Ramesh Sangha

[Criminal Code, May 31st, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to have this opportunity to share my ideas and opinions regarding Bill C-14 to amend the Criminal Code.

In a unanimous decision on February 6, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada turned down the provision in the Criminal Code, giving Canadian adults who were mentally competent and suffering intolerably and enduringly the right to a doctor's help in dying.

The court suspended its ruling for 12 months, with a decision taking effect in 2016, giving the government enough time to amend its laws. In January 2016, the court granted an additional four month extension to its ruling suspension.

Until now, it is a crime in Canada to assist another person in ending their own life. As a result, people who are grievously and irremediably ill cannot seek a physician's assistance in dying and may be condemned to a life of severe and intolerable suffering. A person facing this prospect has two options: they can take their own life prematurely, often by violent or dangerous means, or they can suffer until they die from natural causes. The choices are cruel.

This enactment would amend the Criminal Code to, among other things: (a) create exemptions from the offences of culpable homicide, of aiding suicide and of administering a noxious thing in order to permit medical practitioners and nurse practitioners to provide medical assistance in dying and to permit pharmacists and other persons to assist in the process; (b) specify the criteria for eligibility, and the safeguards that must be respected, before medical assistance in dying may be provided to a person; (c) require that medical practitioners and nurse practitioners who receive requests for, and pharmacists who dispense substances further to, medical assistance in dying; provide information for the purpose of monitoring medical assistance in dying; authorize the minister of health to make regulations respecting that information; and, (d) create new offences for failing to comply with the safeguards, for forging or destroying documents related to medical assistance in dying, for failing to provide the required information and for contravening the regulations. This enactment also makes related amendments to other statues being affected.

We have reached to the final stage of debate in the House regarding the process, with hours of debate on Bill C-14.

The biggest thing during these debates was the sense of compassion with which the House heard from members debating for their individual constituents. That is the reason the bill touched the hearts of not only the members of the House, but also the hearts of Canadian from coast to coast to coast. Now, when the bill has reached to its final stage, I appreciate and congratulate every member for actively participating in building the most important and valuable laws on assisted dying and also to the government for affording full opportunity to all members to be part and parcel of this delicate and important legislation.

I also appreciate the extensive hard work done by both the Minister of Health and theMinister of Justice and by the members of the Joint Standing Committee of the Senate and the House.

Being new to this legislate process, I was a thrilled to watch yesterday's voting by the House on numerous motions. I saw members were in favour of few motions and were against on other motions. I realized the importance of these motions on assisted dying for the members of the House. That is the way member use their choices out of their own conscience and the will their constituents. I realized the real sense of democracy and a true parliamentary decision process being adopted.

This enactment to amend the existing Criminal Code is an important step and is auxiliary to new enactment regarding medical assistance in dying. Being legislators, it is our duty to see that medical service providers and other persons who provide assistance in medical assistance dying are legally safe.

As we all know, this is a first major revolutionary enactment. Going forward, there may be many ancillary issues cropping up. I and my Liberal caucus colleagues as well as many other members of the House are keen to see that bill should pass. I urge all members of the House to vote in favour of Bill C-14, an act to amend the Criminal Code and to make related amendments to other Acts (medical assistance in dying).

[Komagata Maru, May 20th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I concede in this House that Canada stands for reconciliation. The right hon. Prime Minister apologized in the House two days ago with the sincere intention of genuine reconciliation. The Komagata Maru incident is a symbol of exclusionary laws and racism. It is a memory that never dies down. This apology by the government and forgiveness by the community will act as a link between past, present, and future.

When the Prime Minister apologized he performed an act of healing. The wounds of history for this ethnic group, which is part of this multicultural Canada, will be healed forever.

Please accept my thanks on behalf of the community. I appreciate this opportunity.

[The Budget, April 13th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, the amendments to the Immigration Act that were announced by the hon. minister clearly indicate that there will be a reunification process and that families will be very happy.

In my previous profession I was an immigration lawyer. I have seen people cry because they could not have their parents reunited with them. It was very hard because the laws, which were being amended day by day, were very harsh and did not provide them that privilege. This budget provides the opportunity for the reunification of families.

[The Budget, April 13th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, the member's comment is not really a question. The Liberal Party has already agreed to restore home delivery.

This budget is providing all of the aspects of government spending which is for the middle-class people. That spending will be long-term spending for a better future. It will be spent to create good jobs and a cleaner environment for Canadians.

[The Budget, April 13th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, this budget is one that gives hope to Canadians, mostly the middle class and those who are striving hard to join the middle class. It is the hope that this budget will give them more jobs and more benefits. Our government has decided to cut taxes to 20.5% from 22%, and give that back to Canadians. When Canadians get money back into their pockets, they are in a better position, and Canada will be in a better position.

[The Budget, April 13th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands.

Today, I rise in this august House to recapitulate and review the promises made to Canadians six months back. We are in the process of a long journey whose milestone has been unfolded by this budget.

Canadians have struggled for the last 10 years to get ahead, but for most of them things were not getting better. The middle class remained stagnant for a very long time. Youth unemployment was eroding the faith of young Canadians and their parents. They were not able to move up the ladder, rather, some of them were sliding downward.

During our election campaign, we assured Canadians a new direction for our economy. We promised to invest in people and things that would make the lives of the middle class better. We all know that everyday lives can be better for people if they have good, long-term, and consistent jobs. They must have better modes to commute. They also need better child care, better schools, better hospitals, and better medical infrastructure. In addition to that, we all need clean water, fresh air, and green parks. All these things make the lives of common people better and livable.

I represent the riding of Brampton Centre. It is part of the GTA and comprises hard-working, middle-class Canadians. Quite a few of my constituents work in downtown Toronto and nearby areas. When we travel to downtown Toronto, or elsewhere around, we see the lifelines of commuting, the so-called Highways 401, 410, and 427. They look like parking lots. What a colossal waste of time and resources. This leads to loss of time for workers, which could be spent at work contributing to the economy, or quality time with their families.

That is why we assured Canadians that our government had plans to invest in better means of transit, social, and green infrastructure. Our economy will grow so Canadians move ahead.

Our government is open to working with provinces. The funding has been made flexible for municipalities to have a coordinated, need based and progressive improvement.

Investment in transit infrastructure would help to make a positive difference in our lives. It is the government's plan to quadruple federal investment in public transit to ensure that the projects actually get built. It would also give a boost to the economy.

Our government has also planned to invest in social infrastructure, on things like affordable and social housing, child care spaces, community centres, and also in youth and seniors. The government also plans to invest in green infrastructure.

These would all create greener energy, cleaner land, and more good jobs for Canadians, leading to a stronger economy and a cleaner environment. This would help the middle classes and those who are striving hard to join the middle class.

Our government is in the process of sending families a tax-free, monthly Canada child benefit worth up to $533 a month for one child. Nine out of ten families will get more money from this plan. Middle-class Canadians can now save up to $670 per person each year, with a maximum benefit of nearly $1,350 for a couple.

When middle-class Canadians have more money in their pockets to save, invest, and grow, the economy is bound to benefit.

Our government has cut the middle income tax bracket to 20.5% from 22%. Canadians with taxable annual income between $44,700 and $89,401 have seen their income tax rate fall.

To pay for this tax cut, the wealthy 1% of Canadians are giving a little more. This government has introduced a new tax bracket of 33% for individuals earning more than $200,000 each year.

Our government has already assured Canadians that we will lower the pensionable age to 65, thereby reducing the insecurity of old age created by the previous government.

Our government is taking direct action and working with provinces and territories to provide Canadians with a more secure retirement. Therefore, the quality of the lives of seniors is a major concern for our government.

In pursuit of goals for widespread prosperity, our government is also in the process of improving access to the employment insurance benefits. We all know that Canada is a country of small and medium-sized enterprises. These enterprises are the back bone of our economy. Our prosperity is embodied in entrepreneurs who take chances.

It is imperative that businesses reduce costs and improve productivity if they have to survive the global competition over mid and long term. Hence “innovation” is our mantra.

This government has been encouraging and has also been planning to invest in innovations in all and every field. The previous government ignored the people who did most of the heavy lifting. Canadians were working harder and longer, but some of them were sliding downwards. The persistent lack of opportunities for youth was having a far-reaching impact on struggling classes.

Developmental plans were not managed with a vision. Too many eggs were put in one basket, which has not worked well for the overall economy. The temporary foreign workers program started by the previous government proved to be counterproductive. These programs were filling jobs which could have been filled by qualified Canadians. Therefore, there is a need to streamline this process.

I was fortunate that the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced proposed progressive measures in my riding for implementing the vision of immigration. These will encourage pathways to reunification of families and citizenship to those who come to Canada to work, and will also review the temporary foreign workers program on needs-based criteria.

The Minister of Finance has presented his maiden budget. Canadians can see for themselves that a new hope is getting translated into reality. This budget has ushered in an era of implementation for what we had been promising to Canadians, and that is real change.

Spending on the infrastructure is realistic, keeping in view the long term goals. Canada needs fiscal measures that will boost productive capacity. We see in this budget growth, a friendly tax policy, an openness to trade, competition and supportive reforms. This budget lays out a credible plan for fiscal sustainability. It also aims to ensure Canadians that the federal government is dealing with economic challenges with prudence.

I compliment the Minister of Finance and his team for their vision, efforts and hard work in this regard.

[Canada Labour Code, February 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, again, repealing Bill C-377 and Bill C-525 is a priority of our mandate. These bills need to be rescinded. Bill C-4 is required to be passed. This will put collective bargaining on the table in a better way, and will be a benefit to the employees.

[Canada Labour Code, February 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, people are working in factories, some are in unions and some are independent, without unions.

If somebody wants to form a union or work with a union, they should be free to take part in a union. There should be a free process, a free way of working. There should be a process to bring issues to the bargaining table. That is the best way to do it.

That is why we want to get these bills rescinded, and to move forward on Bill C-4.

[Canada Labour Code, February 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious. The unions and employers have equal rights and are sitting at the bargaining table. The decisions made at the bargaining table need to be done by the correct procedures. That is the way we want to bring changes.

[Canada Labour Code, February 16th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, if Bill C-4 is passed, it will restore total fairness and balance to the Canadian labour relations system.

The repealing of Bill C-377 and Bill C-525 is required.