Pam Goldsmith-Jones

[World Oceans Day, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, today is World Oceans Day. Our $1.5-billion oceans protection plan prioritizes safer, healthier oceans. I would like to commend the Pender Harbour Advisory Council, the District of Sechelt, and the Bowen Island Municipality for their hard work in identifying and removing abandoned vessels. The harbours are being cleaned up.

With regard to fisheries, at the Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, over 20 scientists from the Vancouver Aquarium have moved in to share the fisheries lab in West Vancouver.

Next year, the West Vancouver school district will graduate its first cohort whose students will have learned side by side with federal scientists all year long. Ocean Ambassadors, representing hundreds of young people, is designing programs together with fisheries.

Internationally renowned artist Douglas Coupland assembled his latest public exhibit, “Vortex”, drawing attention to the horror of ocean plastics, on the grounds of the fisheries lab in West Vancouver.

Our government is 100% behind science research and community engagement on the big challenges that face the world's oceans. This is how we honour World Oceans Day.

[Foreign Affairs, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians and Taiwanese share many ties. We are committed to growing our significant people-to-people and trade relations with Taiwan. Canada is also committed to supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations, such as the World Health Assembly, where its presence provides important contributions to the global public good.

As the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs told the House of Commons on May 17, 2017:

Global health is a global responsibility. Germs do not know any borders. We welcome participation from all civil society and the entire global community, including Taiwan. We all have a stake when it comes to the health of humanity.

[Foreign Affairs, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada was an active supporter of Taiwan's participation at the 2018 World Health Assembly, held recently, from May 21 to May 26. The Government of Canada called on the World Health Organization to extend an invitation to Taiwan to attend as an observer and was disappointed that an invitation was not issued. Taiwan has acknowledged and expressed its appreciation for Canada's support. Taiwan's role as an observer in the annual World Health Assembly meetings is in the interest of the international health community, and it is important in the fight against pandemics and disease.

In her address to the World Health Assembly in Geneva, on May 22, the hon. Minister of Health reaffirmed that, “Canada upholds the principle of universality in addressing health issues and global health inequalities and recognizes the transboundary nature of disease.” She reaffirmed Canada's position that “it is important that all members of the global community be part of discussions on global health.”

Since 1970, Canada has maintained our one-China policy, which recognizes the People's Republic of China as the legal government of China, while taking note of China's position on Taiwan and neither endorsing nor challenging it. Canada opposes any unilateral actions taken to alter the status quo or raise tensions across the Taiwan Strait. We regularly urge both sides of the strait to resume dialogue to resolve matters of importance to their citizens, particularly when it comes to matters of health, safety, and economic well-being.

Canada's one-China policy has allowed us to have robust and growing trade and people-to-people relations with Taiwan. Canada-Taiwan trade exceeded $7 billion in 2017, making Taiwan Canada's 12th-largest trading partner and fifth-largest partner in Asia.

Canadians and Taiwanese share a long-standing commitment to the universal values of freedom, democracy, and rule of law. We also have strong and growing people-to-people relations. Two-way tourism has surpassed 200,000 visitors per year, and Canada is a popular destination for Taiwanese students.

Canada and Taiwan co-operate in multilateral organizations, including APEC and the WTO. In other international multilateral fora, the Government of Canada has consistently supported Taiwan's meaningful participation, where its presence provides important contributions to the global public good, such as in relation to aviation security and global health.

[Justice, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I think my hon. colleague will be very interested to know that in 2017, we appointed 100 judges, more than any government in the past two decades. We created 28 new judicial positions in budget 2017 to respond to demonstrated workload increases on these same superior courts, including in the area of criminal law, and through budget 2018, we have proposed the creation of an additional 46 new judicial positions. That is 74 new federally appointed judges across our country to respond to the needs of the courts and the needs of Canadians.

As this brief account demonstrates, our government is dedicated to ensuring that our justice system is accessible, efficient, and effective for Canadians.

[Justice, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, to those who would accuse our government of inaction, let me highlight just a few of the ways we have acted decisively, and on multiple fronts, to ensure that the Canadian justice system is there for Canadians. To date, our government has appointed or elevated 183 judges across the country and has appointed 40 deputy judges in the territories.

Last year, 2017, was a record year. We appointed 100 judges—

[Justice, June 8th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise on the serious matter of judicial appointments. Since elected, our government has taken significant steps to ensure that the process for appointing judges is transparent and accountable to Canadians and promotes greater diversity on the bench. At the same time, we recognize the challenges courts face with respect to court delays, which have come under heightened scrutiny since the Supreme Court of Canada's Jordan decision.

We have demonstrated that we are committed to responding to these challenges by introducing Bill C-75. This bill promises substantive reform that will fundamentally address delays, and modernize our justice system.

Let me assure the member opposite that the minister is very mindful of the effect judicial vacancies can have on the effective operation of a court. The minister is absolutely committed to ensuring that the most meritorious candidates are appointed to the bench to meet the needs of all Canadians.

Since elected, our government has appointed or elevated 183 judges to superior courts across the country, including five in Saskatchewan, and today, the diversity of our appointments is unprecedented. Under our government, 57% of appointed or elevated judges are women, compared to just 32% under the previous government.

Our government is committed to continuing to strengthen our judiciary. Budget 2017 created funding for 28 new federally appointed judges. Using this funding, the minister has appointed judges to new judicial positions in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador, with more such appointments to come.

Through budget 2018, we are creating 46 new judicial positions, including a judge for the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. This new position would respond directly and positively to a request from Saskatchewan. This additional judge would assist that court, the highest court in the province, to address a growing number of civil and criminal appeals as well as increasingly complex matters. The amendment to add this position to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal is currently before Parliament in Bill C-74.

Fundamental to the judicial appointments process are the judicial advisory committees. They evaluate the applications of those who have put their names forward for judicial appointment and provide lists of highly recommended candidates to the Minister of Justice. As a result of the changes we introduced, the JACs are now more balanced and inclusive. We also made changes to help achieve a more representative bench, with a broader diversity of backgrounds and experience, allowing candidates to speak to their own understanding and experience of Canada's diverse makeup. We also increased our ability to validate candidates' bilingual capacity.

[Fisheries Act, June 7th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, does the member opposite truly recognize how galvanizing the gutting of the Fisheries Act by the previous government was for British Columbians? HADD was respected. HADD developed security and confidence at the local level and all the way through the system. I would ask that the member justify the kinds of cuts and devastating evisceration by the previous government of the Fisheries Act.

[Natural Resources, June 7th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has never been stronger, and there has never been a better time to invest in Canada. We have a strong, stable, and predictable business environment that is open to business, investments, and trade.

When foreign investors look at Canada, they see an open, diverse, highly-skilled, and well-educated workforce that is inherently global. This is Canada today, and we are making sure that foreign investors know it.

[Ts'zil Learning Centre, May 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the beautiful Pemberton Valley, north of Whistler, with Mount Currie rising 2,300 metres straight up from the valley floor, is the territory of the Lil'wat Nation.

For 20 years, starting with basic portable buildings with no proper heating, the Ts'zil Learning Centre provides a place where first nation people come to receive healing support, to overcome their residential school experiences, and to gain essential skills, such as trades certification or a high school diploma.

It is safe, familiar, and caring, and it is critical to the pride and progress of the Lil'wat people, in their way.

Today, with an $8 million investment by our government and an innovative partnership with locally based Murphy Construction, the beautiful new Ts'zil Learning Centre is rising up. Murphy Construction provides training, mentorship, and job creation for the Lil'wat Nation; 68% of Murphy Construction's employees are first nation.

Lamarr Williams attended Ts'zil, and conducted our tour. He is Murphy Construction's lead on the project. The lead for the Lil'wat Nation's approach to advanced education and training, through Ts'zil, is Lisa Fisher.

Murphy Construction and Lil'wat Nation are jointly, deeply committed to the Ts'zil Learning Centre. It is an honour to witness their approach. Ts'zil is showing us the way forward, together.

[Business of Supply, May 22nd, 2018]

Mr. Chair, another aspect of our investment that is really exciting and synergistic and shows tremendous potential is our superclusters announcement. It offers a lot of hope for the kind of clean, green economy we are wishing to build. Perhaps the minister could comment on that.