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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 13

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 8, 2021 02:00PM
Context: House Hansard - 13 - Dec/8/21
The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 4:10:19 p.m.
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I thank the hon. member for Louis-Saint‑Laurent. I will take these matters under advisement and come back to the House with my ruling as soon as possible.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 4:10:19 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-4 
I have the honour to inform the House that a communication has been received as follows: Rideau Hall Ottawa December 8, 2021 Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Mary May Simon, Governor General of Canada, signified royal assent by written declaration to the bill listed in the Schedule to this letter on the 8th day of December, 2021, at 10:49 a.m. Yours sincerely, Ian McCowan Secretary to the Governor General and Herald Chancellor The schedule indicates the bill assented to was Bill C‑4, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (conversion therapy).
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 4:10:19 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill S-2 
I wish to draw the attention of the House to the presence on the order paper of Bill S-2, An Act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act and to make consequential and related amendments to other Acts, which the Senate adopted on December 7 and submitted to our attention the same day. The Chair is not in the habit of expressing its concerns on procedural matters in the House unless a point of order has been raised, except in very specific and particularly important cases. I thus wish to advise the House that, at first glance, Bill S-2 seems to infringe upon the financial prerogative of the Crown and, since it originates in the Senate, it could also infringe upon the privileges of the House with respect to the appropriation of public funds. The provisions set out in the bill are extremely complex, and the Chair wishes to hear members' observations on the matter. I thus encourage members who wish to comment on the issue to do so as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will not allow the motion for first reading to be moved. I thank hon. members for their attention.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Dec/8/21 4:14:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, two copies of the 2021 access to information and privacy reports for the following: the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces; Ombudsman for the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces; Military Grievances External Review Committee; Military Police Complaints Commission; Communications Security Establishment and Non-Public Property; and Staff of the Non-Public Funds, Canadian Forces. While I am on my feet, I move: That the House do now proceed to orders of the day.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 4:15:21 p.m.
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If a member of a recognized party present in the House wishes to request a recorded division or that the motion be adopted on division, I would invite them to rise and so indicate to the Chair.
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Mr. Blake Richards
  • Dec/8/21 4:15:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded division.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 4:15:49 p.m.
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Call in the members.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 5:09:10 p.m.
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The hon. member for Dufferin—Caledon did not hear the question, but we need unanimous consent to allow him to vote. Do we have unanimous consent? Some hon. members: Agreed.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 5:11:49 p.m.
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I declare the motion carried.
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Hon. Mark Holland (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Dec/8/21 5:13:36 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
moved: That, in relation to Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and the Canada Labour Code, not more than one further sitting day shall be allotted to the consideration at second reading stage of the bill; and That, 15 minutes before the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders on the day allotted to the consideration at second reading stage of the said bill, any proceedings before the House shall be interrupted, if required for the purpose of this order, and, in turn, every question necessary for the disposal of the said stage of the bill shall be put forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment.
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The Speaker
  • Dec/8/21 5:15:26 p.m.
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Pursuant to Standing Order 67(1), there will now be a 30-minute question period. I invite hon. members who wish to ask questions to rise in their places or to use the “raise hand” function so the Chair has some idea of the number of members who wish to participate in this question period.
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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)
  • Dec/8/21 5:17:19 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Mr. Speaker, it has been only 12 days since Parliament was recalled and the 338 parliamentarians in the House were called to debate legislation. This is the second time in just 12 days that the government has imposed time allocation on a bill. This is an important bill that deserves careful attention and serious parliamentary work. Unfortunately, the government is shutting down debate for the second time, saying that this is an emergency situation and that we need to proceed quickly because of the upcoming holiday season. The only reason we are in a hurry to pass bills is that the government decided to call an unnecessary election that Canadians did not want and that cost taxpayers $620 million. All this to end up with a Parliament that looks very much like it did last June. Today we are in a hurry because the government dragged its feet for more than 60 days between election day and our return to the House. The government has only itself to blame for the fact that we are in a hurry. Why shut down debate in Canada's Parliament for the second time when we have been back in the House for just 12 days?
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Hon. Seamus O'Regan (Minister of Labour, Lib.)
  • Dec/8/21 5:18:50 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, I think it is absolutely imperative that we move as quickly as we can on this because the COVID virus, the coronavirus, waits for nobody. It is important that we allow an opportunity for our health care workers to feel safe. It is important too that we ensure our front-line workers, and workers as a whole, feel safe and know that they no longer have to choose between the groceries they buy or the rent they pay and their ability to stay home if they do not feel well. This is one of the many things we have learned from the pandemic, which we are still not through. We are still fighting our way out of it. It is important that we move quickly, that we learn from our past lessons and perhaps errors, in some cases, so we know and understand what we need to do next. This is important.
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Mr. Alain Therrien (La Prairie, BQ)
  • Dec/8/21 5:20:06 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, the government forced us into an election. I will repeat the remarks of my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, who quite rightly said that this election, which cost $600 million, was unnecessary. We waited two months before coming back to the House. Everything was going well. The situation was under control. The government was in no hurry. Now, all of a sudden, it is an emergency. We had very little time to debate this bill. Some Bloc Québécois members still wanted to speak. We do not understand what the rush is. I have not seen anyone in Quebec starting fights on buses to get this bill passed more quickly. I do not understand what is so urgent. I know that the minister just answered this question, but he has not convinced anyone here that the situation is all that urgent. The House still needs to be respected. We can appreciate the need to bring in time allocation when there is an urgent need to act, but right now, there is no emergency. Why proceed so quickly without leaving time for discussion?
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Hon. Seamus O'Regan
  • Dec/8/21 5:21:12 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, the pandemic has shown us that many workers do not have paid sick leave. We are proposing amendments to the Canada Labour Code to provide all federally regulated private sector workers with 10 days of paid sick leave. We will work with the provinces, territories and other interested stakeholders to come up with an action plan to legislate sick leave across the country. Let me add that time is indeed of the essence, and that regardless of what differences we may have in the House, we all know and understand that the virus and its variations wait for no one, including ourselves.
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Mr. Peter Julian (House leader of the New Democratic Party, NDP)
  • Dec/8/21 5:22:07 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, a week ago today we saw a moment in the House that I think all of us, and all Canadians, were proud of. All 338 members of Parliament came together to pass at all stages the ban on conversion therapy. That was an important moment in the House. Now we have other important legislation that is before us. Of course, the member for Burnaby South has been the foremost proponent of this, raising it dozens of time in the House. The NDP caucus has strongly pushed the government to put in place 10 days of paid sick leave. During the pandemic, all members of Parliament have become aware of how important it is to have these provisions for paid sick leave put into place. No worker should have to choose between going to work sick and putting food on the table. The provisions of this bill achieve that. My question to my hon. colleague is this. Why are some members of Parliament trying to hold up this bill rather than get it through so that it will be in place and workers can benefit from it?
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Hon. Seamus O'Regan
  • Dec/8/21 5:23:16 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, many of us in the House can reflect on that moment. We were able to make some significant changes and ban conversion therapy in this country. What we showed was that on some matters that may divide us, when the imperative was there and we needed to see progress and justice, we were able to move in the House. We are saying now that because of the virus, its ability to mutate and the variations that exist, we know and understand that workers need 10 paid sick days because that is the time it takes for a lockdown.
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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)
  • Dec/8/21 5:24:02 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, I see what is happening today as a very strong signal of the government's priority. I applaud my New Democrat friends for recognizing that by allowing us to move to orders of the day. Whether the government is supporting our businesses or individuals, the pandemic is still there, as the minister has referred to. We need to have the backs of Canadians from coast to coast to coast, and this particular legislation is going to support them in a tangible way. We are talking about disposable income and saving jobs, and this is really important to all of us. Given the relatively short time span and the importance of passing this legislation, would the minister not agree that pushing it through in this manner will provide peace of mind? That is what I want: peace of mind for Canadians so they know the House of Commons is still there to support them through this difficult time.
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Hon. Seamus O'Regan
  • Dec/8/21 5:25:09 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, the impassioned rhetoric of the hon. member inspires me, as it has inspired many in the House. I would say to the hon. member that the virus waits for nobody. The sooner we can get through whatever the next wave may be, and the sooner workers do not hesitate to stay home if they feel sick, the better. Let there be no hesitation in workers feeling comfortable staying home, and knowing that they will be able to pay rent and pay for groceries. Fifty-eight per cent of workers in this country do not have any paid sick leave. This is a good start.
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Mr. Scott Aitchison (Parry Sound—Muskoka, CPC)
  • Dec/8/21 5:25:57 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-3 
Madam Speaker, what concerns me about trying to close down debate on this issue is that it is an issue where we have had fairly general and broad support across the House. It is a shame that we are being pushed to end this debate, because it is not just about a debate. Often, this chamber is a place for members to sing the praises of people on the front lines, for example, of health care in their communities. This bill provides an opportunity to do that. We have also been working on a couple of amendments to this bill, particularly the labour parts of the bill, to make it more effective and to do more with it. I worry that we are going to rush it through and miss the opportunity to make the bill better. When we all try to work together, agree on something and make it better, why rush? It seems unfair to the process.
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