Paris Agreement  Madam Speaker, quite frankly, let us talk about the current government's track record on this issue a little further. The Prime Minister, after the 2015 election, after he went to Paris at the expense of $1 million to taxpayers on this junket, said that within 90 days the provincial leaders would sit down and they would hammer out a pan-Canadian approach to combat climate change and to implement the Paris agreement.

Paris Agreement  Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with my colleague, the hon. member for Calgary Rocky Ridge. It was about a year ago that the Prime Minister was criss-crossing Canada, talking about ushering in a new era of collaborative federalism. Not only was the Prime Minister talking about ushering in a new era of collaborative federalism, he was talking about sunny ways, consultation, co-operation, and collaboration.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, since the Prime Minister unveiled his Supreme Court appointment process to shut out Atlantic Canada, the silence from the 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada has been deafening. Now, four senators from Atlantic Canada are calling on the Prime Minister to respect Atlantic representation.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to rise in the House to present a petition signed by dozens of my constituents calling on the government to establish hospice palliative care as a defined service under the Canada Health Act. The Minister of Health has conceded that up to 70% of Canadians do not have access to palliative care, and the petitioners are calling on the government to make palliative care accessible and available to all Canadians by taking this step.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice has said that, instead of respecting Atlantic Canadian representation on the court, Atlantic Canadians would be left to compete in a national competition. Does the minister agree with the parliamentary secretary, or is the minister going to respect a 141-year constitutional convention to respect Atlantic Canadian representation, not to mention the unanimous vote of this House of Commons, and appoint an Atlantic Canadian?

Justice  Mr. Speaker, the Liberal member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook was reported as saying that the majority of candidates on the Prime Minister's Supreme Court short list are from outside of Atlantic Canada. This confirms that the Liberals are preparing to shut out Atlantic Canada from the court for the first time ever.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice has said that the government will support our Conservative opposition motion calling on the government to respect Atlantic Canadian representation on the Supreme Court, but the minister has refused to actually confirm that the government will appoint an Atlantic Canadian.

Supreme Court of Canada  Mr. Speaker, for 141 years, Atlantic Canada has maintained representation on the Supreme Court. Every government has respected Atlantic Canadian representation, until the Liberal government with its appointment process that does not guarantee Atlantic representation on the court.

CANADA LABOUR CODE  Mr. Speaker, it is true that some unions are transparent and open, and it is also true that some unions are not. I was not in the House during Bill C-377 in the last Parliament, but I do know, having followed it, that there was a considerable body of evidence that was presented at committee from union members who said that they could not get basic information from their unions.

CANADA LABOUR CODE  Mr. Speaker, it is true that certain union bosses and elites stood up and vocally opposed Bill C-525 and Bill C-377. However, there have been many public opinion polls that show the vast majority of Canadians, including workers, support both of these measures. I do not really understand what the hon. member is talking about with respect to harmony in the workplace.

CANADA LABOUR CODE  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to Bill C-4, which seeks to repeal both Bill C-525 and Bill C-377. By way of a brief background, Bill C-525 imposes a requirement for a secret ballot for union certification and decertification, whereas Bill C-377 imposes minimal public financial disclosure requirements on unions.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, just about everyone has criticized the Liberal appointment process to shut out Atlantic Canada, from academics and lawyers to the Canadian Bar Association, to first nation leaders, and the process is being challenged in court as we speak. When will the minister get the message and reverse this objectionable constitutionally questionable appointment process to shut out Atlantic Canada?

Justice  Mr. Speaker, while the minister from Nova Scotia has been busy attacking the independence of the Supreme Court, the minister for Atlantic Canada—where is he from again? Oh, yes, Mississauga. The minister for Atlantic Canada from Mississauga has been silent in standing up for Atlantic Canadian representation on the Supreme Court, as have all 32 Liberal MPs from Atlantic Canada.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the member for West Nova with whom I have had the privilege of working and serving on the justice committee. I found it a little ironic that the member for West Nova referred to Chief Justice McLaughlin, because under this deeply flawed appointment process, Chief Justice McLaughlin would have been disqualified at the time she was appointed by former Prime Minister Mulroney.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member that Atlantic Canada has many eminently qualified jurists and lawyers to fill the vacancy of Justice Cromwell. That is why the Canadian Bar Association has criticized this process. It is why the Atlantic Provinces Trial Lawyers Association is challenging this process in court as we speak.