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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:20:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to three petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.

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Mr. Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey—Newton, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:21:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Special Committee on Afghanistan, entitled “Honouring Canada’s Legacy in Afghanistan: Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis and Helping People Reach Safety”. In accordance with the motion adopted in the House on November 8, 2021, pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. I want to congratulate the members of the special committee from all parties and thank them for their dedication, teamwork and collaborative efforts over the past six months. I also want to thank the support staff, including clerk Miriam Burke and the analysts Julie Béchard and Allison Goody, for all their hard work in preparing this very important report.

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The Speaker

Jun/8/22 4:22:09 p.m.
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I believe we have a dissenting report. The hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

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Hon. Michael Chong (Wellington—Halton Hills, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:22:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on the supplement to the report of the Special Committee on Afghanistan. Our supplementary report adds the following evidence and observations not included in the main report. While all NATO allies scrambled in the withdrawal and evacuation last August from Afghanistan, Canada performed particularly poorly. The war in Afghanistan was Canada's longest war. Canada's withdrawal from Afghanistan last August was not only a betrayal of our soldiers, diplomats and Afghans themselves, but it was a disaster that has damaged Canada's interests for years to come. Allies and competitors around the world will question the strength of the Canadian government's commitments and whether the government is willing and able to back up these commitments with effective action. Afghans who worked for Canada were left behind and are being persecuted by the Taliban, precisely because they worked for Canada. The Canadian government had a moral duty to evacuate these Afghans and their families and failed to do so.

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Mr. Kody Blois (Kings—Hants, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:23:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Confronting Urgent Challenges and Building the Resilience of the Canadian Food Supply Chain”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank our clerk, our analysts and, indeed, the witnesses who appeared before the committee. Their contributions have been very important, and I would like to thank everyone for their collective work.

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Mr. Scot Davidson (York—Simcoe, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:24:34 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-280

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-280, An Act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (deemed trust – perishable fruits and vegetables). He said: Mr. Speaker, I am very excited today and I am pleased to rise to introduce the financial protection for fresh fruit and vegetable farmers act, which proposes to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act to support Canadian produce sellers. Every time I see the dark soil and endless rows of vegetables in the Holland Marsh in my community, the soup and salad bowl of Canada, I see opportunity. In order for that opportunity to be fully realized in the marsh and across Canada, more must be done to protect Canada's fresh fruit and vegetable growers during the bankruptcy of a buyer. We know that fresh fruits and vegetables are highly perishable with a limited shelf life. Unfortunately, the existing laws do not take this into account. This legislation would address this deficiency by establishing a deemed trust for fresh produce sellers, ensuring they have priority access to an insolvent buyer's assets related to the sale of fresh produce. I am glad to bring this initiative forward and champion fresh fruit and vegetable producers. I trust that all members in the House will support this bill.

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Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:26:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today I will be tabling two petitions. The first petition is from a group of British Columbians calling upon the Government of Canada to strengthen the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act to address Canada's significant shortcomings on human trafficking, which were embarrassingly highlighted by the U.S. Department of State's 20th Trafficking in Persons Report.

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Mr. Brad Vis (Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:27:39 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, and it calls upon the government to expand rapid detox programs and provide housing and skills training to those who are struggling with addiction to get their lives back on track. The petitioners state that harm reduction monies are being used to keep addicts on drugs, thus shortening their lives and providing no real help to those unfortunate individuals. They need to get their lives back, so the petitioners call upon on the government to stop giving free needles and drug supplies to addicts and to use those funds to establish rapid detox centres and provide the skills previously mentioned.

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Mr. Alex Ruff (Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:27:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition on behalf of my constituents with respect to the Liberal government's introduction on April 29 of, in their words, a “shadow registry” on licensed firearms owners in Canada. The petitioners are pointing out that this is unfairly going to target businesses and cost countless jobs and wages, and that it is unfairly targeting Canadian firearms owners, who are already the most vetted citizens in Canada. They are subject to daily screenings and are statistically proven to be less likely to commit crimes than non-PAL and non-RPAL holders. The petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to immediately repeal the order issued on April 29, 2022.

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Mr. Han Dong (Don Valley North, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:28:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am here to present a petition on behalf of 75 Canadians and Canadian residents who call upon the Minister of Finance to select Won Alexander Cumyow to be featured as the face on the redesigned five-dollar Canadian bank note. We believe that this initiative will help fight the anti-Asian racism we have observed in the last few years.

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Mr. Kevin Vuong (Spadina—Fort York, Ind.)

Jun/8/22 4:29:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by over 1,400 Canadians who call upon Parliament to ensure that the Government of Canada denies public funding to any domestic or foreign non-governmental organizations that promote or engage in acts of anti-Semitism.

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Mr. Corey Tochor (Saskatoon—University, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:29:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise. I have two petitions to present today, and they are both related to the environment and the importance of being good stewards of our environment. The first one is on honeybees, the importance of the 10,000 beekeepers in Canada and the important role bees play in our environment. The petition encourages people to consider ways we can help the bee population. There has been overwhelming support by the provinces and cities to support a day of the honeybee since 2010, and I am honoured to sponsor this petition, which 748 people have signed.

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Mr. Corey Tochor (Saskatoon—University, CPC)

Jun/8/22 4:31:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, given the neglect of the environment by the Liberals, I have petition e-3912. It has to do with the exclusion of nuclear energy in the green bond framework. It classifies nuclear energy as a sin stock. The Liberals are grouping nuclear energy with arms manufacturers, tobacco, alcohol and gambling activities, which I think is a travesty and so do a lot of Canadians. Some 10,544 people across Canada signed the petition, hoping the Liberals would reconsider their position on nuclear energy. I present these petitions to the House.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:31:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 493, 496 and 499.

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Jun/8/22 4:31:39 p.m.
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Question No. 493—

Questioner: Michael Kram

With regard to the government providing NDP members with special briefings in the days prior to April 7, 2022, about the content of the 2022 budget: (a) on what dates did these briefings occur; (b) which NDP members were invited to the briefings; (c) were any NDP staff allowed to attend these briefings, and, if so, which ones; (d) who from the government, including both elected and departmental officials, provided the briefings to the NDP members; (e) what precise information was provided in the briefings; (f) is it the position of the Department of Finance that none of the information contained in the briefings could have had any market implications, and, if so, who determined that position; and (g) if there was any possible market impacting information contained in the briefings, what written assurances, if any, did the government require to ensure that profits could not be made as a result of the advance information provided?

Question No. 496—

Questioner: Arnold Viersen

With regard to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) and information about former prostitution offences committed prior to 2014, in relation to section 210, former section 212(1)(j), and former section 213(1)(c) of the Criminal Code: (a) when these offences were committed, what information was entered by police services to the files of offenders in the CPIC; (b) are the circumstances of the commission of a prostitution offence recorded and visible in the CPIC; and (c) has the Parole Board of Canada studied the feasibility of the automation of record suspensions for these former prostitution related offences, and, if so, did the studies conclude that it is possible to automate these record suspensions?

Question No. 499—

Questioner: Dan Albas

With regard to COVID-19 vaccines thrown away due to spoilage or expiration: what was the available national wastage rate between May 1, 2021, and April 21, 2022, including the (i) percentage of doses wasted, (ii) number of doses wasted, (iii) number of doses administered?

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:31:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the government's responses to Questions Nos. 489 to 492, 494, 495, 497 and 498 could be made orders for return, these returns would be tabled immediately.

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Jun/8/22 4:32:03 p.m.
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Question No. 489—

Questioner: Rhéal Éloi

With regard to the government-owned building at the corner of Saint-Georges and Labelle streets in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, that is used by the Correctional Service of Canada as the Laferrière Community Correctional Centre: (a) why did the centre close in March 2019; (b) when did the Correctional Service of Canada make the decision to close the centre; (c) what impact did the closure of the centre have on the mission of the Correctional Service of Canada and the services provided; (d) over the past 15 years, how many inmates (i) transited through, (ii) could be accommodated at, this centre, broken down by year; (e) what data (occupancy and growth statistics) warrant reopening this centre; (f) have other organizations working for community reintegration in the Laurentians or in the greater Montreal area been consulted about the need to renovate and reopen this centre, and, if so, which ones and when; (g) has the City of Saint-Jérôme been consulted about the planned renovations to this building, and, if so, on what dates and for which parts of the project; (h) has a study on the heritage value of the building been conducted, and, if so, by which organization and what are its conclusions; (i) does the government intend to respond positively to the request to transfer the building to the City of Saint-Jérôme in order to restore its heritage value and develop it as a place of culture and pride, as requested by the city council in its resolution adopted unanimously on January 18, 2022, copies of which were provided to the ministers of Public Safety, Canadian Heritage and Quebec Lieutenant, and Public Services and Procurement; (j) has a study been conducted on the centre’s location and have the City of Saint-Jérôme and community partners been consulted on this location, and, if so, on what dates and which individuals and organizations were involved in these consultations; (k) does the Correctional Service of Canada intend to comply with the City of Saint-Jérôme municipal by-laws with respect to the renovation of buildings within its city limits, particularly concerning the timeline for completing the work in question, and, if so, when; (l) since the closure of the centre in March 2019, what correspondence, emails and other communications have been exchanged between the Correctional Service of Canada and the City of Saint-Jérôme concerning this building and on what subjects, broken down by date; (m) since the closure of the centre in March 2019, how much public money has been invested in studies and work on this building, broken down by budget item, supplier and month; (n) what is the timeline for renovating the building, broken down by month and by major work completed and to be completed; (o) what are the total cost estimates related to the proposed renovation and restoration of this building; and (p) were any options other than the currently planned renovation considered, and, if so, what were they and what did they consist of?

Question No. 490—

Questioner: Kelly McCauley

With regard to the departmental acquisition cards and expenditures made in March 2022: (a) what is the total sum of all purchases made; (b) what departmental expenses were made, broken down by accounting code; and (c) what is the number of purchases made specifically between March 22 and March 31, 2022?

Question No. 491—

Questioner: Dan Mazier

With regard to Parks Canada, broken down by each national park that is accessible to tourists: (a) how much money has each park budgeted for tourism promotion in 2022; (b) how much money did each park spend on tourism promotion in each of the last five years; and (c) what were the visitor attendance numbers, broken down by each of the last five years?

Question No. 492—

Questioner: Jeremy Patzer

With regard to the government's response to rising inflation across the Canadian economy: (a) is it the government's position that the high rate of inflation is entirely the result of temporary factors, such as supply disruptions, and, if so, does the government also maintain that the rise of inflation is unrelated to its economic and spending policies; (b) what specific analysis or data, if any, does the government have to support the position that inflation is entirely the result of temporary forces and not the result of its fiscal policy; (c) what specific actions in 2022, broken down by month or quarter, is the government taking or will take to ensure that temporary forces do not become embedded in ongoing inflation; and (d) does the government have any contingency plans to address other factors driving inflation for any rate higher than two per cent in late 2022, and, if so, what are the details?

Question No. 494—

Questioner: Michael Kram

With regard to reports of "March madness expenditures" where the government makes purchases before the end of the fiscal year so that departmental funds do not go unspent, broken down by department, agency or other government entity: (a) what were the total expenditures during February and March of 2022 on (i) materials and supplies (standard object 07), (ii) acquisition of machinery and equipment, including parts and consumable tools (standard object 09); and (b) what are the details of each such expenditure, including the (i) vendor, (ii) amount, (iii) date of the expenditure, (iv) description of the goods or services provided, (v) delivery date, (vi) file number?

Question No. 495—

Questioner: Xavier Barsalou-Duval

With regard to the High Frequency Rail (HFR) project between Toronto and Quebec City and the funding for this project announced in the 2022 budget: (a) what is the expected breakdown of the $396.8 million over two years, beginning in 2022-23, provided to Transport Canada and Infrastructure Canada for the planning and design phases of the HFR by (i) year, (ii) department, (iii) milestone description; (b) what specifically is the plan for the amount set out in (a); and (c) what will be the extent of VIA Rail’s involvement in the project, especially regarding (i) train operations, (ii) ticket sales?

Question No. 497—

Questioner: Xavier Barsalou-Duval

With regard to the Lac-Mégantic rail bypass project: (a) what is the itemized breakdown of the projected expenditures by (i) year, (ii) department, (iii) project, of the $237.2 million over five years, starting in 2022-23, provided to Transport Canada in the 2022 budget; (b) what, specifically, is planned to be done with that amount; and (c) what is Canadian Pacific’s projected financial share of the project?

Question No. 498—

Questioner: Garnett Genuis

With regard to the government’s policy on Somaliland and reaction to requests for support to rebuild the Hargeisa market: (a) what is the government's position with respect to Somaliland’s claim to independence; (b) have ministers or officials met with representatives or employees of the Government of Somaliland in the last seven years, and if so, what are the details of all such meetings, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) location, (iii) names and titles of the individuals in attendance, (iv) purpose of the meeting, (v) outcome; (c) did the Minister of International Development receive a letter from the Canadian Alliance to rebuild Hargeisa market requesting financial support for the rebuilding of Hargeisa market; and (d) what is the government’s response to the request for financial support, including what amount, if any, the government will provide?

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux

Jun/8/22 4:32:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.

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The Deputy Speaker

Jun/8/22 4:32:03 p.m.
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Is that agreed? Some hon. members: Agreed.

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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Jun/8/22 4:32:13 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.

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