 10 years, it has doubled the value of the amount of all agricultural products without the federal Conservative caucus's help. The government stood by Saskatchewan and will continue to have Saskatchewan's back.
In the meantime, the Conservatives can sit back for another 10 years. We have this.
Warren Steinley Conservative Regina—Lewvan, SK
Mr. Speaker, this member from northern Saskatchewan is the biggest embarrassment to come out of Saskatchewan since the Riders lost the Grey Cup for having too many men on the field. Let me make a list of what this guy has actually delivered. He cancelled the Snowbirds. He shuttered two agriculture research stations. He never delivered money for the RCMP museum in Regina.
If the Liberal government is doing so great, why are Canadians struggling so much?
Buckley Belanger LiberalSecretary of State (Rural Development)
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is methodically building a vast, exciting world partnership. This front bench is dealing with some very tough issues around trade wars and international conflicts. This caucus is doing the work to assist in every way possible. What the country cannot afford is the voodoo economic plan of the Conservatives. They make no sense. They have not made any sense in the last 10 years, and I doubt very much that we will see anything that makes sense over the next 10 years.
Jonathan Rowe Conservative Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL
Mr. Speaker, I read a news article yesterday that said there are asylum seekers and claimants from Saint Pierre and Miquelon entering Canada through my part of the island. Are people coming from France, a G7 ally, really seeking asylum in Canada? Are these even legitimate asylum claims? Are folks just trying to navigate the globe to take advantage of our system?
To the immigration minister, if these are legitimate asylum seekers, why are they seeking asylum in Newfoundland and Labrador rather than in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, where they landed?
Lena Metlege Diab LiberalMinister of Immigration
Mr. Speaker, I have good news. Here is what Canadians need to know. Our plan for responsible, sustainable immigration is working. The non-permanent resident population has declined. We are focused on attracting skilled talent, like health care workers, construction workers, researchers and engineers. The numbers do not lie. Our plan is working.
Jonathan Rowe Conservative Terra Nova—The Peninsulas, NL
Mr. Speaker, I do not think Saint Pierre and Miquelon was even mentioned in that answer. I do not think that answer is very good for the next generation or very comforting to the next generation.
Critical minerals, for example, are critical to the country's development and future. It seems that the Liberal government claims to spend millions of dollars in hard-to-reach places that require huge construction of roads, ports and highways. If these are national building projects, why does the government not invest in critical minerals in Newfoundland and Labrador, including in Port Hope Simpson, which is already at tidewater, already has highways and already has the infrastructure and everything needed to succeed?
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member talks about critical minerals. I have good news. Today we found 13 new projects to invest in critical minerals, with $5 billion invested in Canada and in critical minerals from seven different allied countries. Maybe they should watch the news sometime.
Dan Mazier Conservative Riding Mountain, MB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Liberal chair of the health committee suspended the meeting, with the cameras off, blocking emergency meetings from being held in public over the summer. Today, he cancelled the final health committee meeting entirely. This is a blatant abuse of power to shut the health committee down and block an investigation into the $300‑million PrescribeIT scandal. Conservatives are ready to work throughout the summer.
Why did the Liberal chair of the health committee abruptly cancel Thursday's meeting to block an investigation into PrescribeIT?
Marjorie Michel LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I will repeat for the 50th time that we did not block anything regarding the work of the Standing Committee on Health. The Conservatives are always looking to obstruct our work. I also want to take this opportunity to thank the committee members for their hard work, and I wish them a good summer.
Matt Strauss Conservative Kitchener South—Hespeler, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians know a cover‑up when they hear one. That was a cover‑up. They turned the cameras off on a scheduled meeting about the $300‑million PrescribeIT scandal. They cancelled tomorrow's meeting so they can continue to cover it up.
Can they offer some fig leaf of an explanation to Canadians as to why they are playing these dirty tricks if it is not a cover‑up?
Marjorie Michel LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I do not see how this can be a cover‑up, because the Conservatives have been asking the same questions about Canada Health Infoway and PrescribeIT for over a month.
That means that the public is aware. We are not covering up the information.
Helena Konanz Conservative Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Mr. Speaker, we need to hear from the chair of the health committee as to why he cancelled tomorrow's meeting. Hundreds of millions of health care dollars remain unaccounted for in the $300‑million PrescribeIT scandal. Why? It is because Liberal MPs keep turning off the cameras at the health committee. They turned off the cameras again yesterday. Canadians will not know what was said there for 30 years.
Will the chair of the health committee tell Canadians today why he cancelled tomorrow's meeting, blocking Parliament from investigating PrescribeIT?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalMinister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, as that member knows and the health minister has answered as she—
Steven MacKinnon Liberal Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, the health minister has answered that question several dozen times over the course of this session. This is a perfect example for the Canadians watching at home, as the Conservatives yell at me from across the aisle, of the obstruction and the waiting and the pointless talking. Anything they can possibly do to halt the work of Canadians that gets done in this place is what Conservatives do. They use this tactic—
HealthOral Questions
Fares Al Soud Liberal Mississauga Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, young Canadians are eager to work, gain experience and build their careers. Whether it is a summer position, an internship or their first step into the workforce, landing that first job can make all the difference. Can the Minister of Jobs and Families update the House on how our government is connecting young Canadians with employers and creating opportunities for them to succeed?
Patty Hajdu LiberalMinister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario
Mr. Speaker, I thank that member for his constant advocacy for opportunities for youth. We are proud on this side of the bench to have so many young representatives here in the government benches. We are very eager to work with them to ensure that youth have the best opportunities to succeed. In fact, this year there are 100,000 Canada summer jobs across the country, in every riding in this country. It does not matter whether the ridings are Conservative, Liberal, NDP or Green, because youth all across this country have an opportunity to get that first job, those great skills and those connections in the workforce.
Frank Caputo Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Nicola, BC
Mr. Speaker, “collaboratively” is the word used by the Minister of Public Safety as to how he would work with Conservatives on Bill C-22 amendments, and yet the government is insisting on using its manufactured majority to now ram this bill through Parliament.
Make no mistake: Conservatives want to put the bad folks in jail. We would pass part 1 of the bill swiftly, but Canadians have questions and experts have questions, and we think those questions should be answered with respect to part 2. Why is the Liberal government insistent on ramming Bill C-22 and part 2 through when we would gladly pass part 1 swiftly?
Ruby Sahota LiberalSecretary of State (Combatting Crime)
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have questions, victims have questions and the police chiefs have questions as to why it has taken so long for Bill C-22, which was originally Bill C-2, to get through the legislative process.
Every day that we wait, more and more victims are created in Canada. Take, for example, the shootings at the synagogues that have just happened recently. Those shooters were paid and hired by a foreign entity, in our country, online. Had we been able to find those shooters sooner, there would have been fewer victims.
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives support giving law enforcement officers the effective lawful access tools they need for investigating serious crimes and pursuing criminals. However, expert after expert has been sounding the alarm. Bill C-22 risks creating a surveillance state, more government control without accountability. If this bill is as good as the government claims, why are the Liberals using their manufactured majority to silence opposition and ram this overreaching law through Parliament instead of working with opposition parties to get it right?
Ruby Sahota LiberalSecretary of State (Combatting Crime)
Mr. Speaker, where are the Conservatives who used to care about protecting Canadians? They are not in this House. It is the government that has committed to protecting Canadians through our various bills that we have progressed through this House. Bill C-16 would protect children from child predators, and the Conservatives voted against it. It is an all-time low.
