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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 30

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
February 14, 2022 11:00AM
  • Feb/14/22 2:59:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the fact is that the situation in Afghanistan is terrible, but it is why we have made a world-leading commitment to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees. I am pleased to share with the House that there are now more than 7,500 in Canada today, and we will not waver until we succeed in our mission to welcome 40,000 into our country.
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  • Feb/14/22 2:59:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, they were busy knocking on doors. There is no pride in only achieving 20% of that target. The minister should be ashamed of himself for abandoning them and then standing up for an election instead of helping those Afghans. The minister should be thanking the veterans, NGOs and those of our NATO allies that actually stepped up when his government failed to. UNHCR testified that it had a plan to evacuate Afghan refugees back in January 2021. The government knew about it and ignored it. Why was an election plan more important than an evacuation plan?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:00:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the veterans organizations, the NGOs and our NATO allies that were helpful in rescuing Afghan refugees, some of whom are now in Canada. However, the politicization of this event by the member opposite is a disgrace. He said I should be ashamed of our record on Afghanistan, but I remind him that he campaigned, during the election he spoke about, to bring precisely zero Afghan refugees here. Moreover, if we look at their platform, we will see that they campaigned on a commitment to end the government-assisted refugee stream altogether, which has resettled thousands of Afghan refugees who now call Canada home.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:00:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we have learned that on December 30, 2020, 23 Liberal—not Conservative—MPs wrote a letter to the ministers of foreign affairs and immigration asking that former Afghan mission staff be given safe passage to Canada. The Prime Minister said in September 2021 that the situation had developed too quickly and that he had not had time to respond and to draw up a plan. Even though 23 Liberal MPs were making this request in December 2020, the Prime Minister said in September 2021 that he had not had time to do anything. Why is the Prime Minister not listening to his own MPs?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:01:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am grateful for the support of members of Parliament on both sides of the aisle in the House for their contributions to the effort in Afghanistan. I hope we continue to receive that support and advice from the conversations they are having in their communities. One of the things that came from my conversations over the course of that campaign was the opportunity to engage with the government to say that we should be doing more and we should be increasing our ambitions. The situation in Afghanistan during the fall of Kabul is precisely why we have decided to step up and make one of the most substantial commitments out of any country in the world to resettle 40,000 Afghan refugees. I am proud we made that commitment and I am pleased to be the minister responsible for making good on it.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:02:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our government knows that immigration is critical to Canada's economic recovery. Rural and northern communities are facing significant demographic challenges and often have a tough time attracting and retaining newcomers, who choose to settle in big cities. Could the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House how the rural and northern immigration pilot is helping communities like Sudbury attract and retain more newcomers?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:02:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Sudbury for this important question and for the opportunity to practise my French. Immigration is essential to the entire country's economic recovery. Through the rural and northern immigration pilot, we have welcomed over 420 newcomers to 11 rural communities, including Sudbury. These are people who work in our hospitals and in our businesses. They are new neighbours who are making enormous contributions to our communities. I look forward to continuing my work to welcome more newcomers to large and small communities across Canada.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:03:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I hear regularly from Canadian charities working overseas about the damage direction and control regulations are causing. These silly regulations force charities to spend millions of dollars in unnecessary legal fees and obstruct genuine partnership by requiring donor control. Could the government tell us if it will finally listen to the sector and support our efforts to end outdated and neocolonial direction and control regulations?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:04:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can tell my hon. colleague across the way that the Canada Revenue Agency is working with all charities to ensure that they comply with the law and government rules. We will continue to do our job. If my colleague has any specific questions, I encourage him to contact my office.
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Mr. Speaker, for far too long, direction and control regulations have limited the collaboration between charities and other organizations. That is why I am proud to sponsor Bill S-216 in the House. Bill S-216 would replace direction and control with an accountability framework that would allow for constructive and equal partnerships between charitable organizations and the communities they serve. It has already passed the Senate unanimously. Will the government commit to working with us to ensure the bill passes during the 44th Parliament?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:05:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our organization will continue to work to end discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation and disability. This includes evaluating existing processes where there are concerns. In this regard, at the national summit on Islamophobia earlier this year, I had the opportunity to announce that I had asked the taxpayers' ombudsperson to conduct a systemic examination to address the concerns of Muslim communities. I have appointed a member of the Muslim community to the advisory council on the charitable sector, and these actions will help the CRA pave the way for a process that is more inclusive and more representative of Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, respectfully, that was a much worse answer than I was expecting. This is a question about direction and control. Again, to the minister or some minister, we want an answer about direction and control regulations. Bill S-216 has been before this Parliament and the Senate for years in the same form. Surely the government is aware of it. Surely the government has heard from someone in the development sector. Could we please get an answer to the question? Could we please get some good news instead of nonsense talking points on completely different issues? What is the government's position on reforming direction and control?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:06:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague opposite. The Canada Revenue Agency respects the rules and regulations and the measures in place, and it will do what it can to ensure that people respect the agreements with the government. We will continue to work toward that goal with our partners in the community.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:07:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada's support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity has been steadfast. We have been there for the people of Ukraine, with economic, social, development and military support. However, with Russia's increasing aggression and with threats of a further invasion of Ukraine, many Canadians and I are more concerned than ever. Could the Minister of Foreign Affairs please share with Canadians what steps we are taking and will take to deter a Russian invasion of Ukraine and to protect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:07:38 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We are deeply concerned by the continued buildup of Russian troops in and around Ukraine. My top priority is ensuring the safety and security of all Canadians on the ground. I am urging Canadians in Ukraine to leave now. We will continue to stand steadfast in our support for Ukraine and its people every step of the way. Any further Russian incursions will face serious consequences.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:08:17 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government made a huge mistake when it cut some of the most vulnerable seniors off the GIS, which they rely on to purchase basic things like housing, medication and food. They feel hopeless and they feel abandoned. The New Democrats have been asking the government since before the last election to fix this problem. Finally the minister announced a one-time payment, but it is not until May. Seniors are in desperate need now to stave off hunger and eviction, so again I am asking this: Will the minister support seniors at risk and immediately release emergency funds?
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  • Feb/14/22 3:08:55 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her advocacy on this. We both share a deep desire to support the seniors most in need. I am very pleased to share that we will now be able to deliver payments to those who saw their GIS reduced ahead of schedule, as early as April 19. Service Canada will also be working with members of Parliament to help constituents in dire need to get support sooner, in March, and we will continue to be there to support seniors through our increases in pension benefits. I would like to take a moment to thank officials for their extraordinary work. I look forward to continuing to have these conversations with the hon. member.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:09:36 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, ironically, two years ago today, the former leader of the official opposition said, “These protesters, these activists, may have the luxury of spending days at a time at a blockade, but they need to check their privilege”. It seems to me that we have a larger problem in this country of a double standard when it applies to how indigenous protesters are treated by the police and how anti-Black racism protesters are treated. I ask hon. members and the minister if there is in fact a way to examine the double standard in policing and bring the implicit racism in the way we treat protest to an end.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:10:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, of course, we always have the expectation that our RCMP and all law enforcement will exercise their duties responsibly and in a manner that is respectful and consistent with the charter. I would point out that over the last number of days, law enforcement, including the RCMP, has done an exceptional job. I would like to thank them for ensuring that we could get our economy going by reopening the border and allowing Canadians to get back to work. The only double standard that I think we are all worried about here is when the Conservatives are going to finally join with the government and call on those at the illegal blockades to go home.
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  • Feb/14/22 3:11:02 p.m.
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It being 3:10 p.m., pursuant to order made on Thursday, November 25, 2021, the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of the member for Portage—Lisgar relating to the business of supply. Call in the members.
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