Marty Morantz

[Emergencies Act, February 19th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the point here comes down to one fundamental issue, which is that the test, or the threshold, for invoking the Emergencies Act requires that situations such as this cannot be effectively dealt with under any other law in Canada.

I heard the member comment a little about that. He said that the Ottawa police could not deal with the situation, but from all accounts and reports, that really came down to a matter of resourcing and not the actual law.

Experts have said that the Criminal Code of Canada specifically provides the powers that the police need to deal with the situation.

In light of that, why does the hon. member think that the threshold to invoke the Emergencies Act has been met?

[Government Business No. 8—Proceedings on Bill C-10, February 14th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I agree with the member. The symbols and messages of hate that have permeated these demonstrations are very concerning.

To that end, will the member be voting in favour of the bill put forward by my colleague for Saskatoon—Grasswood, which would make Holocaust denial and distortion a criminal offence in Canada?

[Foreign Affairs, February 10th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, in a disturbing development last week, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping met and jointly called on NATO to rule out expansion in eastern Europe, denounced the new security formation in the Asia-Pacific region and criticized the AUKUS trilateral security pact, all three fundamental to the rules-based international order.

Given Russia's aggressive posture on Ukraine and Xi's on Taiwan, can the minister advise on what date specific sanctions will be used to combat this new and very troubling alliance?

[Income Tax Act, February 7th, 2022]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-240, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (donations involving private corporation shares or real estate).

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to introduce my private member's bill, the supporting Canadian charities act. This bill would help charities across Canada access up to $200 million a year in additional donations.

During COVID-19, many charities have had to suspend or limit important services that they provide. Many Canadian charities are struggling to raise much-needed funds during this pandemic, leaving charities across Canada struggling. This bill would help charities by waiving the capital gains tax on an arm's-length sale of private shares or real estate when the proceeds of that sale are donated to a charity, in much the same way as donations of publicly traded shares are currently treated.

Many stakeholders have endorsed this bill, including Diabetes Canada, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and Imagine Canada, just to name a few.

To look at my private member's bill further, members are invited to visit the website for the bill, the supporting Canadian charities act.

The bottom line is that when charities are hurting, people are hurting. Let us all work together in the spirit of giving and help people by supporting the charitable sector.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021, February 2nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, since the issue of a capital tax or an equity tax on homes came up in 2019, the Liberals have been denying it. I would like to take them at their word, but since then, as my hon. colleague mentioned in his speech, CMHC, a Crown corporation of the Government of Canada, requisitioned a report on the recommendation of its former head, Mr. Siddall, from Generation Squeeze, which recommended this very policy.

I appreciate the fact that members opposite have been denying that they are going to do this, but why have they not specifically repudiated this report, particularly after Mr. Siddall went public and endorsed this recommendation himself after he was no longer head of the corporation?

[Foreign Affairs, February 1st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, over the past several months, Russia has amassed thousands of troops and conducted provocative military activities close to Ukraine's border. As the international community continues to call on President Putin to de-escalate the situation, Canada must be crystal clear as to what specific action it will take to deter an invasion.

This is a very important question. Could the Prime Minister confirm right now that if Ukraine is invaded he will use all tools at his disposal, including Magnitsky sanctions?

[Charities, February 1st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, over the past two years, Canadians have endured some of the most difficult times in a generation. While charities from across this great country have stepped up to help families in need by providing much-needed services, they too are struggling to provide the help that is so desperately needed. Charities have not been receiving the contributions that they need to do their work as their traditional donors simply cannot afford to support them the way they have in the past.

As members of the House, we can all work together to address this crucial issue through common sense and compassionate decision-making. The bottom line is that, when charities are hurting, people are hurting.

That is why I rise today, hoping to inspire all members to lend a helping hand to charities across Canada through thoughtful amendments to the Income Tax Act that incentivize charitable giving, so that these organizations can access the funding they desperately need in order to help protect our country's most vulnerable citizens.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 31st, 2022]

With regard to the appointment of the Honourable Irwin Cotler as Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism: (a) what specific government resources have been allocated to the Envoy to ensure he can fulfill his mandate; (b) since his appointment on November 25, 2020, what specific measurable outcomes have been achieved; (c) will there be regular reports tabled by or on behalf of the Envoy outlining his progress and, if so, what are the details; and (d) has office space been allocated to the envoy and, if so, where are the offices located (i.e. city and address)?

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 31st, 2022]

With regard to the Advisory Panel on Systemic racism, discrimination with a focus on anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism, LGBTQ2+ prejudice, gender bias and white supremacy announced by the Minister of National Defence in December 2020: (a) why was focusing on antisemitism and Islamophobia not part of the panel’s mandate; (b) was the decision to exclude antisemitism or Islamophobia intentional or was it a mistake; and (c) if these exclusions were a mistake, what specific action, if any, has the Minister of National Defence taken to correct these errors, and on what date was the action taken?

[Government Business No. 4—An Act to Provide Further Support in Response to COVID-19, December 16th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member, in her capacity as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, about the 12,000 independent travel advisers across the country who are suffering because of a lack of supports within Bill C-2. As the member may be aware in her capacity as the parliamentary secretary, many of these travel advisers had their commissions clawed back. They were not earning zero income; they were earning less than zero income and had to pay money back to the airlines. With the latest travel advisory, there will be more cancellations, and my understanding is that they are not eligible under Bill C-2 at this point.